{"id":9234,"date":"2018-01-31T22:39:08","date_gmt":"2018-01-31T16:39:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligent-torvalds.74-208-171-134.plesk.page\/?p=9234"},"modified":"2026-04-04T12:35:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T17:35:05","slug":"hypocrisy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/?p=9234","title":{"rendered":"Hypocrisy"},"content":{"rendered":"

You shall not take<\/em> (n\u0101\u015b\u0101’<\/em>, \u05ea\u05e9\u05c1\u05d0<\/a>; Septuagint<\/a>: \u03bb\u1f75\u03bc\u03c8\u1fc3<\/a>, a form of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9<\/a>) the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes <\/em>(n\u0101\u015b\u0101’<\/em>, \u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05d0; Septuagint<\/a>: \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u1f71\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1<\/a>, another form of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9) his name in vain<\/em>.[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Three occurrences of forms of n\u00e2\u015b\u00e2\u02bc <\/em>from Genesis 1:1 – Exodus 20:5[2]<\/sup><\/a> were translated with forms of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9 in the Septuagint:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Genesis 21:18 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Genesis 27:3 (NET)<\/td>\n\n

Genesis 31:17 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Get up! \u00a0Help (n\u00e2\u015b\u00e2\u02bc<\/em>, \u05e9\u05c1\u05d0\u05d9; Septuagint<\/a>: \u03bb\u03b1\u03b2\u1f72, another form of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9) the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.<\/td>\nTherefore, take (n\u00e2\u015b\u00e2\u02bc<\/em>, \u05e9\u05c1\u05d0; Septuagint<\/a>: \u03bb\u03b1\u03b2\u1f72, another form of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9) your weapons \u2013 your quiver and your bow \u2013 and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game for me.<\/td>\nSo Jacob immediately put (n\u00e2\u015b\u00e2\u02bc<\/em>, \u05d5\u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05d0; Septuagint<\/a>: \u1f14\u03bb\u03b1\u03b2\u03b5\u03bd, another form of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9) his children and his wives on the camels.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Only one of those (Genesis 27:3) was translated take <\/em>in the KJV and NET before Exodus 20:7.\u00a0 There is no particular problem with this translation if I\u2019m studying n\u00e2\u015b\u00e2\u02bc<\/em>.\u00a0 But if I read Exodus 20:7 in English only while trying to be declared righteous by the law<\/em>[3]<\/sup><\/a> or attempting to have my own righteousness derived from the law<\/em>,[4]<\/sup><\/a> the temptation is great to hear it as words I might say when I stub my toe in the dark.\u00a0 If I don\u2019t say those words then I may consider myself blameless according to the law.<\/p>\n

You shall not<\/em> bear the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who<\/em> bears his name in vain<\/em>.<\/p>\n

This translation might have persuaded me even in English that any and every deviation from righteousness is bearing <\/em>or taking <\/em>the Lord\u2019s name in vain.\u00a0 Unbelievers seem to grasp this better than those who are trying to be declared righteous by the law<\/em> or attempting to have <\/em>[their] own righteousness derived from the law<\/em>.\u00a0 But unbelievers call it hypocrisy <\/em>rather than bearing <\/em>or taking the Lord\u2019s name in vain<\/em>.\u00a0 According to Merriam-Webster.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n

<\/a>The word <\/em>hypocrite ultimately came into English from the Greek word <\/em>hypokrites, which means \u201can actor<\/a>\u201d or \u201ca stage player\u201d…actors in ancient Greek theater wore large masks to mark which character they were playing…<\/em><\/p>\n

The Greek word took on an extended meaning to refer to any person who was wearing a figurative mask and pretending to be someone or something they were not. \u00a0This sense was taken into medieval French and then into English, where it showed up with its earlier spelling, <\/em>ypocrite, in 13th-century religious texts to refer to someone who pretends to be morally good or pious in order to deceive others. \u00a0(<\/em>Hypocrite gained its initial <\/em>h– by the 16th century.)<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>It took a surprisingly long time for <\/em>hypocrite to gain its more general meaning that we use today: \u201ca person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.\u201d\u00a0 Our first citations for this use are from the early 1700s, nearly 500 years after <\/em>hypocrite first stepped onto English\u2019s stage.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On bibleone.net<\/a> hypocrisy <\/em>was distinguished from bearing <\/em>or taking the Lord\u2019s name in vain<\/em> by ascribing more evil intent to hypocrisy<\/em>:<\/p>\n

