Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees—their hypocrisy.”
Luke 12:1 NLT
Jesus warned His apprentice leaders of hypocrisy’s end game. Hypocritical leadership is evil and must be avoided.
1. Hypocritical leaders are shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.”
Matthew 23:13 NLT
2. Hypocritical leaders are responsible for the eternal destinies of those they lead astray. They have “blood on their hands.”
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!”
Matthew 23:15 NLT
3. Hypocritical leaders will be held accountable for their words. Words matter. Words have consequences.
Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’”
Matthew 23:16 NLT
4. Hypocritical leaders neglect, or miss, what’s most important. They miss out on true significance and satisfaction, true meaning in life.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
Matthew 23:23 NLT
5. Hypocritical leaders are rotting from the inside out. Their actions don’t produce the results they hope for, a morally superior life.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!”
Matthew 23:25 NLT
6. Hypocritical leaders work extra hard to put up a facade of greatness or superiority, but they will be exposed for the frauds they are.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.”
Matthew 23:27 NLT
7. Hypocritical leaders will be held accountable for their wickedness. A stricter judgement awaits those who, by teaching others, lead them astray.
Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?”
Matthew 23:33 NLT
Father, guard my heart against the dangers of hypocrisy.
Guard my heart against leading others astray with teaching that is false, or against leading others astray with an example that is false.
May my actions match my words, and may my words match Your truth. This is godly leadership.
Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.”
James 3:1 NLT
This post originally appeared at: Dangerous Leadership – Sonlife and is based upon Sonlife’s study, Knowing Him / A 50 Day Study in the Life of Christ / Day 42