The Bible depicts the hypocrite as someone who may work hard. Yet, their efforts are directed toward the wrong things. The Lord Jesus pointed out that the hypocrites would “compass sea and land to make one proselyte.” This conveys hard work. Think about the difference that Christians could make by labouring that hard to win “one” soul to the Lord! The hypocrite promotes unholy things contrary to the will of God. Believers need to take the right lesson away from studying the hypocrite. Each of us should be working hard to lead others to Christ and then to teach sound Bible doctrine. Yet, we should spend a lot less time finding fault in others. If we did, churches would be full of converts growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Hypocrisy requires more effort than most people realize. In fact, the level of effort expended by the hypocrite frequently exceeds what would be necessary to simply do right. Unfortunately, man’s sinful heart will frequently choose hypocrisy over genuine righteousness. As an individual chooses to live hypocritically, his practice of hypocrisy becomes more proficient. Young children do not often understand hypocrisy. They innocently speak and do things regardless of how it may negatively impact others. Eventually, these same children, taught by adults, learn how to hide things and pretend to be something that they are not. Eventually, the honest, transparent child grows into a deceptive, hypocritical adult unless the parents consistently direct the child away from this behaviour. How do people avoid this transformation from taking place? The individual must actively and consistently attempt to live a life without deception by allowing God to control his life.
The Bible never directly addresses the Lord Jesus as “the Comforter,” yet the Lord alluded to this title. The Lord told His followers that the coming of the Holy Ghost would be God’s means of sending them “another Comforter” (John 14:16). Evidently, the Lord Jesus served as the Comforter and the Holy Ghost would function as another Comforter. During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus worked in the lives of those who followed Him. He was their Comforter. When He went to the Father, the Father sent “another Comforter” and He is the Holy Ghost. Each person who is born again by the grace of God has the Holy Ghost dwelling within (Romans 8:9). When troubles come, and they will, the believer has within himself a person of the Godhead that specializes in comforting those afflicted.
The Bible clearly states that all comfort comes either directly or indirectly from the Lord. The Bible says that He is “the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3). Any true and lasting comfort man receives originates with and through the Lord (James 1:17), and the comfort given by God can comfort each of us in any and all tribulation (2 Corinthians 1:4). Unfortunately, man seems to think that every problem he faces requires a different area of study with various solutions. Yet, the Bible contradicts this line of thinking by stating that every tribulation has only one source of comfort. It is important to note that the comfort received by one person can be passed on to help others regardless of the trouble faced. That is the power of God’s comfort!
