Hypocrisy

I think the word is thrown around far too often.  But that’s my opinion.  To be sure we know of what we speak of, let’s first define what is, so we know what isn’t.

Hypocrisy- 1. feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially: the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion (m-w.com).

Hypocrite- 1. a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion  2. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings (m-w.com).

Jesus identifies those who:

• make an show of their acts of goodness, doing so for their own glory, hypocrites because one's who in service to God will do so for His glory (Mt 6:2, 5, 16; Lk 6:42; Mt 23:5-7). 
• ignore their own blindingly obvious sin, but attempts to point out another’s sin hypocrites (Mt 7:5). 
• honor the Lord with their lips, but hearts are far from him hypocrites, as well as those who merely adhere to religious practices instead of seeking a genuine relationship with him (Mt 7:5).
• ask questions only to entrap and provoke, instead of asking them out of a sincere desire to learn the truth hypocrites (Mt 22:18).
• (in Mt 23) don’t practice what they preach (v.3), burden people with religion (v.4, 15) choose to observe only part of God’s word (v. 23), are more concerned with how they appear than how they are (v. 25-28), and persecute -and even put to death- those who speak the truth and are righteous (v. 29-36) hypocrites.
• interpret ‘signs’ hypocrites (Mt 24:51).
• routinely disobeyed the law, but criticized him for seemingly doing the same hypocrites (Lk 13:15).

Jesus also identifies hypocrisy as something we need to be on guard for and rid ourselves of -if found; it’s an evil corruption that works its way through and permeates like yeast (Lk 12:1; 1 Pe 2:1).  Like David, we shouldn’t consort with hypocrites because bad company corrupts good character (Ps 26:4; 1 Co 15:33).  And the Lord lets us know explicitly that there’s a place set aside for hypocrites (Mt 24:51). 

Although the dictionary also defines hypocrisy as a mere act of hypocrisy, based on scripture we see that it is more an attribute or feature that makes up and distinguishes an individual. In other words it’s based in a person’s character.  Hypocrisy is seen as being a main or central part of their nature in scripture (m-w.com).  For us to call someone a hypocrite is a serious accusation.  (Remember, to accuse is to exhibit a character trait of Satan; Rev 12:10.)  But Jesus Christ, the Word himself, was more than justified.  Coming from him, it was not an accusation, but a judgment.

And lest you get beside yourselves unbelievers, those who have a false virtue or religion may be called hypocrites. But the Bible calls people who have no religion

…other things.   

Submission In Marriage

Submit- to yield oneself to the authority or will of another; to defer to or consent to abide by the opinion or authority of another; capitulate; concede (m-w.com). 

The rebellious, in heart, took fight at the very sight of the word, but I see you’re still with me, so… 

Chapter five of Ephesians speaks of submission, starting first with the submission of all ‘children of the light’, which tells us to be imitators of God and Christ, living a life of love that is characterized by sacrifice, and to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (v. 1-2, 21).  Lord, help us all with this one!  Submitting is something that goes against our prideful nature, but this is how we prove ourselves to be children of God because saying isn’t the same as doing.  This mutual submission is shown in a ‘conciliatory attitude’ that is ‘associated with the filling of the Spirit’ (NIV note on v. 21).  We should seek to give the advantage instead of taking advantage. 

The following passage, verses 22 to 33 -titled ‘Wives and Husbands’ in my Bible- speaks of the sacrifices each spouse should make, and be willing to make in a marriage.  Wives are commanded to submit to their husbands as to the Lord, not meaning the husband stands instead for the Lord in the marriage, but that a wife is to submit to her husband as an act of submission to the Lord (v. 22 and NIV note).  I’ll also point out that the word ‘as’ in this context most likely means ‘to the same degree or amount’, which leads me to believe that the wife is to submit to her husband, in that he himself is submitting to the Lord (This is in reference to character, as no one but Jesus has lived a perfect life.).  We’re told that nothing, no one, or nowhere precedes God, and that includes a husband (Rev 1:8). 

Verse 23 continues, ‘For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior’.  This verse explicitly states the cost of being a husband, or ‘head’ (director; leader; m-w.com) in a marriage:  sacrifice your life!  Jesus did so, in life and death.  All he did was for his bride, the church.  It also places the responsibility of leadership on the husband.  ‘Now the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything’ (v. 24).  The church is defined by its submission to Christ.  So, if an assembled group of people aren’t submitting to Christ, they can’t truly call themselves a church, just as a headless body ceases to live.  So, what do we call a woman who’s not submitting to her husband, or who’s not the head of his wife?

