Now, lets see where we shall begin. Maybe a definition of hypocrisy is a good place to start. According to Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, a hypocrite is a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs. There are other definitions and categories of hypocrisy, but this one will serve our purpose quite well as it is the one most often encountered.

So, the hypocrite in our context is the wolf dressed up in sheeps clothes. Religious hypocrites are demons masquerading as angels. He works undercover. He is part of Satans sting operation trying to mislead the saints of God. Hypocrisy in any of its form is a terrible vice and an anathema to mankind. Let us take a few minutes to review a Biblical example of religious hypocrisy at its worst.

Acts 5 begins with a sad, melancholy but which brings the rather pleasant and agreeable ambiance of the previous chapters to a screeching halt. The disciples were very spiritual and righteous but there were hypocrites among them whose hearts were not right in the sight of God.

The husband and wife team of Ananias and Sapphira worked together in Gods vineyard, which is a good thing. But, to be confederate in evil is to be like Adam and Eve when they agreed to eat the forbidden fruit and were one in their disobedience. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was their ambition to be thought of as eminent disciples. They wanted people to think they were more than they actually were. They tried to pass off as some of the most fruitful trees in Gods vineyard when really the root of the matter was evil, selfish and wicked. They sold a possession and brought the money to the disciples. In their minds, this would make the disciples think that they were behind them and supported the cause. This way, they could look good and stand preferred in the church.

Take note of how hypocrites operate. They may deny themselves in one thing (like Ananias and Sapphira) but it is to serve themselves in another. Ananias and Sapphira would take on the outward appearance of Christianity, make a show of it, and so mock God and deceive others, when they knew they were only Christian pretenders. Unlike the rich young ruler who knew he was not willing to make the sacrifices necessary to follow Jesus, Ananias and Sapphira chose to pretend.

I think it is not only tragic but often fatal for people to go to such great lengths pretending to be something they are not; to go to greater length in profession than their inward principle will admit. Hypocrites are so busy trying to fool folks that they never come to comprehend that they are only really hurting and slowly killing themselves.

Of course, the origin of the sin of hypocrisy is Satan. He not only suggested the idea to Ananias, put it in his head, but hurried him on with resolution to go through with it. What we must realize is that whatever is contrary to the good Spirit, the Spirit of God, proceeds from the evil spirit. It is analogous to when the Spirit of God left Saul and the evil spirit began troubling him. Satan is a lying spirit. He was so in the mouth of Ahabs prophets, he was so in the mouth of Ananias, and he is so with all hypocrites today.

One last point to be considered; Ananias and Sapphira brought about their own destruction. Satan only tempted them to do evil and wrong but they themselves chose to act upon it. Satan can only tempt but he cannot force. We cannot extenuate our sins by laying the blame on Satan. The devil made me do it justification will not suffice. We know this because if it were true, God would condemn us unjustly. No, it is of our own lust and greed that we are drawn away and enticed.

REFLECTION: "What makes it so plausible to assume that hypocrisy is the vice of vices is that integrity can indeed exist under the cover of all other vices except this one. Only crime and the criminal, it is true, confront us with the perplexity of radical evil; but only the hypocrite is really rotten to the core." Hannah Arendt