Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men'” (Matthew 15:7-9). Jesus was quoting from Isaiah 29. Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men (Isaiah 29:13b). The passages well define the word hypocrite. A hypocrite is one who has an appearance of righteousness based on the commandments of men. The word hypocrisy, the acts of a hypocrite, helps better define a religious (negative) spirit. Men make up rules and cause others to fear by their made up rules (doctrines).

Of Peter Paul wrote, “Before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy” (Galatians 2:12-13). Peter was caused to fear because of the commandments of men concerning cleansing and eating with the gentiles. There were some who tried to find fault with Jesus over the same issue. Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:10-11). Peter heard these words in a dream, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (Acts 10:15b), and still feared man more than God.

For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way” (Romans 14:11-13). That is God’s answer to hypocrisy. Be accountable to God and not the doctrines of men that put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in a brother’s way. Jesus is the Way. What we commonly reference as a religious (negative) spirit is really a spirit of hypocrisy; teaching fear from man’s doctrines. In the doctrines of men lives a deaf dumb spirit (guarded by fear), that cause men to hear from other men and not from God. The deaf dumb spirit guards the Jezebel spirit, who causes mankind (both male and female) to take authority where they do not have authority.

The spirit of tradition (man’s repeated hypocrisy – negative religion), and the spirit of seduction are tools of a Jezebel spirit. And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write … Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:18, 20). God has given us His word for food, but instead we eat from the words of men who have made themselves idols (the “big” names). We are seduced by their certification of their doctrines and a promise of working the works of the Father by their commandments (and taught to cheat on God). Jezebel had 500 prophets, but they were not of God; they did not work the works of the Father. God sent one prophet into the king’s court. God confirmed the word of His prophet when the clouds did not come and the rain was held back.

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17). The word interpreted as “countenance” also means “face” (as the part that turns) and “endurance”. A friend (closer than a brother) helps us keep our endurance, and when they see us off course they encourage us to turn our face back to God. Our accountability is to God. A block of iron does not sharpen a block of iron; God has to first form the block of iron into a sword (the Spirit of the Word – Jesus). Then with the Word (Jesus) spoken in love, we sharpen each other’s endurance and help each other keep our face towards God. We submit one to another in love. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen (Jude 1:24-25).

In all of this we know that God is a God who forgives. God walked the same road He is asking us to walk; there is no hypocrisy in the teachings of God. Jesus showed the love for one another He commanded us to have. Jesus suffered the unbelief and gave us a way (by being the Way), by His endurance and keeping His face towards God. Jesus died for our sins and has put them in the sea of forgetfulness. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered… I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, ”and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:1, 5). The Lord is faithful to His word.

© 2010, Tim D. Coulter Sr.