There was a time when I was a little torn on how I should respond to people that thought of the church as a place of hypocrisy. On one hand I wanted to defend the church and say that hypocrites are not "truly" part of the church and that they only give "real" Christians a bad name. On the other hand, I wanted to confess that the church has it's flaws because the people in it are flawed "sinners". We come to church not because we are good and perfect but because we are not and need guidance though the Word and the Holy Spirit.
Today's passage however made me look beyond the problem of flaws and imperfection and into what hypocrisy really is. Hypocrisy is something more deadly than the issue of flaws alone because there is that element of pretense and deception. Hypocrites pretend, deceive and lie. It's a direct opposite of what a child of God should be like but how can it be found in the church?
Perhaps hypocrisy comes when people pretend to have changed their priorities from the world and self to God and His Kingdom. Or when people pretend to be "good' while harboring evil thoughts and desires. Or when people pretend to have given themselves over to God and His instructions but really have not and hold on to their own ways and desires. Hypocrisy is when you deliberately display acts of piety while deliberately hiding those things you have not fully given over to God.
Yes, hypocrisy is in the church and it is very deadly. I am convicted of the hypocrisy in my own heart and how it has no place in the church. People in the church sin but can and will be accepted through forgiveness but hypocrisy cannot be acceptable in the church. It's insidious nature allows sin to grow in the church as it creeps within the shadows of our own sinful hearts. When sin is realized it must be confessed but hypocrisy keeps and shelters those things we should bring to light before God for there can be no forgiveness when there is no confession.
If Ananias and Sapphira openly disclosed the fact they kept part of their own money, this story would have played out so differently. If what they did was wrong in holding the money back, would the leaders not instruct and guide them towards correction? If what they did was right, would they not rejoice and worship together in truth?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Hypocrisy is an issue we can all relate in one or another, and to see how God does not tolerate it in today's passage was very alarming. I know I must always be in check of my heart and my motives. this is an area in my life I can not fix or change with my own strength. May I really come to God in honesty and dependence.
thanks for a most insightful reflection, lynn. i truly think this is one of the scariest stories in the whole Bible. what about their action brought about such an ominous judgment from God? Peter makes clear that the sin DID NOT lie in the withholding of the money, for he says that the money was theirs to freely give or to keep for themselves: "didn't it belong to you before it was sold? and after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal?"
the sin lay in the deception that ananias and sapphira practiced before the community of believers. when they brought only part of the money and "put it at the apostles' feet", they accepted the honor and respect that such a generous gift would accord them among the members of their fellowship. but peter calls it a lie to "the Holy Spirit and to God".
how many of our own "good deeds" and acts of generosity are corrupted with these kinds of motives? too many, probably. we would do well to note that God is exceedingly displeased with this kind of lie, a deception He views as one of the highest order. we might think it is an extraordinarily harsh judgment on the part of the Lord, but look at the effect it produced: "GREAT FEAR SEIZED THE WHOLE CHURCH AND ALL WHO HEARD ABOUT THESE EVENTS" (including you and me). this kind of terror purifies the church causing the fear and trembling that leads to genuine repentance on the part of unbelievers, and a purer, more godly and righteous fear of the Lord on the part of believers--all good things.
may God help us to purify our motives!!! we can fool others and even ourselves, but we cannot fool God.
Post a Comment