We, the Church, have power when we submit to the Lord. Just as the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, so is a submissive wife in her marriage (Jas 5:16).  Husbands may be won over without words by their wives’ behavior, beauty of their inner selves, and their gentle and quiet spirit (which is of great worth in God’s sight; 1 Pe 3:1-5).  This submission is seen as powerful, not weak, because only a strong woman can submit.  Women who fail to do so, are motivated by fear -the fear of losing control- but the previous verses explain how control may be gained by submission (1 Pe 3:6).  Surely, faith in God, and his way opposes this fear.   

Now back to husbands, verse 25 to 27 tell of the care given by Christ to the church for its overall wellbeing.  For a husband to care for his wife, is to care for himself, since they are one flesh (v. 28-31; Ge 2:24).  And is self-preservation wasn’t enough reason to care for a wife, failure to do so will result in hindered prayers (1Pe 3:7).

The profound truth of the union of Christ and his ‘bride’, the church, is beyond unaided human understanding.  It’s not that the relationship between husband and wife provides an illustration of the union of Christ and the church, but there’s a basic reality it, with marriage being a human echo of that relationship (from NIV note on v. 32).  Although the church is illustrated as the body of Christ, he’s independent of it.  Christ won’t cease to exist without followers, as a true marriage would without the two living as the Word instructs.

In closing, ‘In the Lord, however, woman isn’t independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.  For as a woman came from man, so also man’s born of woman.  But everything is from God’ (1 Co 11:11-12).

Bottom line:  We need each other y’all!             

Get Understanding Pt. 2: Marriage

Like I mentioned last week, much of my post will come from notes of my study on marriage/wives I wrote last year.  This week’s post might turn out to be a little long, so I’ll divide into subtopics/sub points to make it easier on you, the reader.  To be clear, God, not man, defines marriage, so I’m leaning on the Word for definition(s), as we should for anything else.

1. Marriage is a concession: 

Many assume that God desires us all to marry, which isn’t the case.  It’s written, The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.  I’ll make a helper suitable for him’ (Ge 2:18).  We understand Adam, which means ‘man’, to be representative of: the individual, manhood, or mankind.  It’s my belief that the definitive ‘the’ used before ‘man’ signifies Adam as an individual.  However, I will introduce the interpretation of the NIV note on this verse as another possible understanding of it. ‘Without female companionship and a partner in reproduction, the man could not fully realize his humanity.’  On a very practical level, the very livelihood of mankind was dependent on Adam -and soon to be- Eve.  That is not the case today where there are plenty of children who don’t have parents to care for them.

In 1 Co 7, Paul lets the Corinthian church know that, ‘although marriage is desirable’, it’s not mandatory. He writes, I wish that all men were as I am.  But each man has his own gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that’ (1 Co 7:7).  Paul views his celibate lifestyle as a ‘gift from God’ that made it possible for him to accept unmarried state and use it in the service of his Lord (NIV note).  In verses 32 to 35, he points out the biggest benefit of an unmarried Christian:  a chance to live a life that is completely devoted to the Lord and free from the concerns of a spouse.  This isn’t to say that married people’s service to God is less than that of a single person, because based on what I’ve seen; surely it’s a gift to be able to live with a spouse and maintain sanity. (That was a joke married people.  Take it easy!)

Based on 1Co 7, I think it’s safe to say that the point Paul is trying to get at is, whether you marry or not, you should do so for the right reason(s), which is to say that you are in God’s will and are lead by him, following his plan for your life.

(Additionally, Jesus’ disciples concluded that it was better not to marry in Mt 19:10.  But in the following verses Jesus gives three examples of why a person shouldn’t marry: because they were born a eunuch, made a eunuch, or because they have ‘renounced marriage for the kingdom of heaven’ [v.11-12])

2. Marriage is an earthly institution:

Paul explains how marriage is only binding in life in Romans 7:1-3. 

And in Mt 22:23-33, Jesus is asked a testing question by the Sadducees:  Whose wife will a woman be at the time of the Resurrection after marrying seven brothers according to the levirate (from Latin word ‘levir’, which means brother-in-law) law (The levirate law was in practice in order to protect the woman after she was widowed, and guarantee continuance of the family line; Dt 25:5-10)?  Jesus answers in verse 30 that “at the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage…”  And in verse 32 he says that God “…isn’t the God of the dead but of the living”.  Marriage sets the proper foundation for reproduction and provides man with a suitable helper, both of which will not be necessary in heaven.  We will need or want for nothing in heaven!  God will supply all directly.  Jesus also says that at the time of Resurrection we “will be like angels in heaven”, who were (also) created to do nothing but serve God (v. 30).  There will be a new order of existence in the resurrection brought about by ‘the power of God’, and the basic characteristics of resurrection life will be fellowship with, and service for God (NIV note on Mk 12:25).  We will be made perfect at the time of resurrection.  So, all that we tried to get right down here will be made right up there.  We were made to serve him, and we will do so perfectly in heaven!    

