Hypocrites are people of falsehood and pretense. They display their “righteousness” before men, but their hearts are far away from God (Mar 7.6). It is better to agree with the world than to pretend to obey God. Hypocrites will share the fate of the children of disobedience (Rev 22.15). Hypocrisy is a sin punishable by death. The hypocrites are cursed (Mathew 23.13-15). A truthful heart begins with a heart of repentance. True repentance is evidenced by its fruit.
Job in his time of trial, trusted God. He did not lose faith in God. He prayed in earnest for God to help him, but God did not answer him quick. Yet, Job will rather die than curse God.
When things go wrong., many will ask, “where is that God of yours?”
We must choose to remain faithful to God even in the face of death. He will surely deliver us out of the affliction. Even If he chooses to keep us in that affliction, we must still trust him.
God searches the hearts to know the motive of our actions. He is pleased to find out that we are not with him just because he gives us all we need but because we love him. To love God is to believe and obey him faithfully.
The devil made God to test Job’s faithfulness. In a single day, Job lost his wealth, his children, his health, and his friends. Why should he still worship God when God allowed this calamity to befall him? Job kept the faith and said,
“Though he slays me, even yet will I trust him”.
The Lord Jesus, in pains at the cross, shouted, “Father, why have deserted me?” But he still accepted death.
The apostles died painful deaths because of the faith. They never shrunk back even in the face of death but prayed like their Lord for strength in their hour of trial.
We must pray that the Lord strengthens us in our hour of trial, so that we will not shrink back in cowardice but be faithful even in the face of death.
God rewarded Job double for his lose. The Lord, by dying on the cross, won a name that is far above all other names. God will reward his faithful martyrs with thrones and crowns.
Mathew 10.34-36
The enemies of a Christian could be the members of his household. Christians should not have too much expectation of love from their families. Their faith in the Lord will always be a cause of dissension in their families. On the matter of faith in Jesus, we cannot expect peace in our families.
The Lord commanded us to keep loving our enemies. Our parents, sisters, brothers, spouse, children will not always agree with the faith in Jesus. Do not be surprised when they hate you, belittle you, dishonor you, neglect you, betray you and hurt you because of the Christian faith. Yet, we must love them. Even if we feel unhappy, we must love them anyway and treat them right. The Lord commands us to love them and pray for them.