Hypocrite: "A person who puts on a false appearance of religion, who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs.”
Warning Number One
"…woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matt 23:13-14)
The Bible pushes us into experience when obeyed; experience brings forth new living life through Christ Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through repentance and faith in Christ’s finished work! "Behold the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things, before they spring forth, I declare them to you.” (Isaiah 42:9) The old way must lead you to the death of yourself through the Law, so you can enter onto the way which is faithful and true through Christ. However, many will not enter into true relationship with Jesus, but forbid and even warn those seeking too not to enter fully! They have a form of godliness but deny Christ life giving power. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees! "…how will [you] escape if [you] neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.” (Heb 2:3) It is the very Spirit of God who brings the Bible alive, and those who follow its directions into life as well, even putting His very Word inside of them. Oh, to become a walking epistle alive with the very Spirit of Christ Jesus, this is new life! Awaken you within the coffin, awaken to true life through Christ Jesus! The old way was purposed to this: to reveal you to you, so you run to the cross to be crucified and renewed! This renewal will cause you to be inwardly cleansed, changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ, walking by His very life. Christ within is the hope of the saint’s glory! (Col 1:27) "Therefore produce fruits that are consistent with repentance, and do not start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children for Abraham.” Stop claiming a relationship with the Bible, repent and walk into a true relationship with the living Word, almighty God who is revealed within the Bible!
Warning Number Two
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” (Matt 23:15)
Blind guides, repent and turn yourself over to Christ least you fall into the Lake of fire bringing your disciples with you! (matt 15:14) God said, "because this people approach Me with their words. And honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of the commandment of men that is taught; Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous…” (Isaiah 29:13) "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. And in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt 15:8-9) Instead of pointing others to real vibrant life through Christ Jesus, they teach traditions of man. Instead of life in the Spirit, they teach do’s and don’ts. They emphasize a relationship with the Bible, with themselves even, instead of the relationship that springs forth through the Bible revealing Jesus Christ, the light of the world. "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (John 5:39-40) Woe to you teaching others to view the Word in the same blind way. You are devoid of an authentic relationship with Christ, whom God created all things through. Christ advises you, "to buy from [Him] gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.” (Rev 3:18)
Warning Number Three
"Woe to him who strives with [God] who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’? Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’ or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’” Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him: Ask me of things to come; will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands? I made the earth and created man on it, it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward,” says the Lord of hosts.” God the Father concerning God the Son. (Isaiah 45:9-13)
Christ came, "to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon.
And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.” (Isaiah 42:7) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised…” (Luke 4:18) Christ brings forth real change within those who, through repentance and by faith come to Him. Oh, Pharisee, He leaves them not in their sins, but cleanses them and truly sets them free, putting His very Spirit within them so they will be careful to follow His commandments with an inward desire, brought forth by He, Himself!
Warning Number Four
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! (Matt 23:23-24)
Justice: "just behavior or treatment, being fair and reasonable.” Mercy: "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” Faithfulness: "steadfast in affection or allegiance in inward relationship with God in three, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!"
"You stiff-necked and stubborn people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did. Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who proclaimed beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; you who received the law as ordained and delivered to you by angels, and yet you did not obey it!” (Acts 7:51-53) Oh Pharisee, repent and bring yourself to Christ in expectation concerning what He has promised to all who will come to Him! If you allow Him not to clean you inwardly you will have no part with Him, but instead be sent to the Lake of Fire.
Christ has warned, "not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matt 7:21-23)”‚Christ calls these "workers of lawlessness”, meaning "not restrained or controlled by law.” For outward laws can’t truly control a rebellious sin filled heart. However, God has promised to give you a new heart through Christ if you will but come to Him in repentance. Allowing Him to usher you into the new birth experience where a once born inwardly desiring the things of the world, becomes a twice born, inwardly desiring the things of God.
Warning Number Five
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean. (Matt 23:25-26)
Oh, you who call yourself "Christian”, yet are devoid of God’s Holy Spirit, the very life of Christ within His saints which brings them forth in newness of life! You, devoid of His Spirit, who persecute, and rebuke "those [messengers] who are sent… [by God]! How often I [Jesus Christ] have wanted to gather your children together [around Me], just as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34) You are not willing, though God the Father calls unto you through His messengers to bring yourself to Him in repentance and faith, having given you His only begotten Son as atonement for your sins! "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, When His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” (Psalm 2:12) The "Him” this verse refers to is the very Jesus of Nazareth! Let not His promise miss you; God has promised new life through His Son alone. He is the Way, the Truth and the Light; no one comes to God, but through Christ. Ezekiel prophesied, "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My ordinances and do them.” (Eze 36 25-27) Christ says, "come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-30)
Warning Number Six
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ((Matt 23:27-28)
Pharisees and scribes listen to my plea. We who are in Christ Jesus are new creations and His Holy Spirit lives within us. We have been changed inwardly through the inner workings of the cross, circumcising our hearts, and His Spirit bringing forth our adoption, through the application of Christ blood, making us inwardly cry out "Abba Father” to God our heavenly Father. Jesus, the Word made flesh, taught us to sacrificially love our brethren in Christ. (1 Peter 1:22) We are to encourage each other and build each other up (1 Thess 5:11) in our faith through His precious Spirit until we all reach full maturity in Him! (Eph 4:13) Jesus also taught us the greatest among us would be our servants, and not to attach titles to ourselves. (Matt 23:10-11) and that we are not to lord over each other, (Matt 20:25”“28) and to do all things in love in step with His Spirit who lives within us. Like Paul there is still hope for you! He to persecuted, rebuked and mocked God’s children, even killing many! Christ is still calling out today, saying "why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4)
Hypocrite: Warning Seven
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and you say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. You snakes, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell? (Matt 23:29-33)
"Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, so that upon you will fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. (Matt 23:34-36)
Unless one is truly born again, one cannot submit to God’s Word! Flesh gives birth to flesh and flesh is in opposition towards God, and His children. However, the Holy Spirit gives birth to spirit, and we must worship God in spirit and truth! This is only possible by experiencing the new birth through repentance and faith in Christ’s finished work on that old cross. He is risen, and because He lives within us, we His children face opposition. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:” "…every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.” (Matt 7:19) "Behold, I [Christ] stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Rev 3:20)