The meaning of the words, \u201chypocrite\u201d and \u201chypocrisy,\u201d as used in the Bible by our Lord Jesus Christ (primarily directed toward the \u201creligious\u201d leaders of the day) implies more than a \u201csimple pretense\u201d or \u201cacting out as a stage-player.\u201d\u00a0 It embodies a purposeful intent, which stems from a deep-seated core of evil.\u00a0 More than this, it suggests a determined effort to enforce a standard of conduct upon others, which conduct the enforcer knowingly and deliberately refuses to apply to himself–hence, action born of full knowledge and evil intent.\u00a0 It is not merely the failure to live up to a holy standard–a condition applicable to every believer on any given day.\u00a0 It is the condition of a person who is controlled by the sin nature to the end-desire of having power over other human beings by imposing on them a set of rules, which he himself intentionally disregards.\u00a0 It is a condition applicable to either an unbeliever or a believer, i.e., a believer who is outside God\u2019s will and under the influence of the sin nature.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/a>I was particularly taken by the words imposing on them a set of rules<\/em>.\u00a0 That is acting<\/em> at its core.\u00a0 Some rules are imposed by the writer through the script.\u00a0 Some are imposed by the director who interprets the script and blocks the scenes.\u00a0 Most are self-imposed by the actor.\u00a0 Though actors call them choices<\/em>,[5]<\/sup><\/a> they are rules of behavior, what a particular character will or will not say or do in any given scene, derived from observation, research, experimentation and a deeply imaginative identification with the character to be performed.\u00a0 Actors can win some arguments with both the writer and the director (since both are more focused on the work as a whole) because good actors ultimately know the individual characters they play better, at least more interestingly.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t misunderstand me, I love actors and fully appreciate what they do, especially film actors.\u00a0 I\u2019ve had more opportunity to see them work up close, no one famous though a few were recognizable.\u00a0 I sit with a silly grin on my face watching Amy Adams<\/a> sing and dance her way through New York City in Enchanted<\/a>, and am just as rapt watching her decipher an alien language in Arrival<\/a>.\u00a0 A brief exchange in Arrival between linguist Louise (Amy Adams) and physicist Ian (Jeremy Renner<\/a>) encapsulates how I feel about studying the Bible.<\/p>\n

Ian: You know, I was doing some reading about this idea that if you immerse yourself into a foreign language, that you can actually rewire your brain.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Louise: Yeah, the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis<\/a>\u2026It\u2019s the theory that the language you speak determines how you think and\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

Ian: Yeah.\u00a0 It affects how you see everything.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You were taught with reference to your former way of life<\/em>, Paul wrote believers in Ephesus, to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man who has been created in God\u2019s image \u2013 in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth<\/em>.[6]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 It\u2019s not a matter of being renewed<\/em>\u00a0(\u1f00\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd\u03b5\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9, a form of \u1f00\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd\u03b5\u03cc\u03c9<\/a>) by learning Greek or Hebrew, but by immersing oneself in how the Holy Spirit thinks and communicates in Greek or Hebrew.\u00a0 No matter how hard Amy Adams worked to become Giselle or Louise, no matter how many choices<\/em> she made, she never became a cartoon princess or a xenolinguist in reality.<\/p>\n

Stephen J. Cole<\/a>, in the \u201cThe Deadly Sin of Hypocrisy<\/a> (Acts 4:36-5:11<\/a>),\u201d wrote:<\/p>\n

While Jesus was tender with many notorious sinners, He used scathing language to denounce those guilty of religious hypocrisy.<\/p>\n

The story of Ananias and Sapphira warns us of the danger of the sin of hypocrisy.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

