Urban Reformation

In a devotional lesson I had this morning it discussed briefly what it means to be, “poor in spirit.” This led me to a few other adjectives that came to mind, such as broken, contrite, helpless and needy. There seems to be a universal condition of the heart of man when the man recognizes he’s no longer worthy of the throne that he so often attempts to sit upon in his daily life. Some call it being born again or regeneration. There is recognition and acknowledgment of ones own wretchedness before a creator, sustainer, God, who holds all things together.

In my youth I remember the invincible syndrome, though had you asked me at the time if I thought I was invincible, I would have told you absolutely not. I would have proceeded to tell you the reasons why I am not, and all the while continuing to live my life as if I were invincible. Oh how my words did not match my life. I would have said something like, “I know I’m not invincible, but ……” Hypocrisy is a first fruit, a primary fruit of “false humility” aka “pride.”

It is the “but…..” of hypocrisy that I want to talk about today. Ultimately in as a Christ follower we must seek to walk in this “poverty of spirit.” This coincides with the political post insomuch that we realize that some of the largest hypocrites are also those who possess a false humility, and who tout one thing before men and live something entirely different. In many cases we even make arguments for this compartmentalized way of thinking, and we justify it because it eases our own hypocrisy, and conviction of it. In politics we expect this hypocrisy, in the church we despise it; we despise it in ourselves if we’re born again, and it tears at us when we see it in others. It seems contrary if not contradictory to truth.

We heard a sermon recently at FCC where it was espoused that there is hypocrisy in all of us, and this is absolutely true. One of the ministries of God is to reconcile all things to Himself and by doing so conform us to the image of His son who is completely void of hypocrisy. The disparity between men knowing truth and living truth, is vast and in this vastness there is a line in which we must examine ourselves to see if we are progressing beyond it. This line should be going somewhere and should be in the direction of Christ, headed toward Him & the cross.

In this life we so often see this pride masquerading as humility, there is a strange pride which presents itself as the standard of humility. It is deceptive in nature, and kin with Satan’s heart, as he masquerades as an angel of light. This false humility is almost completely the product of self-righteousness, and an exceedingly high opinion of ones self. It is perhaps, indeed, the most transparent kind of false humility—and yet, it is probably the most frequent. One thing about this type of pride is that the person who is deceived is often completely unaware of it, blind if you will. Like Adam in the garden not seeing the consequences of sin thinking high enough of himself as to disobey God, the proud man or woman barrels toward their goal never comprehending fully that they are doing anything wholly displeasing to God until He brings it before them in judgment.

Isn’t this much like our flesh who so often deceives us. Take the interaction of our day, how many people do we have the heart attitude about which is, “I’m glad I’m not in their situation, or Thank God I’m not like this or like that person.” How often to we bring ourselves along side kneel down next to the sinner who was in the same place I was just one moment ago, in my own sinning, and truly have pity, pity enough to pray and seek God’s face for them?God deals with this in Luke explicitly.

Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

When God rips the veil of self from ones eyes, and pride of life is revealed, we see ourselves truly before God our father, poor, wretched, blind, naked and needy. Self-sufficiency is a great enemy, and contrary to the American Ideal. We must be not dependent on any other than Christ and His finished work. The Laodicean Church demonstrates the blindness toward this type of pride.

Revelation 3:16-17

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

The above Luke passage is the mirror of sinful human hypocrisy, it holds each of us accountable in a moment by moment accountability to the word of God, if we meditate upon it. This lack of application of sound teaching and preaching, reading, and mediating, this lack of application is great sinfulness and the seed of pride. It is the sin of so many of us, professing Christ instead of confessing Christ.If there is not a moving toward the image of Christ in sanctification, a continual setting apart more and more for the things of God, a cleansing, and clinging, a demonstrable change in re-examining your life year after year, then beware.This is the line of hypocrisy to be careful about, not to remain unmoved or unchanged. The snare of the adversary; would have you sitting under great preaching, reading great books, with all the great knowledge God has granted you, and continuing in your present or current life style with no change or conviction. This becomes nothing but white washed tombs, hollow or shallow knowings with no substance. I am personally in need of being shown this all the time, moment by moment, my flesh catches me so often unawares and it is in my lack of Christ and too much of me, that I sin. I received the book “Humility” True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney in the mail today from an online purchase I made.

It’s something I’m looking forward to reading, and applying it to my life, that God might grant me to become truly poor in spirit, I pray.

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