The Ultimate Hypocrisy: Impeach Everybody

Jesus’ words in Luke 12:1 enlightened me by the Holy Spirit to a new concept I want to share today. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” 

I don’t find evidence in my study that the Pharisees told people how to live and then went behind closed doors and did what they wanted, but I always heard that growing up (correct me if I’m wrong). Even the Seven Woes in Matthew 23 speak of them teaching what they believe in their hearts…but Jesus points out they are wrong. They teach things that shut the door of heaven in men’s faces and they don’t enter either. They teach a new convert the things that shut the door of heaven in men’s faces. I believe when they told people not to murder, they did not murder. When they told people to wash their hands during ceremonies, they washed their hands during ceremonies. They followed what they preached strictly and taught that strict and harsh obedience was the way to look good to others and to God. 

The Pharisees (a little history) were a Jewish group of scholars. They were a self-righteous sect and very hypocritical. They believed their school of thought was the only school of thought around and they followed it strictly. They believed that men must apply logic and reason as they interpreting daily situations (their logic and reason), because the times of Moses were so far gone, interpretation was needed. They went so-far-as-to, interject their own ideas and beliefs and taught that the Torah implied their interpretation. If the law did not uphold their beliefs or it became outgrown for the times, they would give their condition a more acceptable meaning. Basically, the law was flexible. 

Hypocrisy can be doing the opposite of what is spoken against. For example: speaking out against adultery and being in an affair at the same time. Or, preaching about not lying and keeping a huge lie from people at the same time. Or bashing hurting women for being murderers who are walking into a clinic for an abortion while keeping the secret that you have had one also. Also, speaking about love, forgiveness at church, but ignoring the visitor with dirty clothes and tattoos. However, hypocrisy is not always doing the opposite of what is spoken against. 

The Ultimate Hypocrisy is something you and I do everyday and we may not even realize it. The ultimate hypocrisy is your desire for people to be like you and thinking people are nuts when they want you to be like them. You want to impeach everybody who does not believe as you do. Problem is...you would be alone. 

For example: A man at a check out counter said a snide remark about the college logo on my shirt because he is very proud of his alma mater, but does not want me to be proud of my alma mater…that is the ultimate hypocrisy. He does not want any other choice, except his own, to the point he makes fun of other’s choices. Neither college is wrong!

More Examples of Ultimate Hypocrisy (I’ve been compiling this list forever.)

Remember, these choices are neither right or wrong, good or bad, better or worse nor are they illegal, but people seem to be hypocritical when someone chooses a different path. Some choices work better for some individuals/families than others. Check this out…

1. Homeschool and Public school
2. Burial and Cremation
3. Country and City
4. Breast Feeding and Formula
5. Which Bible-teaching, Salvation-teaching, Jesus-foundation church to attend
6. Organic and Non
7. Which car to drive
8. Republican and Democrat
9. Contribution amount
10. Home birth and Water birth and Hospital birth
11. Amount of TV time
12. Let kids sleep in parents bed and Kids only sleep in crib
13. Allow baby to cry and Comfort baby immediately
14. Stay-at-home mom and Career mom
15. Getting married in 20’s, 30’s, 40’s…
16. Corporal punishment and Passive punishment 
17. Thin and happy AND Chubby and happy
18. Natural birth and c-section
19. Cried when had to go back to work after baby and Could not wait to go back to work
20. Very strict on movies kids watch and not so much
21. Celebrating Halloween, Christmas, Easter and Not celebrating one or all of them
22. Gun owner and Non-gun owner

The Ultimate Hypocrite is not the one who hates murderers and himself murders. The Ultimate Hypocrite is the one who wants his way, but denies others the same courtesy on issues that are not morally or ethically wrong. These issues are determined using conscience which is closely related to a personal relationship with God.

You cannot interject your experience into someone else's life. It does not work! 

We are very hypocritical all the time and seemingly without even caring. We share posts that fuel a fire. 2 Timothy 2:23 says some participants of stupid arguments do it because it produces quarrels. I’ve seen people share a nasty comment and say, “I just like to stir the pot.” Some share articles that degrade people who believe differently than they do not because they are in any way deeply concerned, but because this is the way they get their jollies. They do not cares what situation others are facing.They think its appropriate to demand their right to choose and denying others the very same right. There is nothing loving in this kind of hypocrisy. 

People will make choices about the above list and a thousand other choices based on their life experiences. When we demean other’s choices we are putting ourself on a pedestal that is only tall in our own eyes. We are essentially saying we want to impeach everybody who does not believe and act the way I do. It is very lonely standing on the pedestal alone.

Build one another up no matter what their views are on politics, family decisions, denomination, sexual preference, hair color, tattoo placement, or character flaw. Stop being hyper-sensitive and the ultimate hypocritical person this society loves to creates and the one Jesus warned against. Be careful of the yeast that comes from false teachers. It spread quickly and puffs up rapidly. 

Challenge: Put your own views in your back pocket and just love on people. Try to understand instead of put down. Our world would be a better place if we could all just get along.