K044. Jesus tells us to look beyond the surface

Mat 23:27-29 KJV  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.  (28)  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.  (29)  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

I shared these Bible verses not to condemn anyone; but to encourage myself, especially when we cannot agree with some radical preachers who always boast that they are better and more gracious than many others. Jesus found it disgusting when the Pharisees kept thinking, teaching, and saying that they were more righteous than others when they did not have any will to do the commandments of God. Don't you find it disgusting if any preachers today would do the same too?

I believe that Jesus loves the commandments of God; hence, He would harshly judge the Pharisees and those who used the preaching of God's commandments to hide their lawless thoughts, motives, excuses, and greed. Similarly, I believe that Jesus loves the grace of God too. Wouldn't He harshly judge those who use the preaching of grace to hide their lawless thoughts, motives, excuses, and greed too?
If the Lord had spoken harsh words to the Pharisees and the hypocrites of the laws (Mat 23:27-29), what makes us think that today He will not say the same words to those who are the great pretenders of God's love or God's grace too? How can we lie and say that all the negative words, warnings, judgements, or rebukes of the Lord against hypocrisy and pretenders have become obsolete today?
Hence, the false prophets that Jesus warned are not the false prophets who show themselves outwardly as false prophets or wolves. They are like the Pharisees or the whited sepulchres, who indeed appear beautiful outward or outwardly appear righteous (or gracious by showing a lot of their smiles and white-teeth) unto all men, but within they are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness too. On the surface (probably on their facebook too), they may keep saying the positive things about the words of Jesus Christ or themselves, but inwardly, secretly, and spiritually within their doctrine and words, they are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness (Mat 23:27-29).

Ironically, today we hear many 'super gracious' or 'hyper grace' preachers telling us not to judge. They say that, if we judge, we are cynical, judgemental, negative, and condemning; but when they preach grace, they are generous, gracious, positive, and loving. Of course, generally we do not deny that those who received grace are more gracious; but we should know that there are exceptions. We should learn from the Lord to know how to look beyond the surface or to know how to be critical when we encounter false prophets, hypocrites, wicked servants, or abusers of grace. We don't just keep quiet; we report them:
Mat 18:31-33 KJV So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. (32) Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  (33)  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

Yes, the Lord do not want us to be critical on the people in general; but He has taught us to be 'critical' specifically on the fruits, especially on the doctrine or the words of the false prophets or evil servant: Mat 7:15-20 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns ..
Hence, we can be critical on the fruits or the doctrine; but not on the people in general. However, the Lord would not want us to be radical in our doctrine; He wants to be radical in doing good according to His words or sermon on the mount: Mat 5:43-45 KJV  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  (44)  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  (45)  That ye may be the children of your Father ..

Many argue that we should not be critical at all, even in our doctrine or thoughts and that we should only be positive in whatever we say or others say. I will tell them, Of course, we can always be positive in our words and thoughts; but it does not mean that when we are positive, we cannot be critical ! Of course, we know that there many definition of the word 'critical', but I would say that 'critical' could be a combination of two attributes: 'wise' and 'careful' - if we are just 'wise' (without being diligent), we can still be deceived and drawn into sins, like King Solomon); but if we are only 'careful' (without being wise), we can also be deceived into receiving the seed of the Wicked One and become the tares. The Lord said that the tares are the children of the Wicked Ones. They are not necessarily wicked but they could be innocent believers who were deceived by the Wicked One or the Lawless One. Hence, we are reminded by the Lord to be 'critical' when He said:
Mat 10:16 KJV  Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
I love the Thayer's interpretation of 'wise'. He defined it as 1) intelligent, wise  2) prudent. It means being 'wise + prudent' or being 'critical'. Was Jesus 'critical' when He rebuked the Pharisees for being whitewashed tombs? Yes, certainly. He could look beyond the surface because He was wise and prudent (critical).

Today when we look beyond the surface, we need to look beyond the avatars or the beautiful images posted on the internet too. Recently I have heard of a great debate or a big fuss on the proper use of names, avatars, pictures, logos, or icons on the internet, including the images we are using on Google+. Does it matter to post an authentic, legitimate, legalized, and beautiful picture of ourselves here while there is no substance in whatever we say here? No, it doesn't matter what we use or what say on the surface; what matters is what we say in depth ! It is because only the thing that is inside or within us will show what is the true nature of ourself !  We must learn from the Lord who looked beyond the surface (Mat 23:27-29).

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