Friday, 13 Aug 2021
Hypocrisy
By: Prathab V
Romans 12: 9
” Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. “_
No one likes hypocrites. But we all have certainly met them. Hypocrisy needs no explanation. Neither is it necessary to demonstrate and teach what hypocritical behaviour is all about.
According to Focus on the Family, one of the biggest obstacles for an individual to accept Jesus as Saviour is the problem of hypocrisy among Christians. Don Thorsen in his book What’s True about Christianity: An Introduction to Christian Faith and Practice has this to say:
“Regrettably, some of the worst hypocrites exist in churches. They claim to love their neighbour as themselves, and yet they are among the first to say disrespectful or hateful things about others due to their race, ethnicity, sex, class, education, politics or religious affiliation.” This is unfortunate indeed.
Jesus used some of the most biting words against the Scribes and Pharisees, chiding them as hypocrites. Perhaps, because of the extend of the problem, some often joke as such: “I like Jesus. It is his followers that I can’t stand!”.
As a Christian, I know many Christians and non-Christians who have faced various hypocritical behaviour from other Christians. Not all Christians are hypocrites. But it is a major problem.
Perhaps this is why Paul in his epistle to the Romans emphasises that love should be bereft of hypocrisy.
This calls for self-reflection and self-examination: Have I been accused of being a hypocrite before? Do Christians treat a popular leader differently from an ordinary church member? Have I uttered words of prejudice against another person due to his/her ethnicity or economic background? Are Christians hypocrites when they condemn homosexuality until they have a sibling who is a homosexual and then proceed to love him/her? (Note: the Bible clearly condemns homosexual behaviour).
Let us love sincerely. Forgive others freely.
The award-winning Christian author, Philip Yancey, has this to say: “Christians get very angry toward other Christians who sin differently than they do.”
We are all sinners. If we have made mistakes, do not despair. God is able to forgive our transgressions. God’s forgiveness is limitless to all who seek Him earnestly.
Today, allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart. Let God transform us little by little into the image of His Son, Jesus. All we need to do is to trust and obey Him.
Prayer :
Father God, forgive my sins, especially hypocrisy. Teach me Your ways, so that I change to be more and more like Your Son Jesus. Teach me Your ways, dear Lord. In Jesus’ name I ask, Amen.
每日灵粮
星期五
2021年8月13日
题目：假冒为善
作者：Prathab V.
翻译：巫惠如
罗12:9 爱人不可虚假；恶要厌恶，善要亲近。
没有人喜欢伪善的人。但我们肯定都见过他们。伪善不需要任何解释，也没有必要去指出或教导虚伪行为到底是什么。
据《聚焦家庭》（Focus on the Family) 报道，接受耶稣为救主的最大障碍之一是基督教徒虚伪的问题。唐·索森(Don Thorsen)在《基督教的真理：基督教信仰与实践概论》这样写道：
“令人遗憾的是，教堂里存在着一些最恶劣的伪君子。他们宣称自己爱邻舍，然而，他们却是最先因为种族、民族、性别、阶级、教育程度、政治或宗教信仰，对他人说出不尊重或仇恨言论的人群之一。” 这的确令人遗憾。
耶稣用一些最尖刻的词语来抨击文士和法利赛人，指责他们假冒为善。或许，由于这个问题的广泛性，有些人经常这样开玩笑：“我喜欢耶稣。我不能忍受的是他的追随者！”
作为一名基督徒，我认识许多基督教徒和非基督教徒，他们面临其他基督徒的各种虚伪行为。并非所有的基督徒都是伪君子，但这是一个大问题。
也许正因如此，保罗在他的书信中强调，爱不应该伪善。
我们需要进行自我反思和反省：我曾被指责是假冒为善的人吗？基督徒对待一个受欢迎的领袖和普通教会成员的方式有不同吗？我是否曾因另一个人的种族或经济背景而对他发表过偏见言论？当基督徒谴责同性恋，直到他们自己的兄弟姐妹是同性恋却爱他/她时，他们是伪善的吗？(附注：圣经明确谴责同性恋行为)。
让我们真诚地爱吧。自由地原谅他人。
获奖的基督徒作家菲利普·扬西（Philip Yancey)说：“当一些基督徒觉得其他信徒的罪与他们不同时，他们就会感到非常愤怒。”
我们都是罪人。如果我们犯了错误，不要绝望。上帝能够原谅我们的过错。上帝的宽恕对所有认真寻求祂的人是无限的。
今天，让圣灵查验你的心。让上帝一点一点地改变我们，成为耶稣的样式。我们要做的就是信靠和顺服祂。
祈祷：父神，原谅我的罪过，尤其是假冒为善的罪。指教我，使我能越来越像你的儿子耶稣。教导我，亲爱的主。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿门。