hypocrites

The Deadly Church Mask

March 8, 2023

by Matthew W. Bassford This is about masking in church, but not the kind you think. I have zero desire to return to the debates from two years ago about covering our faces with bits of paper and cloth! Instead, I am concerned with the invisible masks that we put on to conceal our true…

The Rules Apply to All of You, Except for Us

February 14, 2023

by Orlando Gonzalez “They hate him who reproves in the gate, And they abhor him who speaks with integrity” (Amos 5:10). It is no secret that the arrival, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ flipped the world upside down nearly two thousand years ago. The ancient world, at that time, was in a state of…

The Progress of the Hypocrite

September 7, 2022

by Matthew W. Bassford The first nine verses of 2 Timothy 3 contain one of the most brutal condemnations of the wicked in the entire New Testament. However, its subject does not appear to be people in the world. Instead, it describes Christians who have been corrupted by the world. Normally, we think of hard…

What should I do about my hidden sexual life?

March 9, 2022

Question: Hello Brother, Your site is a valuable tool that helped me with some issues and questions that I have in matters of doctrine and the Christian lifestyle. I’ve been following your site for many years ago. I’m a young preacher. I’m a full-time minister in the church of Christ and I’m in my mid-20s.…

Is it proper to publish your prayers?

February 15, 2021

Question: Pleasant good morning, I’d appreciate some guidance, please. I have observed prayers in the comment section under news articles of tragic incidents. When tragedy strikes I could, in the privacy of my home, say a prayer for those involved, and believe that God hears my prayers. However, others are posting their prayers on Facebook pages…

I fear to teach others because I might be exposed as a hypocrite

October 28, 2019

Question: I have this friend I used to like. He is going through a rough time. I want to reach out to him, but I don’t approve of his current lifestyle, hence I hesitate. I don’t want him to think I like what he does. What should I do? One of the reasons I don’t…

March 4, 2019

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Hypocrites.mp3 Text: James 3:13-18 I. How often I have been told, “I don’t like going to services. I know that so many of the people there are just hypocrites. They say one thing, but they don’t live it.” A. It is true. In religion, hypocrisy is a major problem. B. But before we can solve the problem, we…

I see myself as someone who is fake

July 28, 2017

Question: Hi Jeffrey, I just read your answer to “I have a hard time controlling my thoughts. I’m scared I might not be saved,” and I was wondering: how do we fix the intentions of our heart, so we will have true godly intentions? Rather than OCD, I have ADHD, anxiety, and mild autism. I…

Only an Appearance of Religion

June 5, 2016

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/OnlyAnAppearanceOfReligion.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Amos 4:1-5 I. When you look at the religious world, there are many odd ideas about what constitutes a religious person. II. Exhibitionism as Religion A. Some people judge how religious a man is by the religious things that he does in public 1. Matthew 6:1-6 – Some people make sure everyone notices…

The Cleansing of the Temple

September 6, 2015

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CleansingOfTheTemple.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: John 2:13-25 I. Under Jewish law, all males were required to travel to Jerusalem three times a year for special feasts – Deuteronomy 16:16-17 A. Sacrifices had to be made and offerings given, but it wasn’t always practical to ship animals or food all the way to Jerusalem – Deuteronomy…