Christianly speaking, What is your Definition of a Hypocrite...?

Question

To illustrate my opinion on this subject, I allude to an analogy spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew 7:15, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. " In other words a Hypocrite is someone who on the outside looks, talks, and acts like a Christian but on the inside they intentionally conceal their real motives and intentions. A Hypocrite is much like an actor in a play. They play the part and wear the mask so well it is difficult to tell who they really are. What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

One who goes to church on Sunday as a Saint, then lives like Hell Monday - Saturday. Understand that most of those souls who do this, do it to ease their conscience... failing to realize God is no fool to their "schemes".

Secondary to those are the Hypocrits who are self-righteous, trusting in themselves instead of God.

Answer 2

"Do not judge." When Jesus told us not to judge (Matthew 7:1), He was telling us not to judge hypocritically. Matthew 7:2-5 declares, "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

In Matthew 7:2-5, Jesus warns against judging someone else for their sin when you yourself are sinning even worse. That is the kind of judging Jesus commanded us not to do.

Answer 3

Sincerity is the deciding factor.

I am a Christian, so don't take me wrong, but from a purely technical standpoint, all Christians are hypocrites. i.e. we profess a standard of ethics and morals so high, that we fail repeatedly to achieve those standards.

A sincere Christian should not be called a hypocrite any more than a basketball player who knows his objective is to get the ball through the hoop, but fails as frequently as he succeeds.

It's the insincere who profess Christianity for ulterior motives involving gain or social acceptance who are rightly called hypocrites.
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Answer 4

A hypocrite is someone who refuses to go to church because of all the hypocrites there (*grin*)

Actually, a hypocrite is someone with a double standard - a "do as a say, not as I do" attitude.

A liar is a hypocrite because he doesn't want to be lied to, even though he lies.

A thief is a hypocrite because he doesn't want his stuff stolen, even though he steals.

Et cetera.

Answer 5

not everyone who claims to be a christian is truly a christian. perhaps many or most of the famous hypocrites among christians were in fact pretenders and deceivers. prominent christian leaders have fallen into terrible sins. financial and sexual scandals sometimes seem to plague the christian community. however, instead of taking the actions of a few, and using them to denigrate the whole community of christians – perhaps it needs to be re-evaluated whether those who claim to be christians, yet prove themselves to be hypocrites, are truly christians.

Answer 6

maximum modern-day Christians are not any more some thing yet hypocrites, say they have self belief contained in the teachings of Christ and each thing he suggested (hence the christian call) yet they dismiss the former testomony. "do no longer imagine that I have come to abolish the regulation or the prophets. I have come no longer to abolish yet to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, till heaven and earth bypass away, no longer the smallest area or the smallest area of a letter will bypass from the regulation, till all issues have taken position." (Matthew 5:17) in case you call your self a christian you should have self belief each thing of the bible. in case you've faith each thing of the bible, than you may be removed from the gene pool.

Answer 7

People who don't try to overcome their faults and failings, but keep pointing out others' faults. We all mess up, but we should try harder to get it right the next time. Also, a hypocrite won't ever admit they're wrong.

Answer 8

Look up "Hypocrite" in the dictionary and there's a picture of Pat Robertson next to it.

Answer 9

Hypocrits are those who preach hell and virtues and systematically abuse children through the institution of Religion and the Church trying to cover it up for cernturies of abuse.

Answer 10

exactly, a hypocrite is someone who talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk