Matthew 23:3–4, 28 CJB “So whatever they tell you, take care to do it. But don’t do what they do, because they talk but don’t act! … Likewise, you appear to people from the outside to be good and honest, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and far from Torah.”
Jesus is confronting religious men whose words sound right but whose lives contradict their teaching. They speak truth without submitting to it. They demand obedience without modeling it. They place heavy burdens on others but refuse to carry them themselves.
This warning is not just for ancient Pharisees—it is for Christian men today.
Our wives see it first. Our children see it next. They watch whether the Jesus we confess on Sunday is the Lord we obey on Monday. Scripture tells us plainly that believing the right things is not enough—even demons believe in God. The real question is whether Jesus visibly rules our lives.
It is not difficult to be “good” by the world’s standards. Don’t murder. Don’t steal. Don’t judge. Don’t offend. But Jesus never called men to merely avoid wrongdoing. He commanded obedient following.
True discipleship is active, intentional, visible obedience.
Doing what Jesus commands proves our faith. Failing to do evil does not.
Jesus calls us to seek and save the lost, make disciples, forgive enemies, bless those who curse us, give generously, serve sacrificially, and love relentlessly. When these commands shape our daily lives—consistently, intentionally—they demonstrate that Christ is not just confessed but crowned.
Hypocrisy is not imperfection. Hypocrisy is claiming allegiance to Jesus while refusing obedience to Jesus.
Jesus Himself modeled the opposite. He lived among sinners without sinning. He did not isolate Himself to avoid temptation. He entered broken lives, served people through compassion and power, and opened hearts to repentance by demonstrating the love of God. He obeyed the Father fully so that He could save us completely.
We love people the way Jesus loved people—by serving them. Service opens hearts. Obedience authenticates the message. Fruit proves the root.
If we want to be more like Jesus and fruitful in His mission, we must do more than speak—we must walk.
Run Today’s Play:
Check alignment. Ask yourself honestly: does my daily life reinforce or contradict what I claim to believe?
Lead visibly. Let your wife and children see obedience before they hear instruction.
Serve intentionally. Identify one person this week you can tangibly serve in Jesus’ name.
Obey specifically. Don’t generalize faith—act on one clear command Jesus has already given you.
Reject hypocrisy. Refuse a Christianity that talks well but walks poorly.
Men of God don’t just speak truth.
They live it,
they model it,
and they multiply it.
