Is being a hypocrite a sin?

[Timi_Celcer]

And what is the biblical definiton of a hypocrite? I read some verses when Jesus spoke of hypocracy and it seemed to be that hypocracy is when someone is “looking for mistakes of others when that mistake is also in you”, something like that.

 

[triumphguy]

I know I’m a hypocrite, and I bet others are too.

 

[mommy_k]

I think being a hypocrit is a sin-it is bearing false witness against your neighbor. Just an opinion. They say people dislike in others the faults they own themselves.

 

[drrabbit]

Being a hypocrite could be a form of lying. A hypocrite is one who says one thing but does another. Like someone who says that they are a follower of Christ (a Christian) and then does something like the Priest and the Levite did in the gospel this week–ignoring the injured traveler. A preacher that preached to not commit adultery but then cheated on his wife would be a hypocrite. There would be the sin of adultery but also the pretending to be a better person than they really are.

The deadly sin would be the sin of pride as it makes us want to appear better to others than we really are. The cardinal virtue to combat hypocrisy is humility. When we can truly see ourselves as we are (humility) then we can present ourselves to others in a way that is consistent with that truth. When we are consistently truthful in word and deed, then we would no longer be hypocrites. The truth is that almost all of us are not humble enough to avoid being hypocritical at times.

 

[Brandall]

I’m sure it’s a sin and one that everyone does and will do again.

The non believers and the anti church types often complain about hypocrites at church. We most certainly are. One of the apostles certainly was:
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

Peter did indeed deny Jesus three times before the cock crowed.

Regarding those that complain about hypocrites, there are hypocrites, literally everywhere. While they might use it as an excuse to avoid church, it doesn’t seem to keep them out of the mall, movie theater, restaurants, etc., but they use it as an excuse not to go to church.

I’m kind of a wimp with the whole hypocrite thing. I try to never speak in definitive terms about anything, particularly moral situations. In some ways, that’s a good thing, sometimes though, just wishy washy.

All we can do is try to be better. We can ask for god’s assistance in making us stronger to be able to live better lives.

 

[TimothyH]

The Greek word hypocrite means actor.

***The Lord said: Since this people draws near with words only and honors me with their lips alone, though their hearts are far from me, And their reverence for me has become routine observance of the precepts of men… **(Isaiah 29:13)

Hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy about you when he said:
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.’”*
(Matthew 15:7-9)*

We are nothing more than actors when we say one thing and do another. God obviously doesn’t like it and I have a few things to address in my life right now, to tell the truth.

-Tim-

 

[thistle]

Modern Catholic Dictionary:

HYPOCRISY. A form of lying in which a person pretends to have virtues or moral qualities that are not possessed. Its motive is pride and its malice depends on the gravity of the pride and on the evil consequences that follow when people take one to be morally good and, perhaps, entrust one with confidences or responsibilities that are not deserved. It is not hypocrisy, however, to be on one’s best behavior with those whom one justly wishes to impress favorably. Nor is it hypocrisy when a person, because of human weakness, fails to live up to his or her own principles or profession of faith. (Etym. Latin hypocrita, hypocrite; from Greek hypokritēs, actor, hypocrite.)