Walking Around in Whitewashed Tombs

Picture a friend inviting you over to her house for dinner, promising a sumptuous meal. Upon arrival, she directs you into the backyard and points to an old garbage can.

 

“Dinner’s in there, take as much as you want,” she says. “Oh, don’t worry. We hammered out some dents and put a fresh coat of paint on the outside. Almost as good as new!”

 

How would you respond? Would you have trouble suppressing your gag reflex? Would you suddenly announce a fast-food restaurant is calling your name? You’d probably think your friend was out of her mind, right? The outside of the garbage can might look shiny and clean, but who knows what’s been inside the thing?

Interestingly, Jesus Christ used a similiar metaphor in dealing with some of the high and mighty, holier than thou religious leaders of His day. Jesus didn’t mince words. He called things as He saw them. He wasn’t angling to become a prime example for the classic book Dale Carnegie would someday write, How to Win Friends and Influence People.

 

On one particular occasion, Jesus expressed how fed up He was with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees, men who commanded – and demanded – reverence whenever they showed up. Several times in Matthew 23, the Lord decried how outward appearances could disguise spiritual filth lurking inside.

 

Can you imagine being there as He rebuked them, opening with, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!...” This certainly got their attention, but not in a good way. But just in case, Jesus switched His terminology: “Woe to you, blind guides!... You snakes! You brood of vipers” (Matthew 23:13-33). How would you react if someone spoke to you that way?

 

While He didn’t refer directly to a garbage can, Jesus’ message clearly conveyed the same idea: He called out these esteemed pillars of the community, labeling them as, “whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:27-28).

 

Tough words, no doubt. But let’s take a step back: Have you ever been to a cemetery where the remains of some of the deceased had been placed in tombs or mausoleums? These might be proud architectural structures outwardly, but we can imagine the decay that was going on inside. The mere thought of it grosses us out, but Jesus had no intention of sugarcoating His rebuke.

 

He closed by extending the metaphor, declaring, “…you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean” (Matthew 23:25-26).

 

If we’ve read much of the New Testament at all, we’ve probably come to regard the Pharisees as the bad guys, the uptight legalists who were quick to judge everyone but themselves. So, how does that relate to us – or to people we know?

 

We probably don’t have to think too hard, because we’ve all encountered folks who would fit these descriptions. Individuals skilled at putting on the very best of outward appearances, ones we’ve learned from experience and observation that are very different on the inside.

 

Certain groups of people might quickly come to mind – entertainers, celebrities, politicians, even religious leaders today – who could be found guilty of such hypocrisy. Shame on them, right? Unfortunately, doesn’t this also describe each one of us, at least part of the time?

 

I’d like to think I’m the most caring, compassionate person around. And at times I’ve probably appeared that way. But I regret to admit that many times I’m not. I’d like to consider myself as “Christlike,” but my family and friends could tell you of times I’ve not been like Christ at all.

 

Some people excuse they’re reluctance to become part of a church family because, “The place is filled with hypocrites!” That’s true, but that just means they’d fit right in. Hypocrisy seems embedded into our human fabric.

 

But there’s good news! We might struggle with hypocrisy, at least at times, But Jesus offers the remedy, and it’s available to anyone and everyone willing to accept it. As pastor J.D. Greear stated recently, “Christianity is not turning over a new leaf; it’s the power of a new life. It’s not a resolve to live better but a resurrection to life in Christ.”

 

He probably had 2 Corinthians 5:17 in mind, which says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Instead of walking around like old garbage cans disguised with a fresh coat of paint, in Christ we can become “new creations.” We can put our old selves – our sinful behavior and tendencies – behind us and living life as God intended through the power of Christ and His indwelling Spirit. Sounds better than being “whitewashed tombs,” doesn’t it? 

What We Need is More Sincerity – and Less Wax

The song, “Are You Sincere?” was first recorded by crooner Andy Williams in 1958, and later by the ole hound dog himself, Elvis Presley, in 1973. It’s a pretty tune, but it makes me sad – because fewer folks see the merit of sincerity these days.

What would you say it means to be “sincere”? The word comes from the Latin “sincerus,” meaning “clean, pure.” It’s defined as “being without hypocrisy or pretense.” The other day I heard an explanation I like even better: Some claim in the days of antiquity, sincere literally meant “without wax,” from the Latin “sine” (without) and “cera” (wax).

Wax is important for
candles, but for
relationships? Not
so much.

In those days, when pieces of pottery were broken or damaged, they often were patched with wax. Because the wax was transparent, it cleverly concealed a vessel’s flaws. That is, until it was heated and the wax melted. Then it let loose broken pieces it was holding together, or the pottery fell apart entirely. So, when people went to buy fine pottery, or statuary, they insisted it be “sincere” – without wax.

Maybe that’s also a basis for the term, “waxing eloquently.” Because we hear much posturing today, people claiming they’re for or against something, yet observing their lives and actions, there’s a stark contradiction between what they say and what they do. Seems they’re suffering from a severe sincerity shortage.

For instance, people who act as if they’re our best friends, yet in times of need are nowhere to be found. Folks who say, “I’ll call you,” but never do. True, sincere friends are there for each other, no matter what. As Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Public officials speak effusively about the poor and their plight. Then they retreat to secured, multi-million dollar compounds that isolate them from the “normal” world. Entertainers denounce what they believe to be climate change or global warming, while jaunting about in private jets and yachts that produce more harmful emissions than the average person can produce in a year’s time.

I’ve heard people bemoan how poorly native Americans have been treated over the centuries. And they have. But how many “bleeding hearts” are personally addressing needs on Indian reservations, where suicide rates and alcoholism soar far above the national average?

