Do People Know You as Being ‘Without Wax’?

“Are You Sincere?” Vocalists have been asking this in song since 1958. Crooner Andy Williams was the first to record the tune, but many others have covered it over the years since, including The Platters, Bobby Vinton, Elvis Presley and Charley Pride – names oldsters like me recognize.

 

It’s an appropriate question for each of us, in a much broader sense: Are you – am I – sincere? To answer this, it might help to clarify what it means to be sincere. Dictionaries offer various definitions – free from pretense or deceit; proceeding from genuine feelings; not dishonest or hypocritical; honest, not lying.

 

An AI overview explains, “A sincere person is genuine, honest, and real…words, actions, and feelings are true and not pretending or deceitful, building trust and showing integrity through authenticity and transparency. They match inner beliefs with outer expressions, making them straightforward and reliable.”

 

Based on these descriptions, how many sincere people do you know? Do they describe you?

 

One reason for considering this is because sincerity is a quality the Bible says followers of Jesus Christ should exhibit. Writing to the church in ancient Philippi, the apostle Paul said he was praying “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ…” (Philippians 1:9-11).

 

Paul packs a lot in that single sentence, but a word that stands out is “pure.” He uses it later in the same letter, urging his readers to, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation’…” (Philippians 2:15).

 

Another word he could have used is sincere, which we get from the Latin “sine cera,” literally meaning “without wax.” But what’s that got to do with being pure? 

 

This term was used in the ancient world, referring to a practice by which sculptors filled cracks in marble with wax. It was also used to correct pottery flaws, which then were covered over to conceal the repairs. A piece of sculpture or hand-crafted container labeled “sine cera” had no added wax; it retained its original, flawless integrity. 

 

Reading the Scriptures we often find words such as pure and sincere associated with those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. He’s the example for our own character and behavior. As Hebrews 7:26 describes Him, “Such a high priest meets our need – one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26). If ever there were someone who walked the earth “without wax,” it was Jesus.

 

We find biblical admonitions to be pure and sincere in many contexts. Writing to believers in Corinth, a cosmopolitan city known for its pagan practices, the apostle Paul cited his credentials for teaching God’s truth. “…as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way…in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love…” (2 Corinthians 6:6).

 

Warning his protégé Timothy to stand up against false teachings, Paul stated, “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). And addressing believers who had been enslaved, the apostle admonished them to demonstrate Christlike character despite their circumstances: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ” (Ephesians 6:5).

 

Another apostle, James, described what the outward expression of one’s inner faith should look like: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Being “pure and faultless” included acts of mercy and compassion, coupled with avoiding ungodly influences that surrounded them.

 

Yet another apostle, Peter, referred to these qualities for, “God’s elect, strangers in the world…. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written, ‘Be holy, because I am holy’….” These weren’t to be virtues confined to private piety but rather shown in how they interacted with others: “Now that you have purified your souls by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart…” (1 Peter 1:1,15,22).

 

The weight of these passages and others like it should challenge us in our own faith. Am I sincere in how I conduct myself each day, exhibiting purity of heart, spirit and behavior? Am I “without wax”?

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.”