None of the Greek words for hypocrite <\/em>or hypocrisy<\/em>\u2014\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2<\/a>, \u1f51\u03c0\u03cc\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2<\/a>, \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9<\/a>\u2014occur in, or anywhere near, the story of Ananias and Sapphira.\u00a0 I assume Pastor Cole took an 18th<\/sup>-century definition of hypocrisy<\/em>\u2014not living up to professed beliefs\u2014or a 13th<\/sup>-century understanding of ypocrite<\/em>\u2014deliberate deception\u2014and applied it to the story of Ananias and Sapphira.\u00a0\u00a0Peter said, \u201cAnanias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie<\/em> (\u03c8\u03b5\u1f7b\u03c3\u03b1\u03c3\u03b8\u03b1\u03b9, a form of \u03c8\u03b5\u03cd\u03b4\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9<\/a>) to the Holy Spirit<\/em>\u2026\u201d[7]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 If we think of hypocrisy <\/em>as something so evil no believer would dare do it, we miss Jesus\u2019 point about doing righteousness as actors play a role, because we do it all of the time.\u00a0 It\u2019s how we think.\u00a0 It\u2019s how we speak to one another:<\/p>\n

A Christian wouldn\u2019t do that!\u00a0\u00a0 A Christian shouldn\u2019t do that!\u00a0 Christians should do thus and such.\u00a0 A real Christian would do this or that!<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

These are the arguments of actors: observing, researching, experimenting, engaging in deeply imaginative thought about what a Christian might be like and trying to perform that as a series of choices<\/em>\u2014that is, by obeying rules about how a Christian should or should not behave (Galatians 2:11-14<\/a>).\u00a0 It is significantly different from being born from above<\/a>, possessed (Romans 8:12-17<\/a>) by his Holy Spirit, filled with God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The simplest reason why \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2<\/a> was translated hypocrite <\/em>in the 16th<\/sup> century is that the Latin derived actor<\/a> <\/em>was understood as an agent or doer<\/a> <\/em>and may have confused the reader regarding the contrast Paul had created<\/a>\u2014building on Jesus\u2019 allusion to the Greek theater<\/a>\u2014between \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2 and \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03b7\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2<\/a>, the doers<\/a> <\/em>(\u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u1f76, a form of \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03b7\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2) of the law<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve wasted too much time assuming Jesus was an angry preacher spouting pejoratives rather than patiently communicating\u00a0the words of eternal life<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0 So I\u2019ll take forms of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2 at face value and remove the exclamation points from the text. \u00a0(They are obvious editorial comments added by translators.)\u00a0 And then hopefully see Jesus again, see the smile on his face and the twinkle of his eyes as He reveals the name of his Father<\/a>, God is love<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

Be on your guard against the<\/em> teaching (Matthew 16:5-12<\/a>) of the Pharisees<\/em>, Jesus told his disciples, which is<\/em> acting class (\u1f51\u03c0\u1f79\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2<\/a>).[9]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Actors observe and judge others.\u00a0 It is part and parcel of their craft as they prepare a role (Matthew 7:1<\/a>-5 NET):<\/p>\n

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. \u00a0For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure<\/a> you receive. \u00a0Why do you see the speck in your brother\u2019s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? \u00a0Or how can you say to your brother, \u2018Let me remove the speck from your eye,\u2019 while there is a beam in your own? \u00a0You actor<\/em> (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u1f71, a form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, first remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother\u2019s eye.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Self promotion is part of the job of being a working actor (Matthew 6:1-4 NET):<\/p>\n

Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. \u00a0Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. \u00a0Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the actors (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1\u1f76, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em> do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. \u00a0I tell you the truth, they have their reward. \u00a0But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift may be in secret. \u00a0And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Actors crave an audience and thrive in the limelight (Matthew 6:5, 6, 16-18 NET):<\/p>\n

Whenever you pray<\/a>, do not be<\/a> like<\/a> the actors (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1\u1f77, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see<\/a> them. \u00a0Truly I say to you, they have their reward [Table<\/a>]<\/em>. \u00a0But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. \u00a0And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.<\/p>\n

When you fast, do not look sullen like<\/a> the actors (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1\u1f76, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, for they make their faces unattractive so that people will see them fasting. \u00a0I tell you the truth, they have their reward [Table<\/a>]<\/em>. \u00a0When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. \u00a0And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Actors never actually become the character they perform by acting (Matthew 15:1-9; Luke 13:14-16 NET):<\/p>\n

Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said, \u201cWhy do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? \u00a0For they don\u2019t wash their hands when they eat.\u201d \u00a0He answered them, \u201cAnd why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? \u00a0For God said, \u2018Honor your father and mother<\/em><\/strong>\u2019 and \u2018Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death<\/em><\/strong>.\u2019 \u00a0But you say, \u2018If someone tells his father or mother, \u201cWhatever help you would have received from me is given to God,\u201d he does not need to honor his father.\u2019 \u00a0You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. \u00a0Actors (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1\u1f77, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said, \u2018This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em>\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, \u201cThere are six<\/a> days on which work should be done! \u00a0So come and be healed on those days<\/a>, and not on the Sabbath day.\u201d \u00a0Then<\/a> the Lord answered him, \u201cYou actors<\/a> (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1\u1f77, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall, and lead it to water? \u00a0Then shouldn\u2019t this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be released from this imprisonment on the Sabbath day?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since those attempting to serve God by acting are not led by his Holy Spirit, they do not share the mind of Christ<\/a> <\/em>but pursue their own agendas<\/a> (Matthew 22:15-22; Luke 12:54-56 NET):<\/p>\n

Then the Pharisees went out and planned together to entrap him with his own words. \u00a0They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, saying, \u201cTeacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. \u00a0You do not court anyone\u2019s favor because you show no partiality. \u00a0Tell us then, what do you think? \u00a0Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?\u201d<\/p>\n

But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said, \u201cActors (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1\u1f77, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, why are you testing me? \u00a0Show me the coin used for the tax.\u201d \u00a0So they brought him a denarius. \u00a0Jesus said to them, \u201cWhose image is this, and whose inscription?\u201d \u00a0They replied, \u201cCaesar\u2019s.\u201d \u00a0He said to them, \u201cThen give to Caesar the things that are Caesar\u2019s, and to God the things that are God\u2019s.\u201d \u00a0Now when they heard this they were stunned, and they left him and went away.<\/p>\n

Jesus also said to the crowds, \u201cWhen you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, \u2018A rainstorm is coming,\u2019 and it does. \u00a0And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, \u2018There will be scorching heat,\u2019 and there is. \u00a0You actors (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03b1\u1f77, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, you know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how to interpret the present time?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jesus described the experts in the law and you Pharisees<\/em> as actors who keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven. \u00a0For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in<\/em>.[10]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.<\/em>[11]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law \u2013 justice, mercy, and faithfulness. \u00a0You should have done these things without neglecting the others<\/em>.[12]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0 You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. \u00a0Blind<\/a> Pharisee, first clean the inside<\/a> of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too<\/em>.[13]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. \u00a0In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy<\/em> (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u1f77\u03c3\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2, a form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03cc\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2) and lawlessness<\/em> (\u1f00\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u1f77\u03b1\u03c2, a form of \u1f00\u03bd\u03bf\u03bc\u03af\u03b1<\/a>).[14]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous<\/em>.[15]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Jesus warned of the consequence of an actor masquerading as a minister of the Gospel (Matthew 24:45-51 NET):<\/p>\n

Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their food at the proper time? \u00a0Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work when he comes. \u00a0I tell you the truth, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions. \u00a0But if that evil slave should say to himself, \u2018My master is staying away a long time,\u2019 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two, and assign him a place with the actors (\u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u1ff6\u03bd, another form of \u1f51\u03c0\u03bf\u03ba\u03c1\u03b9\u03c4\u03ae\u03c2)<\/em>, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done<\/em> (\u1f14\u03c0\u03c1\u03b1\u03be\u03b5\u03bd, a form of \u03c0\u03c1\u03ac\u03c3\u03c3\u03c9<\/a>) while in the body, whether good or evil<\/em>.[16]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 We do not want to appear before the judgment seat of Christ <\/em>as actors with nothing to show but works <\/em>(\u1f14\u03c1\u03b3\u03c9\u03bd, a form of \u1f14\u03c1\u03b3\u03bf\u03bd<\/a>) of righteousness that we have done <\/em>(\u1f10\u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u1f75\u03c3\u03b1\u03bc\u03b5\u03bd, a form of \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03ad\u03c9<\/a>).[17]<\/sup><\/a> \u00a0We want to have some pattern of behavior that demonstrates we have not ignored his teaching or rejected his salvation, that we have heeded his admonition\u2014above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness<\/em>[18]<\/sup><\/a>\u2014and that each of us is one who practices <\/em>(\u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u1ff6\u03bd, another form of \u03c0\u03bf\u03b9\u03ad\u03c9) the truth<\/em>, one who comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that<\/em> [our] deeds <\/em>(\u1f14\u03c1\u03b3\u03b1, another form of \u1f14\u03c1\u03b3\u03bf\u03bd) have been done<\/em> (\u03b5\u1f30\u03c1\u03b3\u03b1\u03c3\u03bc\u1f73\u03bd\u03b1, a form of \u1f10\u03c1\u03b3\u03ac\u03b6\u03bf\u03bc\u03b1\u03b9<\/a>) in God<\/em>.[19]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

