The Worst Kind of Hypocrite is a Religious Hypocrite

A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another.  These people are very difficult to get honesty from.  They tell others how to live their lives and then often do not follow their own advice.  This is very evident in people who claim to be religious and tell others how to live, yet do not practice what they tell others to do.  These people claim to be an example, yet do not live by it.  Being religious and claiming religion are two different things.  This is where the term “practice what you preach originated.  Religious hypocrites are bad because they do not follow their own instructions, because they are dishonest and because they set a bad example for others.

            The religious hypocrites are the people who go to church on Sunday morning and tell on what everyone else has done during the week.  They tell others not to drink alcohol or smoke.  They ridicule those who use inappropriate language or do other things they feel are not religious behaviors.  Then these same people can be seen during the week using the language and behavior they get on to others about.  On Saturday they show up at the bar and need a ride home, because they are unable to drive safely.

            The people are dishonest with themselves by indicating they are better people than others.  They are dishonest with others, because they tell the others what they need to do, when they do not follow this example themselves.  They are often leaders in the church and the community and if they can not be honest and consistent with their beliefs, their words and their actions, they can not be trusted to be effective leaders.

            The religious hypocrites set bad examples for others.  Since they go to church on Sunday morning claiming to be religious, and telling others how to live, they become examples.  When people see them in the bar on Saturday night in the bar, they think if this is how religious people behave they don’t need to change the way they live.  The hypocrites are even dishonest with their children.

  Children learn their behavior from watching others.  When they are told not to behave a certain way, but then see their parents doing what they were told not to do, they are more likely to follow the example than the words.  They set a bad example for God.  The Bible puts very specific directions for behavior out for people to follow, when people who claim to follow the Bible change what the Bible says they are not following the example God set for them.

            It is never good to be hypocritical, because people need to be able to trust what other people say, but when one claims to follow Biblical principles and breaks the rules intentionally this is even worse.  The Bible itself warns people to watch out for these hypocrites, because they can lead others astray.  There is a difference between making a mistake and being hypocritical.

Everyone makes mistakes and does things they should not at times.  They should be strong enough to admit they did wrong and take the consequences rather than deny they have not followed their own advice.  Being religious and claiming religion are two different things and a person needs to know this difference. They need to know what kind of commitment is involved and realize that others are watching their behavior. If a person is going to be religious then they need to follow the example set for them and live the life they expect others to.