HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 268
page A266
Pretending continued
man-made rules learned by rote. . . . “The Lord can’t see us,” they say. “He doesn’t know
what’s going on!”
• MAT T H E W 1 5 :7 -8 | “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for
he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.’ ”
You may pretend with words and even with thoughts. If you keep doing this, you might
eventually fool even yourself into thinking your motives are sincere, and worse yet, that
God does too.
What are the dangers/consequences of pretending to be what I am not?
• PR O V E R B S 1 5 :8 | The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but he delights in the
prayers of the upright.
• PR O V E R B S 2 0 :2 3 | The Lord detests double standards; he is not pleased by dishonest
scales.
• PR O V E R B S 2 1 :2 7 | The sacrifice of an evil person is detestable, especially when it is
offered with wrong motives.
God is so opposed to hypocrisy—pretending to be what you aren’t—because it shows a
heart of dishonesty, which is manipulative, and destroys trust in any relationship.
P
• 1 P E T E R 2 :1 -3 | So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy,
and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that
you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you
have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.
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• PSA L M 1 0 1 :7 | I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my
presence.
Much of pretending grows out of deceit, which prevents your spiritual growth.
• PSA L M 2 5 :3 | No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those
who try to deceive others.
Pretending eventually leads to disgrace. You risk shame when you are exposed.
• MI CA H 6 :1 2 | “The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence.
Your citizens are so used to lying that their tongues can no longer tell the truth.”
• 2 T I MOT H Y 3 :1 3 | But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and
will themselves be deceived.
After a while, a habit of pretending based on deceit becomes common and even acceptable, dulling and even destroying your conscience. Eventually deceivers deceive themselves, cutting them off from truth.
How can I take off the mask and stop pretending?
• PSA L M 1 1 9 :2 9 | Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your
instructions.
• J A ME S 4 :8 | Come close to God, and God will come close to you.
Study God’s Word. It illuminates deceit and teaches you how to live honestly and
transparently.
• J A ME S 3 :1 7 | But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle
at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It
shows no favoritism and is always sincere. (See note on page 1124.)
• E PH E S I A NS 4 :2 1 -2 3 | Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that
comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is
corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 1 :1 2 | We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have
lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on
God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves
before the world, and especially toward you.