Define hypocrisy: According to dictionary.com, hypocrisy is defined as “a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess”.
Read Jeremiah 3:1-18…After the days of David and Solomon, Israel fell apart because the leaders turned to other nations and gods instead of the true God. They felt comfortable and secure leaning on their neighbors for protection. They were too focused on money, power and alliances. At this time, Israel had an alliance with Egypt. Eventually Assyrians invaded and took the Israelites into captivity. God was angry at them because they weren’t trusting in him but rather, they were putting their trust in something unstable and unpredictable.
Ask about Israel committing adultery: What did God say that Israel committed adultery against God?…God said that Israel committed adultery against God because Israel was unfaithful to Him by sinning and putting their faith in a country rather than putting their faith in God. At that time, if a man were to divorce his wife, remarry another woman, and then have sex with his ex-wife, this man would be committing adultery against his current wife. God doesn’t want us to turn to sin after we have decided to live for him similarly, we should remain faithful to our partners.
Define hypocrisy according to the Bible dictionary: According to the Bible dictionary, hypocrisy is defined as “dissimulation [or the disguising] of one’s real character or belief”. In other words, a hypocrite is “someone professing to be what he is not”.
Four categories of hypocrite: Hypocrites have been categorized into 4 categories: 1) A worldly hypocrite, 2) The legal hypocrite, 3) The evangelical hypocrite, and 4) The enthusiastic hypocrite.
Talk about the descriptions of the 4 types of hypocrites: What do you think these could be described as?
Talk about the worldly hypocrite: The worldly hypocrite is one who professes to be religious and/or pretends to be religious so that others respect them more or other worldly gains.
Read Matthew 23:1-12: Be humble. Don’t do things just because others want you to do them.
Talk about the legal hypocrite: The legal hypocrite is one that may follow Biblical doctrine and commandments but does not have real love for God.
Talk about the evangelical hypocrite: The evangelical hypocrite is one that is just a conviction of sin, including a rejoice for what Christ did but does not live a holy life.
Talk about the enthusiastic hypocrite: The enthusiastic hypocrite is one who appears to be passionate about Christ, talking enthusiastically, but does not live a holy life.
Talk about hypocrisy: What does “not living a holy life” looks like?
Read Isaiah 32:6
Ask about speaking folly: What does it mean to speak folly? Folly is defined as “silliness, thick-headedness, senselessness, self-confidence or foolishness”. Basically, it means having no filter.
Ask about being fake: How easy is it to be fake?… All these examples include characteristics of being two-faced, saying that they are following God, but they are not living for him to the fullest. Living by the world’s standards is extremely tempting, especially if you are trying to live a godly life. I challenge you to indulge in what God has offered and recommended to us. Humble yourself, connect with community and follow God’s teach. Believe me that it is much more worth it than what this world has for us.