They have God in their mouths!
(Thomas Watson,
"God's Anatomy Upon Man's Heart")
"These people come near to Me with their mouth and
honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from
Me." Isaiah 29:13
They have God
in their mouths—but not in their hearts!
In one chapter, Christ pronounces seven woes against
this sin of hypocrisy! "Woe to you hypocrites, Woe!
Woe! Woe! Woe! Woe! Woe!" Matthew 23.
A hypocrite often makes religion a mask to cover his sin.
Herod pretended to worship Christ—but his intention
was only malice, for he really wanted to destroy Christ.
Often evil purposes lie hidden under good pretenses.
Jezebel, that she may cloak her murderous intentions,
proclaims a fast. 1 Kings 21:9
Absalom, to cover over his treason, pretends a religious
vow. 2 Samuel 15:7
Many make religion a cloak for their
ambition, "Come,
and see my zeal for the Lord," says Jehu. 1
Kings 10:14.
No, Jehu! your zeal was to get the kingdom! Here was
double-dyed hypocrisy.
Judas hides his covetousness under a pretense of charity,
"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the
poor?" John 12:5. How
charitable was Judas! But his
charity began at home—for he carried the money bag!
How cunning is the hypocrite to go to hell!