3. Marriage is monogamous:

Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.  The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman’ for she was taken out of man’ For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh (Ge 2:22-24).  The divine intention for husband and wife was monogamy. Together they were to form as inseparable a union as that between parent and child.  As parents and their children are the same ‘flesh and blood’, so husband and wife should be bound together as ‘one flesh’, as long as they live –of which sexual union is an expression of (NIV note v. 24). 

In the New Testament, it is written that, …(E)ach man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband (1 Co 7:2), which leads me to…

4. Marriage is heterosexual:

The Old Testament command in Leviticus 18:22, ‘Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable’ signifies God’s stance on homosexuality.  And so that one doesn’t dismiss that verse as Mosaic legalism, or even as a command condemning same sex relations among males only, Romans 1:26 touches on the issue again.  It reads, ‘Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones’.  And verse 27 continues, ‘In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion’.  With word used like:  shameful, unnatural, indecent, and perverse, it’s safe to say, God is clear on this (see blog post titled ‘In Its Proper Place’)      

5. According to God, the compatibility of potential spouses is based solely on their relationship with Him:

‘Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismatched alliances with them or come under a different yoke than them, inconsistent with your faith].  For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness?  Or how can light fellowship with darkness?’ (2 Co 6:14, AMP).  Or more simply put, ‘What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?’ (2 Co 6:15, NIV)  One of the Bible’s many rhetorical questions to be interpreted as a statement (i.e. ‘A believer and an unbeliever have nothing, or too little, in common.’)

Ezra chastised God’s people saying, ‘You’ve been unfaithful; you’ve married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt’ (Ez 10:10).  Their sin was marrying pagan spouses.  God’s word had been given to Israel exclusively at the time, so gentile believers were few.  Foreign nations served their own pagan -or idol- gods, as opposed the one true and living God.  Then, as now, the mother often spent more time with the children and were their primary teacher, to include teaching of religion.  To have a pagan wife was to have pagan children.  This was a perversion of faith in the home.

God is not concerned with race, ethnicity, national origin, native tongue, or any other earthly designation.  As far as we’re concerned His only concern is whether, or not, we’re serving him (Ecc 12:13; Gal 3:28; Col 3:11).

6. Marriage should be for life, however…

In Matthew 19:1-12, after being asked a testing question from the Pharisees about divorce, Jesus pointed back to God’s original ideal for marriage in Genesis 22:24, to be united for life.  They continued with the question, asking about permission from God -by way of Moses- for a man to divorce his wife, if she becomes displeasing to him (because he finds something indecent about her; Dt 24:1).  Jesus answered that Moses permitted this only because the hearts of husbands were so hard, but it’s not what God desires (Mt 19:6, 8).  Jesus then gives the only reasonable ground for divorce:  marital unfaithfulness (v.9).  Unfaithfulness is defined as: not adhering to vows, allegiance, or duty; disloyal, untrustworthy, not faithful (steadfast, in affection or allegiance; firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty [m-w.com]). 

Again, even though divorce and remarrying were permitted and regulated according to the laws of Moses (Lev 21:7, 14; 22:13; Nu 30:9), Jesus elaborates on the Mosaic law concerning divorce in his Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:31-32; 19:3-9). 

Although many people limit the term “marital unfaithfulness” to adultery, the definition of the word ‘unfaithful’ makes it clear that it’s broader than that.  Surely marital duty isn’t defined exclusively by sexual monogamy (For some duties of a faithful spouse, see previous blog post.).  Based on the above scriptures, I believe that Jesus wanted to make clear that a person’s cause for divorce shouldn’t be arbitrary or made with haste (as was the case he and Moses were dealing with).  But this unfaithfulness should be characteristic of the relationship, if the cause isn’t adultery, as opposed to divorcing because the spouse has made infrequent errors or lapses in judgment.  Men were basically divorcing their wives for once burning dinner!  Go ahead and laugh, but how different is it from some of today’s reasons for divorce?

7. Marriage is to be honored:

Marriage should be honored by all (and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and the sexually immoral) (Heb 13:4).

