These are words that cut to the heart, for we all are guilty of playing the hypocrite. A hypocrite is literally “one who hides behind a mask.” There’s an old story of a man who told the pastor he didn’t go to church because there were so many hypocrites there. The pastor responded by saying, “Oh, don’t let that stop you. There’s always room for one more.”
While I’m sure you could find at least one in every church, genuine believers remember that they are first and foremost forgiven hypocrites themselves. There’s an old saying that, "going to church doesn’t make one a believer any more than going into a garage makes one a mechanic." What some people perceive as hypocrisy in the church is in fact the result of a mistaken assumption. Some people assume others are believers just because they get up on Sundays and go to a place called church. It’s just not so.
On another related note, authentic believers are also sinners, and they know it. The apostle John wrote, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). A hypocrite claims to be without fault in one area or another. An authentic believer on the other hand, freely admits to the fact that he or she is a sinner, and consistently seeks forgiveness from it.
If you would like to get rid of your mask, be willing to admit your weaknesses, and join in the family of authentic believers, Jesus is ready to forgive you and bring you into His family. Just stop pretending and come on home. (See the prayer to the right of this post)
The Truth: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleans us for all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)