By Definition

Word of the day:

HYPOCRITE:
 hyp·o·crite Pronunciation: \ˈhi-pə-ˌkrit\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English ypocrite, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from Greek hypokritēs actor, hypocrite, from hypokrinesthai Date: 13th century 1 : a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion 2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.

We are all guilty of this.  Noone is without blame.  Some are more humble than others, some are more outspoken about their radical religiousity than others...and some fall short of who they claim they are.  Sometimes that is startling.  Sometimes that brings forth confusion to people.  We are all sinners and have all fallen short of God's glory. Some of us never claimed to be anything other than a lousy sinner striving to see God's precious face....and some peope have claimed their way is best thing since 'sliced bread'. It's sad when people we look up to spiritually, fail us.  Here is what the Bible says:

“Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
Matthew 7:5

The most important thing I think to remember, is man is just mere man.  And even though we may have spiritual leaders and friends that fail us, God alone holds our salvation, God alone is to be revered.  No particular expectations can be placed on a person that claims to be religious, for they are sinners too, all faith must be in God alone.  There are always going to be those people that really slip under our radar and deceive us into thinking they are something they are not.

'My thoughts are completely different from yours,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine . . . my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’  Isaiah 55:8–9

I am guilty.  I am not blameless, nor will I ever claim to be, I am a sinner and so are you.  I love God, and want to do His will.  I pray for this.  That's it and that's all.  I am not better than you.  You are not better than me.  Until we can acknowledge our own shortcomings and sin, and parts we have played in our own mistakes, no real spiritual growth is ever possible.  ....And that part isn't Biblical, but I have learned that from my own experience.

Faith is not a storm cellar to which men and women can flee for refuge from the storms of life. It is, instead, an inner force that gives them the strength to face those storms and their consequences with serenity of spirit.
~Sam J. Ervin, Jr.

...and that my friends, is THE END.