Royal Robes of Hypocrisy

Drawing attention to yourself is as popular as ever, especially in our day of social media, influencers and advertising dollars.  A child throwing a tantrum to get his way, protesters shouting slogans and holding signs, content creators, politicians and musicians--really anybody--can seek the spotlight to achieve their ends.  One potential of drawing attention to yourself means your hypocrisy can be exposed on a grand scale.  The preacher who delivers sermons on morality and decries sin loses credibility when he is shown to be guilty of adultery.  The one who claims climate change is the greatest crisis the world faces shows a double-standard by globetrotting aboard a private jet to spread the message.

Actions speak truer than words, and a person of integrity will be honest with others.  We say a building has structural integrity when it is built to code in a manner that can withstand normal conditions--not just having a new coat of paint.  Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees who were "holier than thou" with their trappings of religion marked by clean robes, tassels and tefillin but inside resembled tombs filled with the bones of dead men.  They were like unmarked, unclean tombs that defiled everyone who passed by.  We have likely experienced sickness because we were around people who pretended they weren't sick, they were "just getting over a cold" when they were especially virulent and contagious.  It is better to admit to ourselves and everyone else we are sick so we will seek medical treatment and prevent the spread of illness to others.

This is also true when it comes to personal struggles.  We can feel it is important we put on a strong front or the appearance of gladness when we are sorrowing and grieving--perhaps because of our role in a family or the church.  Nehemiah was not seeking attention when the king astutely realised he was sad, and after seeking guidance from God Nehemiah told him exactly what was the matter:  Jerusalem lay in ruins and the people were suffering.  Nehemiah did not put on a sad face or try to draw attention to himself for sympathy or a break from work, but it was his love for his countrymen and the glory of God that moved him to grieve over the awful situation over many days.  King Jehoram (son of Ahab) took a different approach, for he tried to hide his grief perhaps thinking he could improve the morale of people who suffered the devastating impact of a Syrian siege.

As King Jehoram walked through Samaria, a woman called out to him for help.  Jehoram answered her sarcastically that he was not greater than God, for if God was not helping her how could he?  He was shocked when the woman explained what had happened, how she and another mum had eaten her son yesterday, and she complained the woman hid her son afterwards!  King Jeroham was overwhelmed by the plight of his people and powerlessness to help and 2 Kings 6:30 says:  "Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body."  When the king tore his royal robes, the people noticed the king was wearing sackcloth underneath.  He walked through the city sporting royal attire to keep up the morale of the people as their ruler, but what he wore underneath was a more accurate picture of how his present state.  If God did not help him or his people, what could he do?

A better approach in troubled times was demonstrated by the heathen king of Nineveh who responded publicly to the preaching of Jonah.  This king did not pretend that everything was fine or put on a strong face to lead his people well.  Jonah 3:6 reads, "Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes."  Now this is good leadership that arose from belief in God's word.  The king led by example by laying aside his robes and put on sackcloth, sat in ashes, and commanded all (animals included!) be clothed likewise, fast from food and water, turn from their wickedness, and cry mightily out to God, for he said in Jonah 3:9:  "Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?"  And God did exactly that.  The king put on sackcloth before the judgment came, and the public grief for sin and repentance moved God to deliver and save.

For Jehoram and Samaria judgment from the LORD had already come by the hand of the Syrians as predicted in God's word, yet he walked around in his royal garments that concealed sackcloth.  Leviticus 26:29-30 outlined judgments God would bring upon His people for idolatry:  "You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰ I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and cast your carcasses on the lifeless forms of your idols; and My soul shall abhor you."  It seems the king of Israel did not have the belief in God's word the king of Nineveh did as spoken through the prophet Jonah.  Had king Jehoram put off his royal robes in repentance, put on sackcloth, turned from his wicked ways and cried out mightily to God at the start of the siege, the situation in Samaria may not have grown so dire before Jehoram's hypocrisy was exposed.  Who knows if God would have delivered His people quickly from their enemies and destruction?  The king of Nineveh and his people answer that question in the affirmative.  May we learn, rather than drawing attention to ourselves, to turn from our problems to the LORD in humility and faith, knowing He alone is our Saviour, help and deliverer.

Bad Old Screwtape

The C.S. Lewis classic titled The Screwtape Letters is an insightful and thought-provoking book that features a more experienced demon named Screwtape who provides guidance for his nephew in guiding his "patient"--the person for whom he is responsible to tempt and influence for evil.  When the "patient" becomes a Christian, Screwtape expresses his displeasure and suggests means to distract and prevent him from spiritual growth and fruitfulness.  In this allegory everything is turned around, where "The Enemy" is God and the correspondence reveals pitfalls Christians have stumbled into from the beginning.

One of the strengths of this book is the truth of God's word, God's goodness and the devil's tireless habit of lying and deceiving were constant long before Jesus Christ walked in Galilee.  The timeless observations remain relevant concerning Christians in society today and touches on many subtle ways Christians can be distracted or deterred from Christ by the world and things in it--including church, wars and politics.  Screwtape wrote, "Surely you know that if a man can't be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighbourhood looking for the church that 'suits' him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches...the search for a 'suitable' church makes the man a critic where the Enemy wants him to be a pupil." (Lewis, C. S. Mere Christianity & the Screwtape Letters: Complete in One Volume. Harper San Francisco, 2003. pages 321-322)

Screwtape weighed in on mankind's tendency to lean into viewing Christianity as a means to our end:

