Integrity and Hypocrisy
(S) Scripture
Galatians 2:11-14 (NASB77)
But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?
(O) Observation
Peter (Cephas) fell into the trap of not being the same person in every situation. He compromised his integrity when he acted one way with one group and differently with another because of fear of what they might think. Paul called him on this hypocrisy for the sake of all in the church. Leaders cannot say and live one way one day and then for popularity say and live another way the next. There must be a consistency that comes from integrity.
(A) Application
This is an easy trap for people. We do not want to offend, we want to be liked and so we try to blend in even if it means we compromise what we know to be true. We have seen this all too often in the recent presidential campaigns. The candidates say one thing to this group and something quite different to another. We do the same and it is our integrity that suffers. Integrity is like trust, it takes time to build or earn and can be lost in a moment. I believe that Peter repented and the church grew. He continued as a leader because when confronted with hypocrisy he took steps to rectify it.
It is easy to compromise what you hold as true in order to be liked and welcomed. If though the price of that welcome is my integrity then the price is too high. I am not encouraging people to be obnoxious or overbearing. I am encouraging us to be true to the God who called us to be his children and has sent us into the world to be salt and light. Our hypocrisy will keep us from impacting our world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Today I want to live out of my integrity and rid myself of any hypocrisy. Not an easy thing but one that must be done.
(P) Prayer
Lord I see myself in this challenge to Peter. Make me keenly aware of the hypocrisy in my life and help me to correct it. I want to live a life of integrity as your child and servant. Amen
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