VIDEO
How Not To Be A Hypocrite☺️ (Psalm 50:16-23)
GIST: If our worship is just motions and our hearts remain unchanged, we’re missing out on who God is and the salvation He brings —which are both absolutely vital!
Before Father’s Day, we started walking through Psalm 50. We’re going to pick back up with that today. To recap a bit, the psalm starts by reminding us of the beauty and power of God, and then addresses judgment for two groups of people. Two weeks ago, we talked about the first group. We called them the moralist. They were called the “people of God”, but they had fallen into the trap of thinking God needed their sacrifices—as if they were earning His pleasure and salvation. God made it very clear that they had flipped the script! We need Him. He needs nothing. Our salvation is His gift of rescue because of His unmerited love.
Today, we’re going to look at another group. I would try to hold you in suspense about what this group might be…but the title of the sermon probably gave it away. So, let’s talk about hypocrites.
* Note: I always teach from the ESV translation, but this summer we’re having different members from the congregation read the Scripture, so I will post the translations they are reading from here. Today’s reading will be from the RSV.
“16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips? 17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. 18 If you see a thief, you are a friend of his; and you keep company with adulterers. 19 "You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. 21 These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you. 22 "Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I rend, and there be none to deliver! 23 He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me; to him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God!"
So, we’re sticking with the same gist statement this week, but we’ll be camping out more on the second half of this, as we consider not only what hypocrisy is but also why it is so devastating. Here’s our gist: If our worship is just motions and our hearts remain unchanged, we’re missing out on who God is and the salvation He brings —which are both absolutely vital! Now, let’s just walk through the text and then chew on a few takeaways.
“16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite My statutes or take My covenant on your lips?”
From the beginning, we see why this is hypocrisy and not just people living apart from God. Because the condemnation is that these people are living like the wicked, but talking about the teachings and promises of God. In fact, the words seem to imply they might even be teaching these to others. I like how the NLT translates this. “Why bother reciting My decrees and pretending to obey My covenant?”
This is the core of hypocrisy: words and hearts not lining up. They are saying all the right stuff, but they are lying because their hearts are unchanged. In fact, it’s more serious than that. God doesn’t call them misguided. He calls them wicked. Their hearts are corrupt, but outwardly they are calling people to follow after Him. It’s just all talk. The next few verses then start to unpack some of what this looks like practically. You could consider this the “how to be a hypocrite (or not)” section ☺️.
“17 For you hate discipline, and you cast My words behind you.”
There are two points in this verse, but they really go hand-in-hand. They hate discipline and treat God’s Word like trash. That’s actually how the NLT translates the casting part. The key truth here is that hypocrisy is fueled by sin, and sin at the core is pride, elevating ourselves above God, seeking what we want at all costs…etc. Therefore, this will lead to hating discipline because discipline implies we’re doing something wrong which, in turn, means we need to change.
Well, if we don’t want to be challenged on anything, then reading God’s word probably isn’t a good idea ☺️. It will most definitely call us out. So what does the hypocrite do? Talk about God’s Word while also turning away from it. Not only is this disrespectful to God, but it also leads us away from the truth we (and the world that is watching us) need.
In his commentary on this psalm, Charles Spurgeon said: “To this day we see men explaining doctrines who despise precepts! They make grace a coverlet for sin, and even judge themselves to be sound in the faith, while they are rotten in life. We need the grace of the doctrines as much as the doctrines of grace, and without it an apostle is but a Judas, and a fair spoken professor is an arrant enemy of the cross of Christ.” I love that. So often God’s Word is taken for granted, if not outright ignored. Spurgeon points this out, but also calls the doctrines, the teachings of God, grace. We have to remember this. Instead of throwing God’s word out like trash, we need to see it as the gift it is. We might not understand it. It might sometimes push against the grain. Following Him might put us at odds with what the world is saying is right. BUT that’s ok, because His ways are not our ways—they’re better. His word isn’t a burden; it’s a blessing.
