Guarding Against Spiritual Hypocrisy | Galatians 2:13-14

And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” — Galatians 2:13-14

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There are a bunch of great one-liners in this letter, and these verses contain two that are powerful:

1. Even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
2. If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?

Both of these accentuate Paul's point that even subtle acts of hypocrisy by spiritual leaders can potentially lead believers and unbelievers away from God. They will even lead sincere believers away from the truth.

This is why we must keep a watchful eye on who we listen to, what we believe, and how we behave. We need to give this attention because our spiritual inconsistencies have ripples that affect the lives of others.

On April 19, 1995, I was sitting in a college class, waiting for the class to begin. The professor was a little late on this day, and every student in class was watching the clock. At 9:02 am, we heard and felt it. Twelve miles from the epicenter, we felt a rush of wind and a sonic boom so loud it almost blew the hinges off the doors of the building. Timothy McVeigh ignited a bomb in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. Dozens of cars were incinerated, and more than 300 nearby buildings were damaged or destroyed. The human toll was more devastating: 168 lives were lost, including 19 children, with several hundred more injured.

The force of hypocrisy by a spiritual leader is much like this—surprising and devastating. No one understood this better than Paul. His former life of self-righteousness led to spiritual devastation in the lives of so many. After his conversion, he understood the damaging effects of misunderstanding the Messiah and the true Message of the Gospel. And he, like many of us, had deep regrets about his former life and the explosive effects it continue to have on the message.

None of us will ever be perfect, but we can work with vigor to kill all hypocrisy that lives within our hearts. This requires daily work. Daily exposure to Scripture. Daily assessment of our motives. Daily redirection by the Holy Spirit. We aim to live in step with the Spirit and abide in the vine, which leads to Christ living in us and him having a powerful and positive effect on the lives of others, which is way better than leaving a trail and memory of devastation.

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ASK THIS:

1. How can we proactively guard against spiritual hypocrisy in our own lives, especially in our roles as leaders or influencers within our communities?
2. In what ways can daily exposure to Scripture and intentional reflection on our motives help us align our actions more closely with the truth of the Gospel and avoid leading others astray?

DO THIS: Work with vigor against spiritual hypocrisy.

PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to be vigilant against any traces of hypocrisy in my life, and guide me to live authentically according to the truth of your Gospel, so that I may positively impact the lives of those around me. Strengthen me daily through Your Word and Your Spirit, as I strive to reflect Your grace and truth to the world. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Faithfulness.