“Hypocrites' false
playing and false worship make the sweet Spirit of God angry and cause His fury
to break out.
The hypocrite
intrudes upon the holy worship of God. Judas confidently sat down with the rest
of the apostles at the Passover and felt as welcome as if he were the holiest
guest of them all. The proud Pharisee stood in the temple beside the
brokenhearted publican. Yet when men like these pray, they sound to God like
wolves howling or dogs barking. David's skillful hand played the harp so
peacefully that he soothed Saul's rages. But hypocrites' false playing and
false worship make the sweet Spirit of God angry and cause His fury to break
out against them.
The hypocrite
mocks God. But God will not be mocked. Jesus illustrated this doctrine when He
cursed the fig tree, whose green leaves invited hungry men to find fruit but
sent them away without any. If this tree had lacked the leaves as well as the
fruit, it would have escaped Christ's curse.
Every lie mocks
the person who hears it, because the liar makes a fool of him by cheating him
of the truth. Delilah asked Samson why he had told her lies, as if she had
said, "Why are you trying to make a fool of me?" God's command is
that none should appear before Him empty; but this is just what the hypocrite
does, and thus mocks God. He may come with a full mouth but he has an empty
heart.
As for the
formality of religious service, however, the hypocrite often outdoes the
sincere Christian. Of all people he may be called a "master of
ceremonies" because he tries to entertain God with his tongue and knee,
with only words and outward ceremony. Yet God looks on the heart. If the wine
is good a man can drink it from a plain wooden cup. But if a goblet is
wonderfully gilded, but has no wine in it, the hosts mocks his guest by
offering it to him.”
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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