hypocrisy never lasts

Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

Luke 12:2

God has a way of shining light on hypocrisy. It doesn't pay to fake your way into an appearance of holiness. It will not succeed. Jesus exposed the Pharisee's hypocrisy when He walked with them, and He will bring the sins of His church in this generation into light. A smug, false righteousness always fails. It humiliates those deceived into thinking they can pull off holiness under their own power.

Sadly, nobody really "wins" when dark secrets are exposed in a scandal. I suppose God's justice prevails, and that is great, but among people, the church in hypocrisy is a losing situation. It hurts the church and it disappoints those outside the church, fueling opposition to the gospel. That is why we must call each other as Christians to gospel accountability and confessional community. We must fight our sin, and our sinful covering of our sins, by being quick to repent, to turn to our Savior, to confess our faults to each other as well as to God, and to encourage one another to holy change that refuses to allow superficial faith, shallow doctrine, and unexamined lives to be among us!

All of us who have trusted Jesus for eternal salvation will give an account to Jesus. And at His judgment seat he will shine His light on all we have done, both good and evil (2 Corinthians 5:10). That is a fearful moment to consider, because all of us will have forgotten His warnings that nothing is hidden. It forces me to look daily at my own heart filled with the "leaven" of hypocrisy, and to root it all out through the Word, conviction of the Holy Spirit, and repentance.

O Most Holy Lord,

May my hands NOT cover up my sin, but instead, when I know I have done wrong, perhaps sewing fig leaves of my own hypocrisy, may I run to my Savior, confess my sin, share confession with my brothers and sisters without criticism, and find in You and with Your people grace, mercy, and forgiveness! Burn away hypocrisy's mask so that Your face is shining on me.

Amen