[BBC List] hypo

[Mike Abendroth]

Hypocrites and Christ
Rev. Thomas Brooks
(1608-1680)

There is never an hypocrite in the world that makes God, or Christ, or
holiness, or his doing or receiving good in his station, relation, or
generation his grand end, his highest end, his ultimate end of living in the
world. Pleasures, profits, and honors are the hypocrite's all, [which] he
aims at in this world. They are his trinity, which he adores and serves and
sacrificeth himself unto (1 John 2:16). An hypocrite's ends are corrupt and
selfish. God may possibly be at the higher end of his work, but self is at
the further end; for he that was never truly cast out of himself, can have
no higher end than himself. An hypocrite is all for his own glory: he acts
for himself and from himself. "So I may have the profit, the credit, the
glory, the applause, come of God's glory what will!" This is the language of
an unsound heart.

An hypocrite will seem to be very godly when he can make a gain of
godliness. He will seem to be very holy when holiness is the way to outward
greatness and happiness. But his religious wickedness will double-damn the
hypocrite at last. Self-ends are the operative ingredients in all an
hypocrite does..When hypocrites take up religion, it is only to serve their
own turns, to bring about their own carnal ends. They serve not the Lord,
but their own bellies (Romans 16:18; Philippians 3:19)..An hypocrite always
makes himself the end of all his service; but let such hypocrites know, that
though their profession be never so glorious and their duties never so
abundant, yet their ends being selfish and carnal, all their pretensions and
performances are but beautiful abominations in the sight of God. 

An hypocrite has always a squint-eye, and squint-eyed aims and squint-eyed
ends in all he does. Balaam spake very religiously, and he multiplied altars
and sacrifices; but the thing he had in his eye was the wages of
unrighteousness (Numbers 22:23; 2 Peter 2:15). Jehu destroyed bloody Ahab's
house, he executed the vengeance of God upon that wicked family; he readily,
resolutely, and effectually destroyed all the worshippers of Baal, but his
ends were to secure the kingdom to him and his (2 Kings 10). Ahab and the
Ninevites fasted in sackcloth, but it was merely that they might not feel
the heavy judgments that they feared would overtake them (1 Kings 21; Jonah
3). The Jews in Babylon fasted and mourned, and mourned and fasted seventy
years, but it was more to get off their chains than their sins; it was more
to be rid of their captivity than it was to be rid of their iniquity
(Zechariah 7:5, 6)..It is the end that dignifies or debaseth the action,
that rectifies it or adulterates it, that sets a crown of honor or a crown
of shame upon the head of it. He that commonly, habitually, in all his
duties and services, proposes to himself no higher ends than the praises of
men or rewards of men, or the stopping the mouth of natural conscience, or
only to avoid a smarting rod, or merely to secure himself from wrath to
come, he is an hypocrite. 

But now mark: a sincere Christian, if he prays or hears, or gives or fasts,
or repents or obeys, God's glory is the main end of all. The glory of God is
his highest end, his ultimate end (Psalm 115:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:6). A
sincere Christian can be content to be trampled upon and vilified, so God's
name be glorified. The bent of such a heart is for God and His glory;
nothing but sincerity can carry a soul so high as in all acts natural,
civil, and religious to intend God's glory (Revelations 9:9-11). A sincere
Christian ascribes the praise of all to God. He sets the crown on Christ's
head alone; he will set God upon the throne and make all things else His
servants or His footstool (Romans 14:7, 8). All must bow the knee to God or
be trodden in the dirt. He will love nothing, he will embrace nothing but
what sets God higher or brings God nearer to his heart..He lives not to his
own will, or lusts, or greatness, or glory in this world, but he lives to
His glory, Whose glory is dearer to him than his own life (1 Corinthians
10:28; Revelation 12:11)..The daily language of sincere souls is this: "Not
unto us, Lord, not unto us, Lord, but to thy name give glory" (Psalm 115:1).

Glory is God's right, and He stands upon His right; and this the sincere
Christian knows, and therefore he gives Him His right, he gives Him the
honor and the glory that is due unto His name. But pray do not mistake me: I
do not say that such as are really sincere do actually eye the glory of
Christ in all their actions. Oh no! This is a happiness desirable on earth,
but shall never be attained till we come to heaven. Bye and base ends and
aims will be still ready to creep into the best hearts; but all sincere
hearts sigh and groan under them. They complain to God of them.and it is the
earnest desires and daily endeavors of their souls to be rid of them..But
now take a sincere Christian in his ordinary, usual, and habitual course,
and you shall find that his aims and ends in all his actions and
undertakings are to glorify God, to exalt God, and to lift up God in the
world..He that sets up the glory of God as his chief end will find that his
chief end will by degrees eat out all low and base ends. 

