Hypocrisy? Meh.

We are a species of hypocrites. Acting, telling people to do what we preach and not how we act, is endemic within our society. This is why when we find someone who is not going to play by those rules we are afraid, we mock, and we shun. If we look at today’s passages we find a Saint worried that he hes to visit Paul — who had arrived in Damascus with a commission to arrest all believers.

Paul’s life is an example of the Unconditional Election. He spent the rest of his life regretting his youth — not because he had committed fornication (unlike the Jew of Malta) but because he had enforced a persecution against those of Christ in his own country, leaving many believers dead. Yet God called him.

And at what cost. The man on the cross, so mocked by the religious leaders of that day (“Come down from the cross we got you nailed onto!”), as he was tortured to death, forgave the thief who asked forgiveness.

There is nothing holy about followers of Christ. We are flawed. We have those who oppose the work of God in our churches — and we are taught that they will be there until the end. But we are called to Christ, and called to leave hypocrisy behind, and speak truth.

Acts 9:10-19a

¹⁰Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, ¹²and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; ¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; ¹⁶I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, ¹⁹and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Luke 23:32-43

³²Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [³⁴Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. ³⁵And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” ³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, ³⁷and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

³⁹One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Now, those who accuse us of hypocrisy, of being sanctimonious, are generally looking down their nose at as. Christianity is no longer fashionable or powerful. It’s somewhat old-fashioned. But the Upper class — who have been educated to be immune to the memes of this age (for they still marry, they still educated their children properly and in a politically incorrect way — to the point where they will lie, and, as actors, baptize their children so that they will be able to access those church schools their policies have not ruined) preach policies of destruction.

Being called a hypocrite? Well, yes, I am one. But I am wanting to leave it behind.

Because it’s destructive. And because it’s boring.