Sadly, sometimes the Church also displays a sincerity deficit. We hear a stirring sermon about loving our neighbor, or doing to others as we would have them do to us, then proceed to eat out, where we complain about a server that’s having a bad day. Or instead of giving a reasonable tip, leave behind a religious tract instead. Those who serve us might have a spiritual need, but they also have bills to pay.

We praise God for our many blessings, yet when the preacher speaks about biblical stewardship, or what the Scriptures teach about money, we inwardly groan, then reach protectively for our wallets as if he’s a stealthy pickpocket. Or someone comes to us with a tangible need but we respond, “We’ll pray for you.” Here’s what the Bible says about that:

“Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16).

One of the best stories I’ve heard about someone who repented of his own insincerity was a friend, Bob. He had started a Christian ministry to the poor in the inner city and each day would commute from his upper-middle-class residence in the suburbs. Then he recognized the credibility gap he had created by claiming to care for the needy, yet being unwilling to live among them.

Trusting God was leading them to do so, Bob and his wife moved from comfortable suburbia to “the ‘hood,” even though the area’s high crime rate made it seem an unsafe place for raising children. The ministry flourished, and he was embraced by the community as one of their own, all because they could see his commitment to them was sincere.

Why is this important? Because as Romans 12:9-10 states, “Love must be sincere…. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

It’s easy to demonstrate kindness and show “love” to others when it’s convenient or serves our purposes. But what about when it’s inconvenient, we can’t anticipate a benefit in return, or it involves personal sacrifice. How sincere is our love or concern then?

Sincerity was a hallmark of the early Church. Acts 2:46 describes this: “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” This is one reason the ranks of Christ followers multiplied exponentially in a very short time – long before much of the Bible as we know it had been compiled. Their sincerity manifested the reality of Jesus to others, attracting many to Him.

As we’re told in 1 Peter 1:22, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.” In other words, love “without wax.”

Hypocrisy Everywhere We Look

One of the most common criticisms of the Christian church is “it’s full of hypocrites.” Duh! I want to ask people making that statement, “Have you taken a good look at the world around you lately? The world is filled with hypocrites. Why should the Church be any different?”

Certainly we indulge in hypocrisy when our actions don’t equate with our high-sounding words. In fact, the root of the word means to play a part or to wear a mask. If you’re fond of the saying, “Do as I say, not as I do,” chances are you’re quite adept at hypocrisy.

We all like to hide behind masks that
conceal our true inner selves.

We show how hypocritical we can be when we pleasantly greet people, only to sneer at them or talk about them as soon as they’re beyond the sound of our voice. Or when we drive to a friend’s home for a dinner party, arguing with our spouse the entire way, but the moment we step out of the car we’re all smiles, as if we’ve just been selected happiest couple of the year.

The news media go on lengthy, holier-than-thou diatribes about prominent people caught uttering offensive comments, such as Donald Sterling, the mean-spirited, loose-lipped former owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, or other public figures. Generally such attention is warranted. But I wonder how many of those same news people, if a tape recorder had been available at some critical time in their past, could be revealed as guilty of making similar statements or even worse (maybe more than once)?

Hypocrisy seems especially abundant in that great bastion of self-righteousness known as Hollywood. Every so often we see or read about movie stars and entertainers speaking out on behalf of the poor and needy around the world, some oppressed group of people, the disease-of-the-month, or some other noble cause. Then we read about some of these same celebrities spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, even millions, on lavish, self-indulgent events to entertain fellow rich people. Seems to me if they were so concerned about the cause célèbre, their money could be put to better use than wasting it on themselves.

Then we have the content of TV programming and movies the Hollywood elite foist on the public, all in the name of “entertainment.” Violent crime shows and films with body counts that challenge even the most sophisticated calculator. Salacious comedies and dramas that demean the virtues of genuine love, treating sex as casually as a handshake and of no more social or emotional consequence than a quick trip to the restroom. Even hyper-violent video games that make mayhem look like tons of fun.

These are for entertainment only, the Hollywood honchos argue. Everyone knows they’re not real, they insist. So these perverted, mind-numbing productions have absolutely no impact on the fragile and formative psyches of younger viewers. They deny any culpability when a deranged individual with a history of wallowing in such material carries out horrendous acts of one form or another, similar to those witnessed on the screen.

Funny thing is, many of these same film studios create TV commercials costing millions to air, along with advertising to promote their uber-violent, super-sexed movies. These commercials have powerful persuasive influence on the consuming public (justifying the high cost of producing and presenting them), but the “entertainment,” we’re told, does not. How exactly does that work?

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ often addressed hypocrisy. In fact, at times He confronted it directly. In Matthew 23, Jesus used the term “hypocrites” repeatedly, denouncing religious and community leaders for their overt displays of piety while concealing their deceitful inner motives:

“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…. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness” (Matthew 23:25-28).

Wow! Jesus obviously wasn’t taking a page from Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Concluding hypocrisy is a universal human trait, do we just shrug our shoulders and offer the excuse, “I can’t help it. That’s just the way I am”? Not at all. In fact, the Bible instructs us to be intentional in rejecting this sin by pursuing a changed heart and changed mind.

The apostle Peter exhorted followers of Jesus, “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:1-2).

Another apostle, Paul, offered similar sentiments when he wrote, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Proverbs 23:7 states, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” So a key for overcoming our seemingly natural hypocritical tendencies is to “reprogram” our thinking and concentrate on things good and uplifting, not the cerebral garbage that bombards our minds every day.

As for those that complain about hypocrisy within the institutional Church, I would say, “Come join us – you’ll fit right in.”