Who Sees in Secret

Jesus exposed the hypocrisy in people who worshipped God in vain, for their motivation was to seek glory from men.  They wanted to be recognised and credited for their piety, to be seen and known as devout and honourable men in the synagogue and society.  The attention they hoped to gain from fickle men for their actions was their meagre reward, and God dismissed them as hypocrites.  The recurring theme Jesus presented addressed the motives of His disciples in giving, praying and fasting, and Jesus assured obedience to God in secret will certainly be seen by God who rewards openly.

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 6:1-4:  "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly."  It was hypocritical those who drew attention to their giving with a trumpet were motivated by glory they hoped to receive from men.  They gave money, yet they sought to receive recognition as if God was incapable of supplying their needs.

Matthew 6:5-6:  "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."  Jesus pointed out the hypocrites who loved to pray in synagogues or on street corners.  They did not necessarily love God or praying, but they loved to be seen praying by others because they stood to gain honour in the sight of men.  It was hypocritical to pray as if they were drawing near to God by faith when they were parading themselves before men in pride.  Their public praying was to seek an audience before men rather than the audience of One with God who hears and answers prayer.

Matthew 6:16-18:  "Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly."  Finally, Jesus revealed the hypocrisy of those who fasted from food and acted sad to draw attention to the fact they had forgone eating and were hungry.  Their reward was people knowing they were fasting!  Mankind has a way of making ourselves central and seeking to achieve our selfish aims of receiving glory from men out things we supposedly do or refrain from doing for God's sake.  This is hypocrisy 101, and it is a curse rather than blessing.  It dishonours God because it robs Him of glory and prevents people from receiving rewards God delights to give.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we ought to remember God who sees in secret will reward openly His obedient people who trust Him.  We might never receive recognition or the approval of other people, but giving, praying and fasting should never be about seeking to gain honour from men:  these all should be done for the honour of God and in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit He has freely given us.  Hypocrisy is a lie and thief we do well to put far from us as we live our lives before God who sees in secret and rewards openly.