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We call it by many names like hypocrite, holier-than-thou, Pharisaical, pretentious piety, and sanctimonious, to name a few, but this particular word is never found in Scripture, but its characteristics are to be found everywhere. It’s a spiritual malady for sure, a sin sickness, that everyone who has spiritual discernment can quickly spot in others, but it is one of the hardest things to admit to ourselves when we are guilty of it – being "self-righteous."
Have you ever noticed that self-righteous people have a tendency to be legalistic; hence, that’s where the epithet “Pharisaical” emerges. It’s easier to follow man-made rules than manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)! They consider themselves the standard; anything contrary to their ways is sinful in their eyes. It is akin to the reoccurring problem during the period of the Judges where "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Jdg 21:25). This is insight into self-righteousness on a national level. The only recognized authority is self-right, not the law of God, until God allows trouble to come to town. Only then is there a different tune sung.
Looking down their noses and getting shunned by the self-righteous are usually how you figure out you are a violator of their concepts of spirituality. In my personal experiences with self-righteous people, I always got the impression from these “more spiritual” types that they consider themselves to be somewhat “perfect” while I was cast as unspiritual.
Looking down their noses and getting shunned by the self-righteous are usually how you figure out you are a violator of their concepts of spirituality. In my personal experiences with self-righteous people, I always got the impression from these “more spiritual” types that they consider themselves to be somewhat “perfect” while I was cast as unspiritual.
Every encounter with these self-aggrandized super saints leaves your soul sickened as you think to yourself, “What’s happening in Christianity?” It’s ugly, and I don’t like the friction of the interaction with walking stained glass saints with their smug religious attitudes even though we shared core beliefs. They love to display their multi-colored mosaic life which is comprised of many small boundaries, symbolic of a small minded love affair with self.
Their sensitivity is very fragile, and they are easily offended. You have to walk on egg shells around them, or they will humpty dumpty all over you. They smile politely but they have that look that says, “You are a liberal compromiser and need to get your heart right.” They typecast Christianity to exclude people who do not fit their spiritual profile which includes appearance, music, associations, the Bible used, and et cetera.
The self-righteous declare, “We are the remnant who have been entrusted by God to be the only ones who have the handle on the truth and what social rules are acceptable to God!” It really saddens the heart that born again believers can act in such a way that can only be described as spiritual snobbery toward other believers. The very phrase “self-righteous believers” is oxymoronic.
It is discouraging being around people like this for they have a way of making you feel uncomfortable by their glances, the cold shoulder treatment, negative subtleties, and cutting words. Though we are both saved, I always felt like I didn’t belong to a group like this; I was a pariah of sorts. The man-made religious rules separated us from having real fellowship with one another.
Obviously, self-righteous believers freely judge others. They are heavily outer appearance oriented (cf. 1 Sam 16:7; and Mt 7:1; Jn 7:24; we are commanded to judge righteously, not self-righteously.). If John the Baptist was around today, his looks alone would probably get him booted out of SRP (self-righteous person) circles, even though Christ had a high opinion of John (Mt 11:11).
Have you ever observed that SRP have a double standard! Isn’t it ironical how those with such lofty standards are unable to keep their own rules consistently! Do they not know that by the very rules a SRP judges others will be the same standard God will judge them (Mt 7:2)? Sounds like the Pharisees of old, huh? They are pretending to be pious, but under the hood there’s a deep seated love problem of the heart. The fact of the matter is their behavior is not Christ-like even though they may have feelings of spiritual superiority.
According to our passage today, we are commanded to love without hypocrisy. There are two words to focus on here: love and hypocrisy. “Love” is the familiar Greek term agape; agape love is not some mushy kind of love like natural or earthy love, but a supernatural heavenly love firmly rooted in the truth of Jesus Christ. It has a standard – “Abhorring what is evil. Clinging to what is good” (Rom 12:9, b-c, free translation).
Nowhere in Scripture will we ever read where Jesus compromised the truth to express grace; never did He do this; this would not be agape love (cf. 1 Cor 13:1-13). He was full of grace and full of truth (Jn 1:14). We are expected to live out the truth of Scripture in a loving and gracious manner where our attitudes and actions, words and walk, belief and behavior, obligation and obedience are in perfect unison with the teaching of Scripture. And self-righteous behavior is unacceptable and nothing more than trying to put a square peg in a round hole. It doesn’t fit in with the truth of Scripture.
The word “hypocrisy” in our passage is the Greek word anupokritos which means “without play-acting or pretending.” Our expressions of love must be without duplicity. It must flow from the agape source, the Holy Spirit of God (Rom 5:5), not with ulterior motive or pretense. Our talk and walk must be lovingly aligned with the teaching of Scripture.
Whenever you get around SRP you never feel the warmth of the love of God flowing from the heart. They are usually cold, unapproachable, critical, strung too tight, highly opinionated, argumentative, judgmental, and have the last word on everything. What a stark contrast to what Jesus commanded every believer,
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:34-35).
SRP are not recognized as disciples for their lack of love and learning. The word “disciple” simply means a “learner.” You can’t teach SRP anything; they already know everything! Such an unteachable spirit and a lack of agape love would indicate they are not a follower of Christ but a chaser of rules, rituals, and regulations. For them Christianity is defined by rules rather than relationships. Relationships only form with SRP or a SRP organization if one conforms to their own brand of spirituality.
The focus of Christianity is not on rules but on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If we miss this kernel of truth we are missing the primary focus of all Scripture – to love God with all our hearts (Deut 6:5; Mk 12:30) and to love our neighbor as yourself (Mk 12:31). John bluntly lays it out there without mincing words,
“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 Jn 4:20-21).
This strikes at the very heart of a self-righteous believer; there’s a love problem toward God and toward other brethren. If we are not right with God, we will not be right with fellow believers who share fundamental beliefs. The first thing to go when we become self-righteous is our worship which strikes at the center of Christianity. This results from losing our first love, Jesus, which quickly has a negative impact on any kind of meaningful spiritual relationship with the body of believers.
Are we in denial? God knows and so do others long before we do! The patent signs are the first and second commands of Scripture are absent in the life. It is so evident it is tragic for self-righteousness has zeal but not according to the knowledge of the truth.
Hypocritical love only happens because love for God has already taken a backseat to some other agenda which usually involves control of some type. A genuine love for God + love for others = love without hypocrisy. Any other arrangement for the believer is sin. The world is at our throats as it is; we cannot afford to be at each other's. Truly, our love must be without hypocrisy. <><
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