Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-02-05
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BIBIlEll1 STUDIES
HYPOCRISY A FOE TO GOODNESS
Matthew 1-15-February
"Iak heed
them."-V /.
HYPOCRISY A FOE TO GOODNESS.
Matthew 6: 1-15-February G

Perhaps no other sin was as round
ly and thoroughly denounced by the
Great Teacher as was the sin of
hypocrisy. Its meanness is recogniz-
ed and acknowledged, even by those
who practice it. 1t is a falsehood and
deceit, the very opposite of righteous
ness and Truth No matter what
forms, ceremonies and CARDS the hyp-
ocrite may wrap himself up in he
cannot deceive God. Ere long he is
sure to disclose his deformity to his
fellOw-men also. So surely as one is
dishonest, hypOcritical, he is unworthy
Of the Truth-not one of the kind
whom the Lord is now drawing" and
calling to membership in the Body
of Christ, the elect Church The hypO-
critical, therefore, cannot see the
Truth, canot comprehend it. They
live on the plane of dishonesty and, in
that sense of the word are upright
eous or impure and unworthy of the
Truth.
This does not signify, however, that
all hypocrites are worthy of Second
Decentralization 1t merely means
that they are not worthy of a place
with those now called to be jOint-heirs
with Christ in his MillenniaI King
dom. Thank God all that came down
to US from the dark ages respecting
eternal torment as the Divine pro-
vision for all who would not be of the
little flock was alsehood-blasphe
Gus misrepresentation of the God OF
Love and Justice. The Millennial King
dom is for the very purpae of deal
ing with those who are nypOcritical
and otherwise degenerate Under its
restraints, corrections, rewards and
punishments many of them will learn
righteousness, as the Scriptures as
sure US lisa. 26:9..) Only the finally
incOrrigible will be destroyed in the
Second Death.
To@ay's Study illustrates various
formsW of hypocrisy and condemns
them all:
CD The doing of righteous acts
before men to be seen Of them, while
| pretending to do these for righteous
ness sake, to be in harmony with the
| Divine will. Such will have no reward
| from God, though they may or may
not get the reward they seek. namely
human praise from those whom they
! deceive. The aims and other right
eOus acts which God would approve
/ are the unOstentatiOus-nO done fOl
human praise, but from principle, from
| love for God and his righteousness
! and love of sympathy for fellOw-men
SO quietly should this be done thai
! even those close to US in life might
| only by accident discover our IN
| selfish generosity.
| CD Hypocrisy may take the form
Of elgiOn-pretended piety, worship
praise, church attendance, 'chiei
seats the ameA corner, etc. 1t de-
! lights in religious CARDS which say
| OstentatiOusly, My coat or bonnet OF
! collar or tie viii ltell you that | an
specially holy. Praying in the streets
| has become questionable, except fol
our Salvation Army friends. We
should not be understood to mean that
| all who dress peculiarly, who go tc
church, who pray in public, ETC., are
| hypocritical! God forbid! Nor do we
understand this to have been the
| teaching of the Son of Cod He taught
rather that these supposed manifesto.
tons Of holiness might be used hypO.
critically. His warnings were mo-
that we should undertake to correct
those who are addicted to these con
demned practices but that we should
see to it in our own hearts and lives
and all of our own religious senti-
ments, that they are sincere-to Coo
and not to men. He who does sucT
things for outward effect upon his fell
| low-men should know that his hypoc.
risy is distinctly known of the Lord