double standards

Matthew 7:3-5 & Luke 6:41-46
3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye’, when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

The hypocrite is an expert on other people’s sin but has excuses for his own. The hypocrite wants justice for other people’s sins but justifies his own. She notices other people’s sin and ignores her own. She wants to confront other people on their sin while bristling if anyone mentions hers.  The non-christian friends of the hypocrite do not see judgement (with double standards), not grace, as the primary characteristic of the church..

Am I a hypocrite? Am I quick to see faults in other people but ignore my own? Am I outraged that someone else has committed a particular sin but justify my own? Do I criticise others and expect them to change but get defensive or angry with any criticism I receive? Do I listen to challenges from God’s word with somebody else in mind? Do my non-christian friends learn from me that Christianity is about pointing out what everybody else is doing wrong?

If I am a hypocrite when it comes to having different standards for myself and other people, I do not need to ignore sin in everyone else. The solution is not just to try harder to clean myself up. I need to look at myself and others honestly in the light of God’s holiness, seeing my sin for the disgusting rebellion it is. I need to rejoice in God’s grace that he died for us out of his love for us, despite that sin. I need to stop comparing myself with others but realise that we are all great sinners with a great Saviour in Jesus.

hypocrites series