Bible Studies

The Acts Of An Hypocrite

by Olawale Ogunsola
11/10/23
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“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,
and he asked one of the servants what was going on.
‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him." Luke 15:28; New Living Translation, NLT.

For a long time, parable has been a source of communicating deep things or mysteries among human beings. A lot of things go into the use of parables and it is of great benefits. A parable can reveal many secrets, wisdom, and warnings and can save lives.

Parables were one of the weapons used by the Lord to disclose deep meanings to His disciples. Such parables can help any serious follower of His teachings.

That is the reason why we are going to examine a portion of Christ's parable that reveals the acts of a Hypocrite. The story of the brother of the Prodigal Son helps to understand some of the ways of a Hypocrite.

One of the acts of a Hypocrite is to be occupied for God in an area where he has been instructed. He appears to be an obedient person. He believes in following all the instructions of his father without breaking any. He is good in his self-assessment.

He appears to be obedient to his father's instructions but does not see the pain in the heart of his father. That is the vacuum created by the loss or the absence of the younger brother who got his portion of his father's possessions and went away.

A Hypocrite does not concern himself with bringing the lost into the fold of God's people. He is not interested at all in their welfare.

His service alone is his preoccupation. His safety in his father's house is his only concern. The security of other members of the household does not concern him.

In the story of the Prodigal Son, no record of his role to discourage his younger brother from taking away his portion of possessions from his father or departing to a far country. This would have taken place if there had been a very close relationship between the two brothers. They may have discussed it together before the younger took his independent decisions to act the way he did. The older holds the key to draw the younger closer to himself. He did not do this.

Not only that, a Hypocrite will not rejoice with others on who has been lost but found. He will not be interested in joining others to celebrate someone dead but came alive again. He will prefer the lost to be lost forever and the dead to be permanently dead, so long he is alive.

A Hypocrite is not interested in bringing joy into the family of God and he does not want to celebrate with them when they rejoice. He is drunk with his righteousness only.

A Hypocrite is not ready to go after the lost in the world or those who are lost in the Church. He is not interested in those who are backsliders to bring them back into the fold of the people of God.

Not only that, he is not prepared to send those who have burdens to bring them back home. How can he do this? He can do this by supporting them with all substances at his disposal. By doing so, he will become a part of the search team for the lost and the dead.

In the same vein, a Hypocrite does not invest his time to pray for the lost and the dead to bring them to the kingdom of God. He has no time to remember, not to talk of setting time apart to pray for them.

To crown it all, when angels in Heaven and Saints on the Earth are rejoicing over sinners who have repented, a Hypocrite will be angry. He will not be interested in rejoicing with His father who got his heart wounds healed by having the lost found and the dead revived to life. He is concerned with his righteousness only.

Beloved Pilgrim, it is important to obey all the instructions of your Heavenly Father; do not slack on going after the lost and the dead to bring them into the fold of the people of God. Rejoice also with those who celebrate sinners who are now Saints. Do not be occupied with their past filthy records you know. Their hearts are renewed in Jesus Christ. Rejoice over them and celebrate them with others.

May you not become a Hypocrite because no Hypocrites will enter the Kingdom of God. Stay blessed and prepared for the imminent coming of the Lord.

Scripture references: Luke 15:25-32.; Acts 1:81 Corinthians 9:16.