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Posers are “wannabees” in slacker talk. According to the proverbial expression they “talk the talk, but don't walk the walk”. We've all met them and the church is full of them!
.A Christian friend of mine was caught in the act. When he was driving, another Christian friend honked his horn from behind in an attempt at being friendly. The first driver responded by making an obscene one-fingered gesture. He certainly failed to “walk the walk”.
.My brother ran into an elder from his former church. The elder invited him to come back to church and then branched off into a friendly conversation. Before long he was cussing (sic). He had gotten confused about which type of friend with whom he was communicating. Oh, how in the world to keep the two personalities straight... one for Christian friends and one for the “fun” crowd. Yes, for you that do that, you'll eventually trip up and be exposed!
.When I moved to Bowling Green a Christian man was in the process of inviting me to church. He had the habit of holding on to the listener's shoulder, I guess, to make it an engaging conversation. While he held me by the shoulder to keep me obligated, he caught another friend and told him a dirty joke... while holding onto me to invite me to church! I was astounded! He couldn't keep his double-life straight in the face of a friend from each world.
.What does the Bible say about posers? Those Christians who fail to walk the walk!
.Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.”
.Jesus likened the scribes and Pharisees, both the epitome of “hypocrite”, to dinnerware... clean on the outside but quite impure on the inside. A hypocrite is one who pretends to be good and pious, but is not really so. It's being a poser! This is one place where the “slacker” understands the soul even better than the faux Christian.
.What's inside the poser? A person “full of extortion”. Extortion is operating under false pretenses. It's an effort to deceive. And who is the author of deceit? Satan.
.In what other regard does a poser pose? Self-indulgence! It's enjoying the pleasure appetite. It's languishing in sinful desires. Jesus knew very well of whom he was speaking! A poser has the false pretense of being righteous, but on the inside has a sinful appetite. We all struggle with that with some degree of success. We can succeed if we have self-control aided by the Holy Spirit. God knows how we are inside and provided the remedy. Forgiveness is the potion! When we catch ourselves being posers we are to remove the mask ourselves and be genuine. Unpretentious sinners get more respect than those posing. God doesn't give an “Oscar” award for the best actor, but an Heisman Trophy in “outstanding authenticity” in the form a godly crown.
.1 Corinthians 9:23 “Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
.Worldly prizes result in a perishable crown. For those who're temperate (showing self-restraint), they get an imperishable crown. This is a case of getting the prize for failing to “act”. We are rewarded for our refusal to play a false role.
.I want an eternal crown. While I am still tempted and sometimes I fail, I continue to run the race in pursuit of winning the prize. Some say that they're too many “hypocrites” in the church. That's exactly where they belong. God will either straighten them out or he will do the judging. However, don't confuse inborn sin with hypocrisy. We're all in a fight for our souls and only by the grace of God will we win. On the other hand, be genuine. If you sin with one hand while praising with the other, one only has to ask for forgiveness and spiritual help. God is our hope!
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