Microwaving Pop-Tarts

If you're microwaving your pop-tarts, you need more margin in your life...

All Christians are Not Hypocrites

Over the past couple of weeks, I've heard it publicly declared that, "All Christians are hypocrites."

It's not true.

This statement is a pet peeve of mine. Somehow this belief has entered the minds of many believers, but to believe it as truth is a misunderstanding of the term. I suppose some Christ-followers use this statement to recognize that no Christian is perfect - but we are not all hypocrites. Those unaffiliated with Christianity like to use the convenient excuse that "the church is full of hypocrites." Yes, there are a bunch of them. Full? I hope not. But all Christians are not hypocrites. The truth is the Church is full of sinners!

You can't be a Christian without acknowledging your sin. Jesus is all about rescuing us from our sin. When those outside the Church see a Christian sin, they think he/she is a hypocrite because they have the false belief that Christians are supposed to be perfect. Like the bumper sticker says, Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven.

To be clear: All Christians are sinners and all hypocrites are sinners, but all sinners are not hypocrites nor are all Christians.

Hypocrisy is a type of sin just like lying, cheating, stealing, etc. (See 1 Peter 2:1). We get the word "hypocrite" from the Greek word, "hupocritos" which means to act or play a part. More specifically, to wear a mask. In the Greek theater, actors wore masks to display their mood. A smiling mask was worn to characterize an actor in a good mood and a sad mask was worn to indicate an actor's misery. You've seen the comedy/tragedy masks before, I'm sure. An actor in the Greek theater was called a hypocrite. This is why a hypocrite is sometimes called "two-faced."

The Bible defines a hypocrite many times in many ways. Isaiah said they are people who honor God with their lips but don't really mean it (29:13). The apostle Paul defined hypocrites as people who "claim to know God but by their actions deny him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good" (Titus 1:16). Jesus defined a hypocrite as someone who tries to impress others with their righteous living. They like to be seen by men doing good works, praying, and fasting. They like to appear religious but their religion doesn't come from the heart (Matthew 6).

No matter the definition, the major ingredients of hypocrisy are dishonesty and deception. Someone once said, "A hypocrite never intends to be what he pretends to be."

How do you know if you are a hypocrite? Ask yourself: Do I change who I am depending on the company I keep? Am I genuine, honest, and authentic with everyone? Do I willfully and intentionally put on an act for others?

There is a difference between an authentic Christ-follower struggling with sin and a hypocrite. If you're struggling with sin, you come to God saying, "God, this is a weakness in my life and I really need your help to deal with it." God welcomes that prayer and he promises to help. The authentic Christian knows he is not perfect and is remorseful when he sins.

But the hypocrite doesn't struggle to overcome his sin. He just tries to hide it (sometimes).

There's more I can say on this topic but I hope I've made my point. One word of warning: The apostle Paul wrote that we should keep our distance from hypocrites. They cause division and put obstacles in our way. They are not concerned with serving our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people (Romans 16:17-18).

It all goes back to honesty. Be honest with God and be honest with others. When you practice honesty, you should have no fear of being a hypocrite.

Gotta See It to Believe It

If you've noticed that I haven't been writing as much on the blog lately, it's because I've been spending a lot of time at peopleofwalmart.com.

People are strange indeed.

Is Your Ministry Sexy? by Matthew Paul Turner

Thank God for pastors like "Ben."

Read Matthew Paul Turner's post "Is Your Ministry Sexy?" here.

A One Man Band

Reaching the Next Generation

I beg of you, don’t go after the next generation with mere moralism, either on the right (don’t have sex, go to church, share your faith, stay off drugs) or on the left (recycle, dig a well, feed the homeless, buy a wristband). The gospel is not a message about what we need to do for God, but about what God has done for us. So get them with the good news about who God is and what he has done for us. Some of us, it seems, are almost scared to tell people about God. Perhaps because we don’t truly know him. Maybe because we prefer living in triviality. Or maybe because we don’t consider knowing God to be very helpful in real life. I have to fight against this unbelief in my own life.

Read the rest of this great blogpost by Kevin DeYoung here.

A Day at the Office

Silent Monks Sing

I Know a Secret

I have a few secret places that I would rather keep to myself. If too many people find out about these secret places then the sacredness and benefit of these spots will disappear. But, the truth is, these secret spots are prominently displayed on road signs and storefronts. It's just that they don't seem to have been discovered by many people yet. As more people take advantage of these places, the more busy and crowded they will become - and that may ruin them.

But I feel it is my duty to tell you about a few places that will rejuvenate you and make your life better.

One of my secrets is Goin' Postal on Marion Avenue in North Augusta. I haven't been back to the long lines of the Post Office since discovering this store. Goin' Postal is one of the best kept secrets in town. You can do pretty much anything there that you can do at the Post Office in a matter of seconds. Give them a try.

Other secret places are really no secret at all - but they are a nice getaway from the routine of the office - the New Moon Cafe and Metro Coffeehouse on Broad Street in Augusta. They both offer a variety of coffees, comfortable couches, and free wireless internet. I love eating lunch at New Moon. I've never had anything that I didn't like.

One of the best kept secrets that I know of in town is the Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve. Beth and I discovered this place a couple of years ago. It is a 1.5 mile hiking trail to the Savannah River. The picture above was taken with my cellphone camera. I'm no Mike Adams, but maybe this shot will give you an idea of what you can experience there. It's amazing how therapeutic the rushing waters of the river can be. If you ever need to getaway without really getting out of town or spending a lot of time driving to a getaway destination, you should experience this spot. You'll think you're miles from home.

What are some of your secret places?