No hypocrite can live wholly and only upon the righteousness of Christ, the
satisfaction of Christ, the merits of Christ for justification and
salvation. The hypocritical scribes and Pharisees prayed, fasted, and kept
the Sabbath and gave alms; and in this legal righteousness they rested and
trusted (Matthew 6; Luke 18:11, 12). Ponder upon that in Revelation 3:16-18.
Upon the performance of these and such like duties, they laid the weight of
their souls and the stress of their salvation and so perished forever. 

An hypocrite rests upon what he doth and never looks so high as the
righteousness of Christ. He looks upon his duties as so much good moneys
laid out for heaven. He weaves a web of righteousness to clothe himself
withal. He never looks out for a more glorious righteousness to be justified
by than his own, and so puts a slight upon the righteousness of Christ. "For
they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish
their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of God" (Romans 10:3). The first step to salvation is to
renounce our own righteousness. The next step is to embrace the
righteousness of Christ, which is freely offered to sinners in the Gospel.
But these things the hypocrite minds not, regards not. The righteousness of
an hypocrite is not only imperfect, but impure-a rag, a filthy rag; and
therefore he that rests upon such a righteousness must needs miscarry to all
eternity (Isaiah 64:6). O sirs! Who will say that that man needs a savior,
[who] can fly to heaven upon the wings of his own duties and services? If a
man's duties can pacify an infinite wrath and satisfy an infinite justice,
then farewell Christ, and welcome duties. 

He that rests upon anything in him or done by him, as a means to procure the
favor of God or the salvation of his soul will put such a cheat upon himself
as will undo him for ever. Non-submission to the righteousness of Christ
keeps Christ and the hypocrite asunder. Christ will never love nor like to
put the fine, clean, white linen of His own righteousness upon the old
garment, the old rags of an hypocrite's duties (Revelation 19:7, 8)..An
hypocrite's confidence in his own righteousness turns his righteousness into
filthiness (Pro 21:27). 

But now a sincere Christian, he renounces his own righteousness. He
renounces all confidence in the flesh (Phi 3:3); he looks upon his own
righteousness as dung, yea, as dogs' meat, as some interpret the word in
Philippians 3:8. He will say no more to his duties, to the works of his
hands, "Ye are our gods" (Hosea 14:3). When they look upon the holiness of
God's nature, the righteousness of His government, the severity of His Law,
the terror of His wrath, they see an absolute and indispensable necessity of
a more glorious righteousness than their own to appear before God in. A
sincere Christian sets the highest price and value upon the righteousness of
Christ: "I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only"
(Psalm 71:16). 

A sincere Christian rejoices in the righteousness of Christ above all: "I
will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he
hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the
robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and
as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61:10)..Oh then, what
matter of joy must it be to a sincere Christian to have the rich and royal
garment of Christ's righteousness cast upon him! (Isaiah 28:16). A sincere
Christian rests on the righteousness of Christ as on a sure foundation:
"Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength"
(Isaiah 45:24). 

A sincere Christian looks upon the righteousness of Christ as that which
renders him most splendid and glorious in the eyes of God: "And be found in
him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which
is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith"
(Philippians 3:9)..A sincere Christian looks upon the righteousness of
Christ as his only security against wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
Wrath to come is the greatest wrath, wrath to come is the purest wrath,
wrath to come is infinite wrath, wrath to come is everlasting wrath. Now the
sincere Christian, he knows no way under heaven to secure himself from wrath
to come, but by putting on the robe of Christ's righteousness (Romans
13:14)..Well, for a close, remember this: there is never an hypocrite in the
world that is more pleased, satisfied, delighted and contented with the
righteousness of Christ, than with his own. Though an hypocrite may be much
in duties, yet he never lives above his duties; he works for life, and he
rests in his work, and this proves his mortal wound. But,

An hypocrite never embraces a whole Christ. He can never take up his full
and everlasting rest, satisfaction, and content in the person of Christ, in
the merits of Christ, in the enjoyment of Christ alone. No hypocrite did
ever long and mourn after the enjoyment of Christ as the best thing in all
the world. No hypocrite did ever prize Christ for a Sanctifier as well as a
Savior. No hypocrite did ever look upon Christ or long for Christ to deliver
him from the power of his sins, as much or as well as to deliver him from
wrath to come. No hypocrite can really love the person of Christ or take
satisfaction in the person of Christ. The rays and beams of Christ's glory
have never warmed his heart. He never knew what bosom communion with Christ
meant (1 Thessalonians 1:10). An hypocrite may love to be healed by Christ,
and to be pardoned by Christ, and to be saved by Christ; but he can never
take any complacency in the Person of Christ. His heart never seriously
works after union with Christ. The love of a sincere Christian runs much out
to the Person of Christ. Heaven itself without Christ would be to such a
soul but a poor thing, a low thing, a little thing, an uncomfortable thing,
an empty thing. It is the Person of Christ that is the sparkling diamond in
the ring of glory (Philippians 1:21; 3:7-10). 

No hypocrite in the world is sincerely willing to receive Christ in all His
office and to close with Him upon Gospel terms. The terms upon which God
offers Christ in the Gospel are these, viz., that we shall accept of a whole
Christ with a whole heart (Matthew 16:24). 

