Posted on 08/31/2017 10:32:23 PM PDT by givemWatts
1. A hypocrite may be influenced by the gospel in every part of himself. He may come to great knowledge of God’s truth (Heb 6:4). His emotions about Christ may be high (Matt 13:20). He may even experience drastic changes in the outward man, like the Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank You that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, etc.” (Lk 18:11–12).
2. A hypocrite may look to others like he’s a true believer. He might talk of the law and the gospel (Ps 50:16), openly confess his sin to his own shame (1 Sam 26:21), and humble himself in sackcloth (1 Kgs 21:27). He may even carefully consider what duties he needs to perform and seek after them (Is 58:2), persevere even in hard times, give his possessions away to God and the saints, or even give his body away to be burned (1 Cor 13:3).
3. A hypocrite may advance far in God’s ordinary graces. He may come under great convictions of sin, just as Judas did (Matt 27:3–5). He may tremble at the word of God, just as Felix did (Acts 24:25), rejoice in receiving the truth (Matt 13:20), and have many experiences of tasting the good graces of God (Heb 6:4).
4. A hypocrite may have some characteristics very similar to the saving graces of the Holy Spirit. He may have a kind of faith, like Simon Magus who “believed also” (Acts 8:13) but then proved to be a false believer. He may have a kind of legal and outward repentance that looks very much like true repentance (Mal 3:14). He may have a great and powerful fear of God, like Balaam did (Num 22:18). He may experience a kind of hope (Job 8:13). The hypocrite may even have some love, as Herod had of John (Mk 6:26).
5. A hypocrite can even have great and powerful experiences of God. He may have “tasted of the heavenly gift” and become “partakers of the Holy Spirit” and experienced the “powers of the age to come” and yet not be genuinely converted.
So, what are the marks of a true believer? How is genuine conversion to be distinguished from false conversion? Below are five marks of a true believer that are not possessed by the hypocrite.
1. A true believer’s heart is changed forever. In Jeremiah 32:39 the Lord says, “I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me forever.” Hypocrites never have a changed nature. Hypocrites want Christ for the good that He might do them in the world. But a true believer’s heart loves Christ as the all-satisfying treasure of this life and the next.
2. A true believer’s changed life comes from a heart of love to Christ. Hypocrites can clean up their outward behavior to be seen by men, to ease their troubled consciences, or to keep themselves from the consequences of their sins. But true believers love Christ and keep His commandments for His sake, to serve Him, to know Him, and to bring glory to His name (Ps 119:6).
3. A true believer seeks Christ and His kingdom above all else. This is the one thing necessary: Christ’s friendship and fellowship. But that is never the “one thing” and heart-satisfying choice of the hypocrites. True believers, on the other hand, desire that this “better part would never be taken from them” (Lk 10:42).
4. A true believer submits to the righteousness of God. He abandons all hope in himself and his own righteousness, and rests wholly in the righteousness of Christ for his acceptance before God. A true believer rests in Christ and Him only as his Savior. Hypocrites don’t do this (Rom 10:3). They depend, in some degree, upon their own righteousness.
5. A true believer has the three great essentials of genuine Christianity. First, he is broken in heart and emptied of his own righteousness so as to loath himself (Lk 19:10). Second, he takes up Christ Jesus as the only treasure and jewel that can enrich and satisfy (Matt 13:44). Third, he sincerely closes with Christ’s whole yoke without exception, judging all His “will just and good, holy and spiritual” (Rom 7:12). A hypocrite does none of these things.
Studying this teaching was in some segments very convicting that point out some weaknesses . I can only look to the Cross and its Grace to live out James 1:4.
