HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 267
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of pretending is lost. The childhood game of pretend turns into a destructive way to hide
the parts of us we are ashamed of, and we pose as someone greater than ourselves. God
warns against pretending to be something we’re not—especially when we pretend to be
spiritually great. True authenticity comes from finding your real value in God’s eyes and
being honest with yourself and others. It is better to be honest about your failures than to
lie about your successes.
Why do I pretend to be something or someone I’m not?
• MAT T H E W 2 3 :2 7 -2 8 | “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you
Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside
but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly
you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and
lawlessness.”
• MA R K 1 2 :3 8 -4 0 | Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they
like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the
marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table
at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to
be pious by making long prayers in public.”
• MAT T H E W 1 4 :9 | Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had
made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.
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Pride—We want to look honorable and important in the eyes of our peers. But looking
honorable and having an honorable heart are two different things.
• 1 T H E S S A L O NI A NS 2 :5 | Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know.
And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your
money!
Flattery—We may use flattery to pretend we like someone in order to get something from
them.
• G E NE SI S 2 7 :1 5 -1 9 , 3 5 | Then she took Esau’s favorite clothes, which were there in the
house, and gave them to her younger son, Jacob. . . . Then she gave Jacob the delicious
meal, including freshly baked bread. So Jacob took the food to his father. “My father?” he
said. “Yes, my son,” Isaac answered. “Who are you—Esau or Jacob?” Jacob replied, “It’s
Esau, your firstborn son.” . . . But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me.
He has taken away your blessing.”
Selfishness—We may disguise our true motives in order to better our position.
How do I pretend before God?
• A MO S 5 :2 1 | I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals
and solemn assemblies.
• J E R E MI A H 3 :1 0 | “She has only pretended to be sorry. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
• PSA L M 5 0 :1 6 -1 7 | But God says to the wicked: “Why bother reciting my decrees and
pretending to obey my covenant? For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like
trash.”
• J A ME S 1 :2 2 -2 5 | But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise,
you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like
glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look
like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it
says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
You may pretend with your actions, religious practices, false repentance, or superficial
obedience, but God knows your heart.
• I SA I A H 2 9 :1 3 , 1 5 | And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor
me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but
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Embarrassment—When we are embarrassed to admit our foolish actions, we may be
tempted to deceive others into thinking we’re happy with our decision.