My dear readers,

Proverbs 11:9 “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.”

According to the Hebrew Lexicon, a hypocrite is a sinner who is soiled with sin. He is morally corrupt within, while presenting an outward holy visage. He is no ordinary hypocrite from the Gentile world, but one who lived in Israel, as the Book of Proverbs was written for all who lived in Israel as a testimony of holiness before God, inside the Promised Land. The modern-day equivalent of such a hypocrite is someone who attends church and may even serve at all levels, from the top as a pastor to the ordinary congregation member. The hypocrite does the greatest damage from the top, i.e. when he is a pastor or an elder. Leaders in churches hold sway over all ministries. They have absolute control over the information published in the church. They say and write whatever their hearts desire. When the leaders are godly, these God-given privileges bring manifold blessings to God's people at all levels. The church becomes godly and a haven of rest for God's children, andfor sinners who come in and experience the joy of salvation. The church that has a holy and righteous spiritual environment in all its ministeries brings great blessings to all who attend.

However, just as leaders in the church can bring great blessings when they are godly, they can also bring great disaster and inflict unthinkable harm, ruining lives and stumbling the faithful because they are hypocrites. What are some of the ways of these hypocrites that can do such great harm to God’s people?

The literal translation is, “By his mouth, a hypocrite destroys his neighbour, but through knowledge the just shall be delivered.” The emphasis is on the mouth of the hypocrite.

His Gangrenous Mouth – The word “destroy” is derived from the root word for “decay”. The words that come out of the hypocrite’s mouth bring decay to the listener’s life in its entirety because every aspect of a believer’s life is intertwined. A true believer cannot be godly in church and ungodly at home. God will not accept such a dichotomised witness. God’s clarion call to all believers is that every area of their lives must glorify God. This is a standard holy manner of life God expects of all God’s people through the ages, whether in a national or a church witness. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” Therefore, when a believer succumbs to the hypocrite’s gangrenous mouth, his witness for Christ is ruined.

The hypocrite’s neighbours include all the people in his life, from his co-workers who need salvation, to his home and church family who need to grow in the grace and knowledge of God in Christ. His gangrenous words will destroy their relationships and ruin their witness for Christ in the process.

The hypocrite’s mouth destroys sinner’s lives because his “holy witness” for Christ is only skin deep. Initially, when he joined the company, they saw his Christian behaviour and might have been impressed by his holy and righteous life. But soon, his lies, backbiting, greed, and carnal motives begin to manifest in his conversations and interactions. These unbelieving co-workers will soon see a false Christ emanating from his hypocritical life, saying one thing and doing the opposite. His behaviour is worse than that of his unbelieving co-workers, because at least they do not pretend to be holy in words and carnal in conduct. They are condemned by him because they think that Christ is also a hypocrite like him, since he represents Christ when he calls himself a Christian.

The hypocrite’s mouth destroys brotherly love within the church. Hypocrites slip into churches as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Soon, they are accepted into the fold by God’s flock because their sheep’s garments are deviously convincing. The soft-spoken demeanour, coupled with an attitude of helpfulness and publicised financial generosity, has taken in many unsuspecting members of the church. Once their trust is gained, the hypocrite begins to sow seeds of discord through the monthly Bible Study, church fellowship meetings, or even by serving with God's children. These hypocrites are patient servants of the devil, planted among God's children to ruin relationships. When relationships are ruined, united and peaceful service is irreparably destroyed. Schisms mushroom throughout the church. The rich spiritual blessing of worshipping God and praying to Him for help has been rendered null and void, as God will not hear or receive such from anyone who regards iniquity in their hearts. Schism is not only regarding iniquity in one’s heart but also an open sin that is visible to all, especially to God.

The hypocrite’s mouth condemns souls. Hypocrites also bring in false teachings. At first, they may do so surreptitiously. But once they gain a foothold of congregational acceptance, they become very bold in their false teachings. It begins innocuously with a minor and probably indirect attack on a particular doctrine with an almost indiscernible error. The more mature ones may see through this evil ploy, but the majority will not. Since the majority is eating out of his hypocritical hands, he does not care and ignores the complaints of these discerning ones. Little by little, he might even take over the church and turn it into another of the many “ichabod” churches already littered across Europe, Britain and the USA. Sinners who enter such churches will think they are saved when, in reality, they are still totally depraved and slaves to sin and are bound for hell. 

Deliverance from the Gangrenous Mouth – The only way the just can be delivered from these hypocrites and remain faithful to Christ is the knowledge of God. To possess God’s knowledge, one has to be saved from sin, i.e. be delivered from the bondage to sin. The mere study of God’s Word with an unregenerate mind will only result in a superficial understanding of it, with the application of it in one’s life completely absent, like the hypocrite whose life is still soiled by decay, i.e. sin, even though he may have strings of theological degrees, behave and speak like a Christian. He does not have the mind of Christ. The moment a sinner is saved by Jesus Christ, he is blessed with the mind of Christ to understand the Bible rightly, with a heart to obey it all the time as he studies it. Slowly but surely, as he studies God’s Word, he fills his mind of Christ with the knowledge of Christ. He possesses the mind of God, thinking like God and evaluating all circumstances in life and the people he meets with God's wisdom. He sees through the ploy of the hypocrites because he refuses to be manipulated by all his cunning devices, empowered and engineered by the evil one. For example, he will not be seduced by such hypocrites who flatter him to be elected into church leadership. He follows the God-given guidelines for the spiritual qualifications of leaders, such as deacons and elders, strictly. He refuses to judge the faces of men, for he knows that the judgment he makes is God’s judgment. He must always make decisions based on God’s Word and on no other.

With the knowledge of God’s Word, and the help of the Holy Spirit indwelling him, he prays without ceasing, always leaning on God to guide him in all his decisions. He will be delivered from all the seductive ploys and snares of the hypocrites. If such hypocrites entice him with “gifts” or whisper into his ears their lies cloaked in the garments of truth, the righteous will not be moved by them; instead, he will rebuke them for their hypocritical behaviour. God’s Word is the only protection against such gangrenous mouths of the hypocrites. His holy witness for Christ remains intact. His life continues to be a blessing to others and brings glory to his Heavenly Father’s Name.

Dear believer, have you protected yourself from the hypocrite’s gangrenous mouth?

Yours faithfully in the Saviour’s Service

Rev Dr Quek Suan Yew, Pastor