Matthew
15:7-9
7
Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
8
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their
lips; but their heart is far from me.
9
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Galatians
6:7-9
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he
also reap.
8
for he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9 And
let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not.
I.
Hypocritical Worship and Service (Matthew 15:7-9)
A
hypocrite is one who pretends to be what he is not; or pretends to be a better
person than he is; especially virtuous or spiritual pretense. Jesus makes it a
matter of the heart. The lips worshipped God, but false teaching and sinful
living exposed the heart. He pointedly asked them the question, “How can ye
escape the damnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:33).
II.
The Heart Revealed
(Luke 6:43-46) For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Just
as the fruit reveals the nature of the tree, so does the outward life reveal
the true condition of the heart. However, it takes some time for evidences to be
established. The hypocrite is skillful in outward
performance. It is something of a paradox that “the outside of a cup and of the
platter” often belies what is in the heart
Addition
References:
Acts
5:3, 4 (The story of Ananias and Sapphira—.Acts 5:1-11.)
Acts
8:21-23 (The story of Simon the sorcerer—Acts 8:9-24.)
Hebrews
4:12, 13 (The Word of God a discerner of the heart.)
James
1:22, 26 (Deceiving one’s own heart—vain religion.)
Romans
6:17 (Obeying the doctrine from the heart.)
Ephesians
6:6 (Not men-pleasers, but doing God’s will from the heart.)
God
cannot be deceived. No man could deceive Jesus. At one Passover feast, “many
believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did
not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men. And needed not that any
should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:23-25). He knows
everyone of us, not just by outward appearance, or what we seem to be, but “the
Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samual 16:7; Proverbs 21:2) (See Galatians 6:7-9).
We
have the responsibility to guard our own hearts, and to be able to discern the
fruits of those around us. While in one sense we are not their judge, in
another sense we are to have enough sound judgment to know them by the issues
of their hearts, made plain by their lives.
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ here are three steps you need to take to be saved:
You must admit you are a sinner, confess your sin to Jesus, repent (turn from all you know is wrong), ask Jesus to come in your heart, and begin to follow Jesus by reading and obeying his word and go to a bible believing church that teaches his word. May God through Christ bless you!
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