Based on Matthew 16:1-12 (New King James Version)
“Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, ‘When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.’ And He left them and departed. Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.’ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have taken no bread.’ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?—but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’ Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
The most difficult thing for anyone to accept is the truth. It may sound odd, but that is the general tendency. There are some who might say, "I like the truth”, but let's delve deeper into the matter. When a certain truth concerns another person or group of people, we often like that truth, when it's the truth that others are confronted with. But when the truth addresses us, especially in a more personal and direct way, that's when it's no longer so pleasing. That is when it feels unpleasant, especially when we feel confronted with certain truths that expose our evils, things we know are not right, but even worse, we have not yet understood that we should let go or stop doing them. This was the problem the Lord always had, especially with those who had not yet understood, or who simply did not want to abandon such evil, like religious people. Now, it is very easy to judge religious people in the Bible because, frankly, they are a very easy target. But let us not be so quick to do so because we all have similar problems, it just varies a little, but nevertheless, we all have a certain level of hypocrisy, and we all lie. So, I know this will be difficult for everyone, if we truly allow this to penetrate, as we need to, but we must be transformed to do God's will, both by deed and by intention.
The first thing we must understand is that the truth is absolutely necessary. We gain nothing if we do not expose ourselves to the truth, nor allow the truth to work in our lives. I understand that many try to speak the truth in a pleasant way, trying to avoid confrontation, but if the message is not delivered with the necessary clarity and tone, it is also a bad thing. The message should not be delivered with hostility and seeking to offend, because this is also bad, but rather, things should be spoken with transparency, and in such a way that a person realizes it and the truth does what is necessary. Without truth, there is no freedom, especially the eternal freedom of which God speaks to us. And truth is not relative, as many believe. The truth is God, and what He says. That is the only truth that truly matters. Other apparent truths or perspectives produce neither freedom, nor even life. Thus said the Lord: “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32. God's truth is supreme, universal, and brings both spiritual and physical freedom. The truth that we are all sinners hurts, but it is necessary to know. The truth that we were not naturally born children of God, but rather children of the devil, is also very unpleasant, but it is necessary to know. The truth that Christ was tortured and killed on a cross for our sins, and that we are all responsible for what happened, is also hard to hear, but we need to understand it. And the truth that we are all still liars and hypocrites, even after coming to Christ, is also very hard to accept, but it is necessary, in order to know where we are starting from. This is what the Word says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. But the good thing about God's truth is that it not only confronts us with our realities, but it also gives us the way to resolve them. However, we must obey the truth for it to do what we need, because if we do not obey it in a practical and genuine way, we gain nothing from knowing the truth. This is also what the Word says: “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10.
Now, what can we do to remedy our hypocrisy and dishonesty? First: expose ourselves to the truth, even if it hurts, and accept it. Ultimately, things are what they are, and if we desire the eternal good of God, it is necessary to accept the truth. Second, repent and convert, or completely turn our backs on our sins and change direction, and this applies to conversion to Christ as well as to what God continues to do in our lives after we come to Him. Third, accept that we are powerless to remedy our wrongs on our own. We not only need to believe in the Lord, but to literally make Him our Lord and God, to make Him our master and to make Him the one who rules our lives completely and literally. Why? Because we need the God of the universe to change our condition and not just a teacher, or a good man, or a prophet, or even a savior, and it is this God who must rule. We have already seen what we achieve by being in charge: only emptiness, corruption, and, as a final product, eternal death. And if you don't see this yet, you're still far from the truth. And lastly, and possibly the most difficult, is to be willing to do what God commands, because God won't force anyone. We can do everything through Christ, but only if we fully align our lives with Him, if we yoke ourselves to Him. This is what the Word says: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2. All of this is voluntary, but absolutely necessary. Faith is lived, and it must be lived inside and out, leaving behind our hypocrisies and lies, seeking the Lord not only to solve our daily problems, but more importantly, to do His will, because the only ones who will gain free entry into His kingdom are those who faithfully do His will. This ultimately tells us His Truth: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13. So, do you live a life of hypocrisy and lies, or do you live God's Truth so you are ready for the coming judgment? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!