Hypocrisy and Exposure

(Luke 12:1-3)

Probably most of our readers have read of the relatively recent exposure of a leading writer and speaker.  This personality died of cancer the middle of last year and, as far as we know, he never repented of his double life. In other words, it would seem that he lived and died as a hypocrite!

This person (whom most of us would recognize) was found to have been committing unspeakable sexual sins for some ten (10) years before death took his life.  The reports say that he traveled around the world to many different locations in his outreach and apologetics ministry of speaking. But he majored in several nations where he had his sexual activities (such as India). In fact, in Thailand, he owned two houses and one of them was devoted to one of his many sexual partners while the other was for himself. Some of the money that people contributed went to support these places and his travels. Hundreds of photos of women, some in the nude, have been found. And this was not merely one or two weeks or months but many years.

According to published reports, verified by many legal means, this person was dropped from his organization. They ceased even using his name and many departed from his expansive ministry. He wrote some 40 different books during his career.  He was able to carry on this double life without his wife and family knowing and without the knowledge of his “ministry” partners. His organization has folded but some of the locations may continue by using different names.

But what is hypocrisy you may want to know. According to W. E. Vine, hypocrisy is from hupokrisis and means “play-acting” or “pretense, hypocrisy” (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary). The Greek hypocrisies denotes “an actor’s response” and means “acting a part.” It is the opposite of  “sincere” or “genuine” (as in Romans 12:9; 1 Timothy 1:5; James 3:17). It is “an insincere acting the part of godliness, as a cloak for the practice of wickedness” (Clan Cairns, Dictionary of Theological Terms).

Sadly, from everything that researchers have been able to determine, this writer and “apologist” was a hypocrite—an extensive and evil hypocrite. We don’t want to be harsh, but, as you know, Jesus our Lord was very opposed to hypocrisy. He denounced it, warned against it, exposed it, and was outspoken in his opposition to this sin. After all, if the world and family didn’t know of this extensive sin but God has known all along, we can see why Jesus would be so opposed to it.

We don’t know but suspect that this man was a Calvinist (he was a life-long member of the “Christian and Missionary Alliance Church”). Thus, if he was a Calvinist who thought that he was safe and going to heaven even though he actively and knowingly sinned in this way, this is one thing. But perhaps he knew that sin would keep him out of eternal life, this is another thing.

But what about the 40 some books that he authored or wrote with others? We know that knowledge will not save a person but we also know that if a person sincerely seeks to follow Jesus in love, faith, and truth, that person is saved and will be saved. We also believe that if a person sincerely seeks to know and do God’s will, this is very important. But if one actively opposes the truth, this is extremely vital.

What can we take away from this incident? What do we learn from it? Let’s look at Scripture and the words of Jesus our Lord. Again and again, Jesus condemned people and called the Pharisees “hypocrites” or play actors. They claimed to be godly and righteous, but inwardly they were hypocrites! He said, “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.” He therefore said, “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also” (Matthew 23:25-26). See also Matthew 23:27-28.

Let’s remember our Lord’s warning: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops” (Luke 12:1-3). Please read over this passage of Scripture again and digest it!

In other words, the covered things will be open and the secret things will be made known. Does this apply to the hypocrite that we are discussing? We do wonder why he kept this secret when he must have known that his days were numbered! If he had cancer and knew that he didn’t have much time yet, we wonder why he did not openly repent and confess his sin, to his wife and his family and to the world!

Friends, let’s not wait until the end. Now is the time to come to God for His cleansing. The Lord asked a penetrating question: “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7b). Why was this person we are discussing not willing to “flee from the wrath to come” while he could? We urge you to have this attitude of repentance, of confession, and have a tender heart and conscience—now so that you can avoid God’s coming wrath and judgment!