I want to consider another film.\u00a0 Before I Fall<\/a> didn\u2019t do very well at the box office<\/a>.\u00a0 It\u2019s Groundhog Day<\/a> as straight-up tragedy.\u00a0 But I thought it was a deeply moving, poignant film with one fatal flaw.\u00a0 There are spoilers here for those who are bothered by such things.<\/p>\n

Sam (Zoey Deutch<\/a>), a self-absorbed teenage girl (Samantha), wakes up on the day of her death.\u00a0 She repeats that day until she gets it right.\u00a0 \u201cFor the first time, when I wake up,\u201d her voiceover says on the last iteration of the last day of her life, \u201cI\u2019m not scared or confused or angry.\u00a0 Because, for the first time, I truly understand what needs to happen.\u00a0 I truly understand how to live this day.\u201d\u00a0 Sam\u2019s transformation from self-absorbed teenage girl to loving daughter, sister and friend is truly breathtaking to behold.<\/p>\n

The fatal flaw?\u00a0 It\u2019s not believable.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t think Ms. Deutch\u2019s acting is to blame.\u00a0 Christ-likeness apart from Christ isn\u2019t credible.\u00a0 Sam\u2019s beautiful transformation is credited to her own knowledge, gained through the experience of repeating the same day over and over (not unlike an actor rehearsing), and her own \u201cbig heart.\u201d \u00a0And none of us gets to do the same day over and over to acquire such knowledge.\u00a0 Believers are called to live a new day of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control everyday forever.<\/p>\n

Hypocrisy<\/em>, by the way, isn\u2019t the unforgivable sin.\u00a0 Living an\u00a0honest life of sin is never preferable to acting <\/em>like the righteous.\u00a0 If the fruit of the Spirit seems AWOL and the only way to obey God\u2019s law is in one\u2019s own strength\u2014and that is possible\u2014by all means do that.\u00a0 Just don\u2019t mistake that for the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe<\/em>.[20]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Open the Bible and search diligently for his righteousness once the immediate crisis has passed\u2014win, lose or draw.<\/p>\n

My own search began (for the purpose of this discussion) with the Ten Promises<\/a>.\u00a0 Though hearing the Ten Commandments as promises wasn’t exactly the silver bullet I hoped at the time, it did begin to change my attitude toward God and my relationship<\/a> to Him.\u00a0 So as a conclusion to this essay I invite the reader to hear his promise (Jeremiah 31:31-34<\/a>) to all who believe, all who are led by his Spirit<\/a>: You shall not<\/em> bear the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who<\/em> bears his name in vain<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\n
Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 4<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Cobwebs<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Romans, Part 92<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Psalm 22, Part 5<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Romans, Part 10<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Language<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to The Book of Life, Part 2<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Nothing True, Part 3<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to The Children of Promise, Part 2<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Exploration, Part 3<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Exploration, Part 8<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Exploration, Part 9<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to 3 John<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

<\/a>[1]<\/sup> Exodus 20:7 (NET) [Table<\/a>]<\/p>\n

<\/a>[2]<\/sup> Table 1<\/a>, Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 3<\/p>\n

<\/a>[3]<\/sup> Galatians 5:4 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[4]<\/sup> Philippians 3:9 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[5]<\/sup> An excerpt from a video transcript<\/a> of John Walcutt<\/a> teaching young actors (all female apparently) follows:<\/p>\n

