The hypocrisy in me - a Christian !

While I want my friends circle and associates to be "perfect" Christians - the ones who are filled with the Holy Spirit, "exercising" the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthian 12), I tend to forget the fruits of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthian 13 and Galatians 5:22-26) displayed through me is just as important, if not more important. In Matthew, chapter 1, the earthly genealogy chosen by Jehovah for his son, Jesus, was inclusive of a forgotten one, a rejected one, a foreigner, a sinner; the good and evil are listed in the genealogy of Christ - the Prince of Princes, the King of Kings, the LORD of all, the Creator of everything I can see and that which are hidden from the view of my naked eyes, that which I understand and that my mind cannot fathom!

Mathew 1, lists in Christ's genealogy the offspring of a woman named Tamar - the forgotten daughter-in-law of Judah of whom we read in the book of Genesis, chapter 38, who bore him sons; the offspring of Rahab - the prostitute from the book of Joshua, chapter 2; the offspring of Ruth, the Moabite (non-Jewish foreigner) daughter-in-law of Naomi (She had a book named after her in the Bible); the offspring of Bathsheba who committed adultery with King David while she was married to Uriah as we read in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 11.  And King David himself who committed premeditated murder of Uriah as we read in the latter portion of the same chapter. There was the good king Uzziah, whose pride resulted in leprosy for reasons listed in 2 Chronicles, chapter 26; there was king Ahaz, who doubted God as we read in the book of Isaiah, chapter 7; and the evil king Manasseh of whom we read about in 2 Chronicles, chapter 33.

God did not discount the obscure lives, nor the foreigner; the good and the evil who repented. As we read in the book of John, Christ said, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into this world to condemn it, but to save it. There is no condemnation awaiting those who trust in him..." - John 3:16-21

As bible verses are quite often quoted to discredit and reject those who already have been qualified by Christ, in the book of Malachi, chapter 2, there in lies a warning to the Priests - "The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and this is what I gave them.  This called for reverence from them and they greatly revered me and and stood in awe of my name.  They passed on to the  people all the truth they received from me.  They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.  The priests' lips should guard knowledge, and people should go to them for instruction, for the priests are the messengers of the LORD Almighty.  But not you! You have left God's paths.  Your 'guidance' has caused many to stumble into sin.  You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites," says the LORD Almighty.  "So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people.  For you have not obeyed me but have shown partiality in your interpretation of the law."

In the book of Matthew, chapter 21, while using the story of the two sons to teach the Pharisees and leading priests the point about being obedient to God, Jesus stated, "I assure you, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do.  For John the Baptist came and showed you the way to life, and you didn't believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to turn from your sins and believe him." - Matthew 21:28-32.

May the truth that is the Word of God guide us in all our decisions!

Brandon Heath - Give me your eyes