Result of search for “hypocrite”:
5273. hupokrites hoop-ok-ree-tace’ from 5271; an actor under an assumed character (stage-player), i.e. (figuratively) a dissembler (”hypocrite”:—hypocrite.
very intuitive - thank you
I notice that the hypocrite is concerned about pleasing ‘self’ in all 5 points, whereas the True Believer is obsessed with pleasing his Master.
got news for you. Every true believer is a hypocrite because we all fall short of the expectations of god. at some point everyone has let the venal control there life in some way. I consider ny self a true believer and yet I have blasphemed against god the creator and have not always done good in fact at times I struggle and lose to my sinful nature .
instead of asking who is a true believer ask yourself who hear is willing to acknowledge ones own sinful nature and then to strive to not sin knowing at any time you can lose the battle.
I view the persona of a hypocrite, like Hillry Clinton... What she said in private she could not say publicly ... Hillry plays 'church', and might even call herself a Christian. But her whole existence is about serving herself first.
Unlike man's law, with God, He does not hold account in the same manner those who are ignorant of His Word... Now, those that claim Christ's name and willingly are ignorant, only picking and choosing Scriptures to make up a church doctrine, are play actors.
Yet, Paul describes there are those given the Spirit of slumber, for their own protection, and Paul describes others that God sends strong delusions because of their willingness to believe lies..
What a hypocrite does is mislead, either in ignorance or in defense of something they idolize. Ultimately, God keeps the perfect record, and fortunately for all, He will be the judge of each and every 'heart', individually.
Christ said let no man deceive you...
the wheat and the tares :)
However, there are some exceptions that I just cannot make. President Obama, and would-be President Clinton, I have problems with acknowledging as such.
Hope I am wrong, but their fruits are rotten and filled with (f)lies.
The word hypocrite is not synonymous with sinner. A hypocrite is someone who has no intention to be what he pretends to be. A man who is aware of his failings every day is just a man.
No. True believers are not hypocrites. They truly want to please God, but they all fall short of the mark. Every day. But true believers are being sanctified by the work of the Holy spirit throughout their life. It is a struggle, but as we believers, we know we fall short and as such, we cry out to our God and Savior to help us in our weakness. And He will. Every time. We are not hypocrites because we are not trying to please God by doing things, but we cry out to God to help us be like Him.
If one thinks they have to please God by doing things, then they do not understand grace and that the battle is not ours, but Christ has already overcome. The battle has already been won. Done deal. Those who think they may lose the battle and fall out of grace are likely hypocrites because they think they have to work to please God.
Believers know that they just need to remember to rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. That is the mark of a true believer - knowing and trusting fully that Jesus Christ has already accomplished our salvation and to rest in that. A hypocrite thinks the works fall on their shoulders.
excellent point bdparrish.
thanks for your insight lupie. This sermon /instruction brings a lightning rod with it.
Would love your input on this, if time permits. This writing was posted not to judge people at all, more to take our own temperatures.
Mind you, Guthrie WAS a Calvinist, but he actually wrote this as a thesis on assurance for the believer, all based on His finished work on Calvary.
no one is asking, except to weigh our own hearts
“instead of asking who is a true believer ask yourself who hear is willing to acknowledge ones own sinful nature and then to strive to not sin knowing at any time you can lose the battle.”
Bro., in case it slipped your notice, this was written a couple of centuries ago by a Scottish pastor. I’m personally not ‘asking’ who is a believer or not, rather searching my own heart & motives. Unfortunately the writer is not alive for comment.
No, every true believer is NOT a hypocrite.
First off, there is no Scriptural basis for that claim.
Second, true believers are not pretending to be something they are not.
A believer sinning is not a hypocrite. Someone pretending to be a Christian when they are not, is.
Simply not living up to everything Scripture teaches every minute of the day does not make someone a hypocrite.
It makes them human.
Thanks for articulating this , metmom.
Calvinists believe in assurance, so I’m not sure what you are trying to say in your second paragraph.
I agree completely w/grace alone, faith alone, in Christ alone-type of salvation. I am new to Guthrie’s teachings so the Calvinist statement had to do w/extra reading on this sermon in which its intention by the author was assurance.
If you read some of the posts, some bristled at the sermon.
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