2 posts tagged “hypocrisy”

For any of you that didn't catch the Office last week, the highlight of the episode came when Michael Scott decided to declare bankruptcy.  You can see a clip of his approach at the end of this promo.

I bring it up for two reasons:  1.) It's frickin' hilarious.   Oscar comes into Michael Scott's office and explains, "Hey I just wanted you to know that you can't just say the word 'bankruptcy' and expect anything to happen."   Michael responds, "I didn't say it; I declared it."

and 2.) Talk is cheap.  I know we've heard it a lot, but seriously we can not change anything by saying loudly that we want it to change.  What's funny is that's all we do some of the time.  When we want stuff to change in our lives, we often say, "I want this to change"; and then we do NOTHING.

I WANT to stop looking at porn, but I'm not willing to get accountability, talk to anybody about my problem or get some software that could help.

I WANT to do well at school, but I'm not willing to do carve out time to prepare, study, go to class or ask my professors for help.

I WANT to save money but I'm not willing to budget, curb my ridiculous spending habits or get a better job.

I WANT to fall in love with Jesus, but I'm not willing to spend anytime with Him, read His Word or talk to anyone who knows Him better than I do.

So stop being lazy.  Your heart and your actions move together.  If you know God wants your heart to change and you want your heart to change, then be willing to do the hard work that change requires.

I want to ask a question that I'm going to expand upon for the next week or so.  I think this question will radically change our lives and this is one of those questions I'll still be wrestling with when I'm 80.  I don't think this question is one that you just answer right now and forget about.  I think it's supposed to stay with us.  I think it's supposed to keep shaping us forever.  I think it's the reason why Jesus instituted communion.  I think it's the main question in the process of sanctification.

Here's the question:

If you really believed the truth of the gospel, what would it change about the way you live?

Here's why the question is so vital.  The world is tired of hypocrite Christians who claim that God is love but hate everyone around them.  God is tired of hypocrite Christians who sing loud praises on Sunday morning and then ignore Him for the rest of the week (He pretty much says so in Amos 5:21-24).  At the center of dead, burnt-out, religious Christianity that God despises and at the center of legalistic, rule-oriented, hypocrisy is the same problem: a general misunderstanding of the gospel.  So here are two more questions to get us started:

1.) What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?   and   2.) Right now, how much direct effect does the gospel have on your life?  (Another way to think about this one is: How often do you think to yourself "Because of the gospel: I will or will not be this kind of person, do that, act like this, have that attitude, etc."?)