Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Be The Same Person Everywhere
“I hate double-minded people, but I love your law” (Psalm 119:113).
Have you ever heard of the term “Sunday morning Christian?” This is a derogatory term for people that are Christian on Sunday morning but the complete opposite the rest of the week. Some of us are a little bit better and we make sure to “act Christian” in public but not in private. The “Sunday morning Christian” and the “public Christian” are both hypocrites.
The word hypocrite ultimately came into English from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor” or “a stage player.” The Greek word itself is a compound noun: it’s made up of two Greek words that literally translate as “an interpreter from underneath.” That bizarre compound makes more sense when you know that the actors in ancient Greek theater wore large masks to mark
which character they were playing, and so they interpreted the story from underneath their masks. A Christian follows Jesus 24/7 – in public and private. In our “human condition” we strive to impress others and God with our acts of piety. Jesus addressed this issue in Matthew 6:1-8.
1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5 And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
Good works are how we show Christian love to others. However, our works should flow naturally as a result of our love for Christ and our desire to share His love. Ephesians 2:8-9, teaches us, “8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Prayer: 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:9-13).
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics...
-
A Christian Approach to Depression
A Christian Approach to Depression “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV). God has blessed us with the Living Word known as the Holy Bible. We can turn to the Bible for advice and instruction for our worries and problems. Some may feel that the Bible is too old to be relevant today. However, many, if not all, of our issues of today are essentially the same as when Jesus walked the earth. We learn from Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What... -
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction “He has set the right time for everything. He has given us a desire to know the future, but never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what He does” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV). "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was a song by the English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in 1965. The lyrics refer to secular frustration and commercialism, not Christianity. However, there is a message in the song that has been true since the book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon around 935 BC. In many instances, we cannot get satisfaction, at least not... -
How To Turn Bad into Good
How To Turn Bad into Good "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28 NIV). I think we all have been the recipient of bad behavior by others. Perhaps your spouse cheated on you or a dear friend was unable to keep a secret. My heart breaks for those that have been incarcerated for decades for a crime and then are finally released when DNA evidence, which was not available at the time of the trial, proves they are innocent. The Biblical story of...