So, instead of embracing God’s word, what is the hypocrite doing? Embracing sin. That’s really what these next few verses outline. These aren’t the only way hypocritical people can live, but they are a sampling of ways their lives don’t line up with what God’s Word clearly teaches.
“18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. 19 "You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. 20 You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son.”
Let’s unpack this a bit. Again, these are just examples of hypocrisy, but they hit plenty hard ☺️. Here are three bigger principles we see here. First→
They Are Affirming Sin. That’s what we see happening when it says they are pleased with thieves. They are affirming. In fact, the RSV says they are “friends”. I’m not trying to imply that Christians can’t have friends that aren’t believers. That’s not the case at all. The picture here is of being friendly with the sin itself. It’s a picture of compromise. They know that theft is a sin. Remember, they teach the Bible. BUT, in practice, they are saying it’s ok. Do you see any of this happening in our world today? Of course you do, because it is so much easier to affirm what God’s word opposes when the rest of the world is doing the same.
This affirming then becomes more. In fact→
They Are Embracing Sinful Lifestyles. Keeping company with adulterers is a deliberate choice. They are surrounding themselves with sinful practices. This is more than just affirming what they know to be wrong. They are uniting themselves with sinful practices. Jesus called the scribes and Pharisees (ultimate examples of hypocrisy) “an adulterous generation” (Matthew 12:39). Remember, Christianity is described using marriage language all the time. We are to be the bride of Christ. So, while this could be talking about actual adultery, it could also be talking about embracing lies and false teachings of any kind that pull us away from the love of Jesus. Either way, they are all in on sin and→
Their Tongues Are Telling On Their Hearts. Luke 6:45 reminds us that from the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. That’s what we see happening here. They have unbridled tongues. They give them free reign—which means they are just saying whatever comes to mind. We don’t have to break this down at all, right? If we don’t control our tongues, how much good do they bring? James minces no words when he says, “2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:2-5).
If we have any doubts, we’re then given some pictures of what these unbridled tongues are doing. They are crafting lies. Puritan commentator John Gill called this lying in an artful manner. They are well-practiced and good at it. But they’re not just liars, they are slanderers. Apparently, they are well versed in this art as well because the ones they are slandering are family. The whole idea here is that they are slandering even those closest to them—those you’d typically want to protect. And these people are walking around claiming to represent God. That’s hypocrisy. That’s taking God’s name in vain. It’s a serious offense, and He doesn’t take it lightly. Look at what He says to this→
“21a These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself.”
They had been getting away with this, so they just assumed He was good with it. They were wrong. Here’s the sad reality: they were ignoring God’s glory and missing His grace in the process. What’s the result? Well, He’s silent no more→
“21b But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you. 22 "Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! 23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies Me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"”
He brings a serious charge. And really He tells them there are two options Hell or Hope. He isn’t gentle with this rebuke. He describes those who continue to live for themselves as heading willingly toward complete destruction. Once you are there, escape isn’t an option. However, don’t miss the grace in this. First, He calls them to mark this or consider this. He is telling them it doesn’t have to be like this. In fact, He tells them how it is meant to be. Instead of just offering lip service, they are called to offer thanksgiving and glorify Him. These are heart-orientation issues. If we love Him for who He is, we will be thankful and live our lives pointing others to His grace. It is then, that we walk rightly and see His salvation—because we are people rescued for real, not just saying stuff.
Ok, to the→
TAKEAWAYS
Hypocrisy dishonors God. It ignores His character and His truth.
Hypocrisy leads to personal sorrow. It might feel good because you’re living like you want, but you running down a path of self-destruction. Eternally, this is true. But it will find its way out in your life, as well. If you’re living hypocritically, people will see this too, and it won’t be a boon for your reputation here either. And, that leads to my 3rd point, as well.
Hypocrisy hurts other people. One of the major complaints people have about Christianity is that the people who claim to be followers of Jesus are terrible people. Is your lifestyle pointing people to the hope of Jesus or away from His grace?
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