Keeping Up Appearances

Matthew 23: ²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

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Scouting out the right desk was the first part of the plan. It had to have lowered light and needed to be at an angle where my back was all that could be seen. I placed a pen in one hand and propped my head up with the other. To anyone who walked past, I looked like I was working but in reality, I was asleep! I mean the job was boring!

• There were times I appeared to be righteous.
• There were times I looked great on the outside but was rotten on the inside.
• There were times I seemed to have it all together.

JESUS told the Pharisees and Sadducees that while they appeared to be holy, they were not. They carried their hidden sin into the church and pretended to have it all together. Meanwhile their pretense did not go unnoticed. GOD sees the same in me. HE sees when I am trying to keep up appearances or “fronting.”

• GOD says to me “Admit your sins before many and it will be easier to admit your sins to ME.”
• GOD says to me “Ask to be cleansed on the inside and I will guide you.”
• GOD says to me “Seek to have people learn of ME rather than trying to appear perfect before humans.”

Smiling on the outside and rotten on the inside is not GODLY. JESUS wants hurt people not those who declare they are well. HE knows only HE can cleanse me of all unrighteousness if I am willing to confess my sins. I may look like a wretch to humans, but to GOD, I am declared clean.

• Are you taking hidden sin into the church and telling others to follow the rules?
• Do you think your sin is not being noticed?
• Can you stop trying to look righteous and ask GOD to cleanse you of all unrighteousness?