God's Elect - or just a Hypocrite?

I've been doing some thinking about hypocrites this week. I think it has something to do with a certain chat room (which I avoid like the plague most of the time.)

You see, there is a group - they call themselves "God's Elect" - no, not our Jewish brothers and sisters - I mean those Christians who spend their days looking for faults in others so that they might built up their own appearances as God's children. To them, there is no mercy for the homosexuals, divorced, Mormons or Catholics. God does not love sinners, according to them, nor does He listen to their prayers (which is fairly stupid to assume - how would anyone be able to ask Jesus into their heart if God doesn't listen to the prayers of sinners?)

This group, "God's Elect" appears outwardly to be Christian in nature. They spew forth bible verses, hurling quotations almost as soundly as they hurl snide remarks about other chatters. This gave me reason to question exactly what the bible says about pharisees (spiritual leaders appointed by committees of friends who, for lack of better definition, embody the role but not the fellowship - they don't walk what they talk.)

I can cite various verses from the Holy Bible (I believe a study on the parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector has already been done here.) Rather, I choose to refer to Christ's teachings concerning the End Time (ala "You don't know when it will happen, so shut up already - you are not SUPPOSED to know when it will happen, so try not to make an ass of yourself while spewing forth false prophecy.)

Matthew 14:45-51 NIV
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, 'My master is staying away a long time,' and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

A particular part of that passage always comes to mind when I see a Christian attacking another. "he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards." The person, thinking they are more holy than the fellow next to him, attacks. This form of attack is usually verbal, complete with damnations, curses, name-calling, and mockery. Snide comments, alluding to another person as "not having Jesus", and general jackass behavior seem to prevail. Those who mock the sinners ("sinners" defined as being anyone who doesn't agree with the attacker's methods) should take note: they now fit the second part of this verse - they stoop to the level of real sinners. By attacking other Christians (in a ay that attempts to portray the attacker as God's Elect, or more holy than the next fellow), they remove themselves from fellow servants (the body of Christ) and cavort with "drunkards" (sinners, or people with no self-control and no heart-felt desire or ability to refrain from offending God.)

These "Elect" will often browbeat to the point where others respond back in a none-too-polite manner, at which point the Elect profess that they are being attacked on behalf of Jesus Christ himself. Woe is me! I suppose they have not had an opportunity to read Job 17:8-10, which states: "Upright men shall be astonished at this, and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you." I suppose in the great scheme of things, those self-appointed Elect do not realize how foolish they sound when they attack others. Proverbs 11:9 clearly states that "A hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered."

Part of the problem is jealousy. The "Elect" see a Godly person, and that seems to bother them. They look for any fault they can find. If the person is fat, they mock their weight. If they are bald, they mock the lack of hair. And, if the person is beautiful physically, they attack their words and family. How shameful. Jealously is coveting what you don't or can't have. The Holy Bible speaks very clearly on how wrong it is to covet!

It is ironic to me that the very verse used to "bash" sinners includes the sin of jealousy and a coveting nature... greed. Mark 7:20-23 says, "He (Jesus)went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.' " What was that? Evil thoughts include: greed, malice, deceit, envy, slander, and arrogance! To hear it told, the only sins that are bad are sexual immorality and adultery or lewdness. I propose this: any man who strikes another out of envy or arrogance, or who seeks to deceive or slander others - these things are unholy and those who do them are the true goats.

Having stated that, I can say that I am not perfect, and when pushed hard enough I do respond in an unkind manner. However, I can stop and rethink my actions, and admit that I fall short. Many refuse to do this, and continue on, blindly, in their attempt to appear holy. Appearances can be deceiving.

I leave you with this last thought: Mark 7:6-8 Jesus replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." Not "traditions" as in doctrinal. Far from it. "Traditions" as in the attitude that is prevalent with some Christians, fostered by a false love of being godly and fed by the wells of ego and self-righteousness.