Hypocrisy

Matthew 23:13 (NASB)

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites.

If there was anything that the Lord Jesus condemned most vehemently, it was hypocrisy. Christ condemned religious hypocrisy more than He condemned sin. Today, we see the hypocrisy in all walks of life and the political spectrum. One man's hero is another's villain. We live in a deeply divided society where one group accuses the other of hypocrisy while they're guilty of the same. Take the subway chokehold case, for example. A particular segment of the population hails the verdict that acquitted a young marine for being a good Samaritan. Granted, this man's intentions may have been noble to start with, but when he continued to apply the chokehold when others warned him that the victim stopped breathing and moving, he became a killer. Or take the case of a young shooter who shot and murdered a health company CEO in cold blood who the opposite group of people is hailing as a slayer of corporate corruption and greed. Even if this young man were denied rightful benefits or coverage, that's no reason to murder in cold blood. Ironically, the same group that condemned the subway chokehold suspect now hails this man as a hero, while the opposite group condemns him. In reality, they're both killers. While one used excessive force, the other was a calculated killer. And they'll both walk free.

Or take the case of abortion. There is no specific verse that condemns abortion. Some denominations make up theories based on an obscure verse regarding miscarriage (Exodus 21:22-25). This is a classic misapplication of scripture to espouse one's doctrine. However, these are the same people who have no issue with homosexuality, which is a blatant sin (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)! Likewise, most denominations misapply the verse Matthew 19:4-6 to condemn polygamy, where the Lord is talking about divorce (Matthew 19:6), but go soft on divorce and subsequent adultery, which the Lord condemned! Such beliefs and practices are widely prevalent in all denominations. That hypocrisy keeps the Church and the saint from progressing in the Lord and what Christ warned us about. Remember that as Christians, we have to obey the local laws. But that doesn't mean that the local laws are just or holy.