"Certainly we do not want men to allow their Christianity to flow over into their political life, for the establishment of anything like a really just society would be a major disaster.  On the other hand we do want, and want very much, to make men treat Christianity as a means; preferably, of course, as a means to their own advancement, but, failing that, as a means to anything--even to social justice.  The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice.  For the Enemy will not be used as a convenience.  Men or nations who think they can revive the Faith in order to make a good society might just as well think they can use the stairs of Heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemist's shop.  Fortunately it is quite easy to coax humans round this little corner." (Ibid. pages 366-367)

The Screwtape letters is a clever and insightful book where scriptural truths are affirmed by an unlikely source--an infernal spirit who has spent countless lifetimes simply observing humanity with an aim to tempt and trip them up.  It illustrates well the understanding the devil has about the Bible and God and remains blind to the truth, deceived and doomed by his own pride.  Thankfully our God has given us the Holy Spirit and His word so we can follow Jesus Christ obediently and truly "...lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11)

New Creations in Christ

"But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ¹⁵ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation."

Galatians 6:14-15

Being a disciple of Jesus begins with personal transformation by the Holy Spirit--not behaviour modification as some people imagine.  Better behaviour is not the end God is looking for in us, though that is something that is often emphasised.  What can result is spiritual pride for the good things you do and the bad things you avoid.  This also leads to our "walk" being up and down depending on our performance rather than being compelled by God's love to walk worthy of Him.

Paul wrote the letter of Galatians to Christians who has veered from salvation by grace through faith in Jesus to a return to the Law and legalism--that our good standing with God is secured by effort to keep the law.  One fact emphasised during His Sermon on the Mount was Jesus did not save souls to empower us to keep the Law of Moses, for He holds His disciples to a standard of righteousness that is higher than keeping the letter of the Law.  The Law forbade adultery, but Jesus explained the man who looks with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  No law has the power to change the hearts, minds and habits of mankind:  but Jesus can and does.

While we are called to follow the godly example of Jesus Christ, He does not want us to mimic or ape Him without understanding.  Any Pharisee can keep the letter of the Law and add countless more laws and conditions to it according to human wisdom.  Rather than boasting of being circumcised according to the Law of Moses, Paul's boast was in the cross of the LORD Jesus Christ, the demonstration of His love and power to save lost sinners.  The Gospel makes new creations by faith in Jesus, and efforts to keep the Law of Moses still never saved a soul.  This is why the condition of our hearts is critical for Christians, for copying Jesus does not mean we know Him any more than an ape wearing a suit has fashion sense.  Those who mimic their way through a "Christian" life without inner transformation will hear from Christ, "Depart from Me; I never knew you."

Being physically circumcised or uncircumcised did not avail anything, nor did this emphasis benefit the Galatians or the proponents one bit.  If anything it indicated pride, self-righteousness, fear of being disfellowshipped or excluded, and a lack of faith in salvation by the Gospel of Jesus alone.  It is important we do not fall into the opposite error, thinking ourselves better or someone else lesser due to legalism.  Being made new creations by faith in Jesus, we are to walk in newness of life that hears and obeys the commands of Jesus.  It is the love of God, not a Law, that is to govern our interactions with others so God may be glorified, so He might increase and we might decrease.  Our integrity ought to spring from a heart transformed by God's love and walking according to the guidance and the convictions of the Holy Spirit--not by peer pressure, fear of failure, or to impress others--but because we are new creations by faith in Jesus.

Know God Rules

At the Friday night Bible study we spoke of the personal relationship David had with God, for he referred to the LORD in Psalm 59 as "my strength," "my defence and refuge" and "my God of mercy."  As enemies surrounded him like a pack of feral dogs baying for his blood, David desired they would be scattered and their alliance disbanded so they would "...know that God rules in Jacob to the ends of the earth" (Psalm 59:13).  It is remarkable that God's strength and mercy demonstrated by scattering David's enemies would be a global testimony, but here we are speaking of these qualities of God's unchanging character thousands of years later, the LORD David called "my Shepherd."

David's desire was that all the world would know the God who rules in Israel and is sovereign over all.  When the children of Israel and the Philistines set themselves up on mountains opposite one another and Goliath defied the armies of the living God, David was indignant no one stood up to face him.  He received permission from king Saul to face Goliath in battle by faith in God who delivered him from lion and bear.  The champion of Gath cursed David by his idols, and David boldly stated his purpose in fighting Goliath to his face in 1 Samuel 17:45-47:  "Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S, and He will give you into our hands."

David's faith in God made this conflict in the valley of Elah an incident of universal importance.  This was not merely a shepherd boy contending with a larger, more accomplished and better kitted warrior, but a showdown between the idols of Philistia and the living God of Israel.  The impact of David's victory over Goliath was enabled by God who reigns in Israel and is sovereign over all the earth.  By David felling Goliath with sling and stone, those who assembled would know without a doubt God does not save with sword and spear for the battle is the LORD'S.  The Israelites looked at the size of Goliath's sword and shield and marvelled over the weight of his spearhead and armour.  They had forgotten that God would fight their battles, and thus no weapon formed against them would prosper.

As God's people by faith in Jesus, we too can have the approach David did to make the conflict in the valley of Elah a divine concern by desiring God to be glorified so all the earth may know there is a God in Israel.  The immutable, eternal, omnipotent and living God remains on the throne to this day, and the battle is the LORD's.  Those who trust in themselves, their swords or their allegiances will fail, but they who trust in the LORD will walk in His victory according to God's strength and mercy.  May it be our testimony of God my strength, my defence, my shield and refuge, my God of mercy who rules to the ends of the earth, that He is worthy to be praised be heard by all the earth for ages to come.