Today many people do not want to approach the ways of the Lord, because by the bad testimony of certain "Christians" people detract from the credibility of the Gospel.
It is sad to see so many people in our churches that within it it appears to be holiness and a good relationship with God, but in privacy it leaves much to be desired.
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It is time for us to rise as children of God and raise the Name of Our Lord not only with words but with deeds, the words are carried by the wind, but the facts are what count.
The Bible says that by our fruits we will know, in addition a faith without works is dead. That is why in this program we will talk about a subject which we hope God will minister to our lives and help us to make things better.
Let's start Defining the Word «Hypocrisy»
WHAT IS HYPOCRISY?
• Hypocrisy is the act of pretending that you have qualities, ideas and feelings that you do not really have. The word comes from the late Latin hypocrisis and the Greek hypokrisis, which mean action to play a role.
• The one who pretends or pretends to be what is not. It is a transcription of the Greek word hypokriteis, which meant actor or protagonist in Greek theater.
Brief History of the Word «Hypocrite»
The word hypocrite, in the original language, came from the world of theater. It meant "talking covered with a mask". The actors who represented the roles, put on a mask so that the public knew, seeing the mask, what character they were representing. The same actor represented several roles in the same role, and had a variety of different masks. When he spoke one's part, he held the corresponding mask over his face; When he spoke the part of another, he changed his mask, taking the appropriate one and talking with his face covered with it. The actor himself could not be seen, only the mask. The audience did not know the man; they knew only the paper he was doing.
The actors used to put on different masks according to the role they played. Hence, hypocrite came to designate the person who hides reality behind a "mask" of appearances.
The hypocrites claim that others think they are good Christians, when really, their hearts are full of sins like bitterness, pride, lying, rivalry, adultery, etc.
Facing what is not is producing a waste of energy and, as it is based on falsehood, it is contrary to the development of character and to one's own personal dignity, as well as to the reverence that we owe to our neighbor.
The work that the hypocrite does to hide what he is, is much more difficult than trying to do things right.
A single false Christian can do more to slow the progress of the Church than a dozen saints can do to extend the Kingdom. The hypocrite becomes guilty before his neighbor because it destroys the credibility of the gospel of others and even causes them to reject Christ.
The greatest trick of the evil one is to make Christians lead a life of two faces: that they praise God publicly but at the same time get into criticism, gossip, debauchery and the like. Satan does not care because you profess Christianity, as long as you do not practice it.
CONCLUSION:
If you only seem to have faith without accompanying it with works, it looks like the fig tree that dried up and died because it did not bear fruit. Genuine faith includes bearing fruit for the kingdom of God. When man pretends what he is not, he has deceived himself and lied to others. For the love of God, do not wear the clothes of hypocrisy. The future life is the eternal, this world, only a moment. The hypocrites do not enter heaven. Do not sell the kingdom of eternity for a second.
Hypocrisy is an act that does not come from God, therefore it can not be practiced in someone converted. Everyone who has Jesus in his heart is free and transformed with a new heart.
Thanks for sharing @opibarker.