Andrew Wommack Devotional 17 May 2024 – Taking Off The Masks
Mark 7:6, ‘He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’
Text: Mark 7:6-9 (NIV)
6 He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’[a]
8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
9 And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe[b] your own traditions!
This is the biblical definition of a hypocrite, ‘someone whose words and heart (actions) don’t agree.’ A hypocrite may act the part of a Christian or he may talk like Christ, but he won’t do both. When both confession and action from the heart are consistent with God’s Word, there is salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).
The word ‘hypocrite’ comes from the Greek word ‘hupokrites,’ meaning ‘the playing of a part on the stage; an actor.’ It was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to use large masks, when acting, to disguise their true identity. Hence, hypocrisy became ‘the feigning of beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; insecurity’ (American Heritage Dictionary).
The dictionary defines ‘dissimulate’ as ‘to disguise under a feigned appearance.’ The Greek word means ‘without hypocrisy, unfeigned.’ It has become customary in our society to conceal our real feelings behind a hypocritical mask. Although we should be tactful and not purposely say things to offend people, there is a time and a place for speaking the truth, even if it isn’t popular.
In Leviticus 19:17, the Lord said, ‘Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.’ This verse is saying that if we fail to rebuke our brother when we see sin approaching, then we hate him. Many people have concealed their true feelings about evil under the pretense of, ‘I just love them too much to hurt their feelings.’ The truth is, they just love themselves too much to run the risk of being rejected. That’s hypocrisy. Motives – not actions – are usually what makes a person a hypocrite. Let God’s love be your motivation today and everyday.
This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).
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