“Do as I say not as I do.”

We see it all the time. I read Romans 2:17-24 this morning:  “You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth. Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. No wonder the Scriptures say, ‘The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.’ ” 

I know this is a long passage, but it speaks of something I have trouble with-both with myself and others:

HYPOCRISY. OF. THE. HIGHEST. ORDER. 

Now, I realize contextually Paul is speaking to Jews who don’t keep the Law they preach about, so please understand I am using this text as a “jumping off” point to make a point. I’m not trying to spiritualize a text to make it say what I want it to say. What Paul is writing about is hypocrisy. Those who say, “Don’t! but then “Do.” It’s like they are saying, “The Law says, ‘Don’t steal,’ so don’t you steal! But it’s okay for me to steal.” It’s like the father who says, “I am a Christ-follower” but then uses some of the most vile words (“F” word) about his daughter and calls his son the “p” word, all to show his superiority or express his anger. He instead shows his smallness and lost condition. Paul says the Jews’ hypocrisy gave “permission” to the Gentiles to blaspheme God’s name. 

It’s no wonder! How can we expect others to honor God and revere His Name when we ourselves don’t? The same goes for human fathers and their children. How can we expect them to respect us and honor and revere God’s Name when we put them down with vile words and use His name in vain? May I suggest that the next time you speak, consider what you are saying? You may call me narrow-minded (and that’s okay with me), but such vile language has no place in the Christ-follower’s vocabulary. 

Yeah…hypocrisy of the highest order. As Paul says elsewhere, “These things ought not be.” Avoid it with everything in you.