Now, mark, a whole Christ includes all His offices; and a whole heart
includes all our faculties. Christ as Mediator is King, Priest, and Prophet;
and so God the Father in the Gospel offers Him. Salvation was too great and
too glorious a work to be perfected and completed by any one office of
Christ. Christ as a prophet instructs us, as a priest He redeems us and
intercedes for us, and as a king, He sanctifies and saves us. The apostle
hit it when he said, "Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30).
Consider Christ as our Prophet, and so He is made wisdom to us. Consider Him
as our Priest, and so He is made righteousness and redemption to us.
Consider Him as our King, and so He is made sanctification and holiness to
us. 

An hypocrite may be willing to embrace Christ as a priest to save him from
wrath, from the curse, from hell, from everlasting burning, but he is never
sincerely willing to embrace Christ as a prophet to teach and instruct him,
and as a king to rule and reign over him. Many hypocrites may be willing to
receive a Christ Jesus, [who] are not willing to receive a Lord Jesus. They
may be willing to embrace a saving Christ, but they are not willing to
embrace a ruling Christ, a commanding Christ: "This man shall not rule over
us" (Luke 19:27).."He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (John
1:11). An hypocrite is willing to receive Christ in one office, but not in
every office; and this is that stumbling-stone at which hypocrites stumble
and fall and are broken in pieces. Certainly Christ is as lovely and as
comely, as desirable and delightful, as eminent and excellent in one office
as He is in another; and therefore it is a just and righteous thing with God
that hypocrites that won't receive Him in every office should have no
benefit by any one of His offices. Christ and His offices may be
distinguished, but Christ and His offices can never be divided (1
Corinthians 1:13). Whilst many have been a-laboring to divide one office of
Christ from another, they have wholly stripped themselves of any advantage
or benefit by Christ. 

Hypocrites love to share with Christ in His happiness, but they don't love
to share with Christ in His holiness. They are willing to be redeemed by
Christ, but they are not cordially willing to submit to the laws and
government of Christ. They are willing to be saved by His blood, but they
are not willing to submit to His scepter. Hypocrites love the privileges of
the Gospel, but they don't love the services of the Gospel, especially those
that are most inward and spiritual. But now a sincere Christian, he owns
Christ in all His offices, he receives Christ in all His offices, and he
closes with Christ in all His offices. He accepts of Him, not only as a
Christ Jesus, but also as a Lord Jesus; he embraces Him, not only as a
saving Christ, but also as a ruling Christ. The Colossians received Him as
Christ Jesus the Lord (Colossians 2:6); they received a Lord Christ as well
as a saving Christ; they received Christ as a king upon His throne, as well
as a sacrifice upon His cross (2 Corinthians 4:5). God the Father in the
Gospel tenders a whole Christ. We preach Christ Jesus the Lord; and
accordingly, a sincere Christian receives a whole Christ, he receives Christ
Jesus the Lord (Acts 5:31)..An hypocrite is all for a saving Christ, for a
sin-pardoning Christ, for a soul-glorifying Christ, but regards not a ruling
Christ, a reigning Christ, a commanding Christ, a sanctifying Christ; and
this at last will prove his damning sin (John 3:19, 20).

>From "A Cabinet of Jewels" in The Works of Thomas Brooks, Vol. 3, reprinted
by The Banner of Truth Trust. 

 

 

Thanks.

 

For the King's honor,

 

Charis,

 

Mike Abendroth

 

 <http://www.bbcchurch.org> www.bbcchurch.org

 

Ephesians 3:21 auvtw/| h` do,xa evn th/| evkklhsi,a| 

 

2 Tim 1:2b  "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our
Lord."

 

"Faith is not our physician; it only brings us to the Physician ... Faith is
not our saviour. It was not faith that was born at Bethlehem and died on
Golgotha for us. It was not faith that loved us, and gave itself for us;
that bore our sins in its own body on the tree; that died and rose again for
our sins.  It is a sin-bearer that we need, and our faith cannot be a
sin-bearer. Faith can expiate no guilt; can accomplish no propitiation; can
pay no penalty; can wash away no stain; can provide no righteousness. It
brings us to the cross, . but in itself it has no merit and no virtue.
Faith is not Christ, nor the cross of Christ. Faith is not the blood, nor
the sacrifice; . Our faith does not divide the work of salvation between
itself and the cross. It is the acknowledgment that the cross alone saves,
and that it saves alone. Faith adds nothing to the cross, nor to its healing
virtue. It owns the fulness, and sufficiency, and suitableness of the work
done there, and bids the toiling spirit cease from its labours and enter
into rest. Faith does not come to Calvary to do anything. It comes to see
the glorious spectacle of all things done, and to accept this completion
without a misgiving as to its efficacy. It listens to the "It is finished!"
of the Sin-bearer, and says, "Amen."   

NOT FAITH, BUT CHRIST 

by Horatius Bonar 
(1808-1889) 

 

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