\u2026as you start to, you know, get more into grown up acting, you\u2019re going to be expected to be able to make choices and what that means is, what we started talking about last week where you could look at material and go, \u201cHmm, what if I did this? What if I looked at it from this point of view? What if I decided that she is guilty? What if I decided, she\u2019s lying?\u201d When you make choices, your work gets interesting\u2026
\nThe lines are only ten percent of a scene, right? We talked about that. The other 90% \u00a0is what\u2019s underneath, that\u2019s where you have to make choices so here\u2019s how I want you to think about it. Once you read through a scene and you start to get an idea of what it\u2019s about, understand it. The first thing I want you to ask yourself is, \u201cWho am I? Who am I in this scene? and if you just say\u2026 if you make a choice like, \u201cOkay, I\u2019m a girl.\u201d Well that might be an interesting choice for me but for most of you, it\u2019s not going to be an interesting choice. It has to be more specific. I\u2019m a girl who has issues with her dad. I\u2019m a girl who wants to drop out of school because I can\u2019t stand my teachers. I\u2019m, I\u2019m competitive. I\u2019m angry. I\u2019m, I\u2019ve low self esteem. I\u2019m happy-go-lucky, cheerful optimist.
\nYou make the most interesting choices you can. We call them Hot Choices so that, so that the scene starts to pop. So never say, \u201cI\u2019m just a girl.\u201d Never say, \u201cI\u2019m just her friend.\u201d Always make it as interesting and developed and complex as you can. So first thing you ask yourself, \u201cWho am I?\u201d Second thing you ask yourself, \u201cWhat do I want?\u201d What do I want in this scene, what is my objective?\u201d And always make it about getting something from the other person, as simple as possible and it can change from line to line. Objectives change so I want to make you smile. I want to make you cry, I want to scare you, I want to wake you up, I want you to say, \u201dI love you.\u201d I want you to laugh. Those are all choices and they determine how you\u2019re going to say your lines\u2026<\/p>\n

As actors mature choices<\/em> may become more personal<\/a> or more commercial<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[6]<\/sup> Ephesians 4:22-24 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[7]<\/sup> Acts 5:3a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[8]<\/sup> Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[9]<\/sup> Luke 12:1b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[10]<\/sup> Matthew 23:13 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[11]<\/sup> Matthew 23:15 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[12]<\/sup> Matthew 23:23 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[13]<\/sup> Matthew 23:25, 26 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[14]<\/sup> Matthew 23:27, 28 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[15]<\/sup> Matthew 23:29 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[16]<\/sup> 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[17]<\/sup> Titus 3:5a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[18]<\/sup> Matthew 6:33a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[19]<\/sup> John 3:21 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[20]<\/sup> Romans 3:22a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You shall not take (n\u0101\u015b\u0101’, \u05ea\u05e9\u05c1\u05d0; Septuagint: \u03bb\u1f75\u03bc\u03c8\u1fc3, a form of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9) the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes (n\u0101\u015b\u0101’, \u05d9\u05e9\u05c1\u05d0; Septuagint: \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u1f71\u03bd\u03bf\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1, another form of \u03bb\u03b1\u03bc\u03b2\u03ac\u03bd\u03c9) his … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3833],"tags":[2943,4187,3233,2093,415,4184,4185,4186,784,3613,4195,4193,4192,4194,2077,1062,1398,4196,4197,4198,4199,4189,4191,2513,4190,4188,4202,4203,4201,291,4200],"class_list":["post-9234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-section-four","tag-2-corinthians-510","tag-acts-53","tag-ephesians-422-24","tag-exodus-207","tag-galatians-522-23","tag-genesis-2118","tag-genesis-273","tag-genesis-3117","tag-john-321","tag-luke-121","tag-luke-1254-56","tag-luke-1314-16","tag-matthew-151-9","tag-matthew-2215-22","tag-matthew-2313","tag-matthew-2315","tag-matthew-2323","tag-matthew-2325-26","tag-matthew-2327-28","tag-matthew-2329","tag-matthew-2445-51","tag-matthew-61-4","tag-matthew-616-18","tag-matthew-633","tag-matthew-65-6","tag-matthew-71-5","tag-movies-arrival","tag-movies-before-i-fall","tag-movies-enchanted","tag-romans-322","tag-titus-35"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9234"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9234\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29436,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9234\/revisions\/29436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}