Galatians 2:11-13 (NKJV)

‘Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision… even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.’

Resist every form of hypocrisy. Resist it first of all in your life and resist it in the lives of those close to you. While I may not have the moral authority to resist this in people I don’t know, I owe it as a duty to confront hypocrisy in people close enough to me. And truth be told, many practice hypocrisy largely out of fear of what others will think. Therefore, rebuking their hypocritical action would simply wake them up to living their lives the way they really ought to and believe they should.

Be true to whom you are and your deepest convictions in Christ. Be open to learn and change and grow, but don’t pretend or try to be someone else. Surround yourself with people who have authority to correct you when you begin to go wrong. And if someone close to you is beginning to practice hypocrisy, don’t talk about it behind his backs. Like Paul did at Antioch, confront him face to face. This takes boldness and some measure of risk, but this is true love.

‘Lord, first of all, please strengthen my inner being and inner convictions of who I am and what I believe in so that I can overcome the tidal waves urging me to be a hypocritical. Then strengthen me to confront my close friends and associates, if they slide into these murky waters of hypocrisy. We need help Lord. We really need help because there is so much pretentiousness around us and in the Body of Christ. Oh Lord, come to our help quickly. Amen.’