8. Marriage is to be enjoyed:

In Deut. 24:5, marital bliss or happiness was held in high regard; so much so that there was a law keeping a recently married men from war, or any other duty that would keep him from fulfilling his ‘duties’ to his wife.  Read ‘Solomon’s Song of Songs’ where verses like, ‘Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth –for your love is better than wine’ and ‘How beautiful you are, my darling!  Oh, how beautiful!  Your eyes are doves’ (Sol 1:2, 15).  And remember, this is still God’s inspired word we’re talking about!  His desire is that married people enjoy each other.   

9. Wives, be submissive to your husbands:

…Okay, this one deserves its own post.  I’ll get back to you on this topic.

 

Get Understanding Pt. 1: Wives

What inspired my question from last week was the somewhat common assumption that the verse, ‘He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord’, means that it’s God’s desire that a man seek a wife if he’s to have one (Pr 18:22).  And I think it’s safe to say that we often have assumptions and preconceived notions based off of everything from popular opinion, to tradition, and our own selfish thoughts.  But while addressing this assumption the Holy Spirit gave me Proverbs 4:7, which reads, Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:  and with all thy getting get understanding (KJV).  I looked at several Bible versions of this scripture and they all stress the difference between simply acquiring knowledge and gaining understanding (or wisdom, or judgment).  A parrot can be trained to repeat biblical scripture, but they have no understanding of what they’re saying.  Understanding of God’s word is the principal thing.  And preconceived notions can be -no are- a hindrance of our understanding of God.  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”, declares the Lord (Isa 55:8).         

A few more questions concerning Proverbs 18:22 though; does it suggest that:         

1.  …all wives are a good thing?

2.  …an unmarried man has not received favor from the Lord?

3.  …if a man is to receive a wife, he is to seek her?

1.  A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones (Pr 12:4).  The NIV note on this verse says that a good example is Ruth (Ru 3:11), who is described as having noble (def.  possessing outstanding qualities; arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals [m-w.com]) character (def.  attributes or features that makeup or distinguish an individual; the complex mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person; the usual qualities or traits [m-w.com]).  And such a woman is fully described in the popular Pr 31:10-31, which is titled in many Bibles ‘Epilogue:  The Wife of Noble Character’.  A wife of noble character brings her husband honor and joy.  Like wisdom -and because of her wisdom- she will set a garland of grace on her husband’s head and present him with a crown of splendor (Pr 4:9). 

Contrasting the wife of noble character is the disgraceful (def.    dishonorable; shameful; lacking merit, a good name, respectful, integrity, or purity [m-w.com]) wife who saps the very strength of her husband.  She’s described as a decay of his core!  Proverbs 19:13 reads, ‘a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping’.  Stirring up dissension is condemned throughout Proverbs (NIV note).   

So, surely, not all wives are of God, and not all wives are good.  Proverbs 19:14 specifies by saying, ‘a prudent wife is from the Lord’.  And most notably the contrasting of the two types of wives puts the cultivation of character in the wife’s hand.  She decides what type of wife she’ll be.  

2.  The Bible has many instances where favor is given apart from having a wife.  Abel was looked on with favor from God because he dedicated his best to him (Ge 4:4).  God looked on Noah and Mary with favor because of their godly lives (Ge 6:8-9; Lk 1:30).  God looked upon Israel with favor because of their obedience (Lev 26:1-13).  We receive favor as God’s fellow workers (2 Co 6:2).  The righteous are granted favor (Ps 5:12). To find wisdom is to find life and favor (Pr 8:35).  That last verse is from Proverbs chapter eight, which in my Bible is titled ‘Wisdom’s Call’.  And I as I wrote earlier, the desirable wife is characterized by wisdom, so to find a wife, such as this is to find favor.

3.  Based on my understanding of Proverbs 8:35, and the other reference verses from this post, I’ve come to the conclusion that Proverbs 18:22 might suggest that a potential bridegroom should be the one to actively seek the wise and prudent wife that God desires him to have.  That’s if God has called him into the covenant of marriage.  I’ll also point out though that the use of the word ‘man’ in the Bible is often in reference to mankind, or any person who has reached adulthood.  Surely God encourages women to also acquire wisdom.  And surely many of the qualities used to describe the noble wife are also to be found in a noble husband (wisdom, prudence, shrewdly managing the affairs of the household, enterprising, diligent, etc.).  So Proverbs 18:22 may very well be interpreted as, ‘whoever finds a prudent spouse finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord’.