I think a good sign for a hypocrite is not admitting we are one. We wouldn’t truly be repentant if we didn’t acknowledge our own hypocrisy in our lives.
Great post.

Not everyone stays, of course, but from what I’ve encountered, hypocrisy is generally not a label I can attach to the Amish folk.

I totaly disagree. I think that if there’s any group of people that are hypocrites, its the Amish. I’ve been at amish country. They are legalists in the true sense of the word. They only emphasize the external and not the internal. Recently, it has been made known that there has been a lot of immmorality behind the scenes there.

You cannot tell a hypocrite from how he “looks” or “acts.” Hypocrites don’t look like hypocrites. They look humble, they look spiritual, they look godly. Holiness has nothing to do with the way you dress, look, manner of living, or what kind of standards one has.

So dressing in skimpy clothing or overly expensive clothing is “worldly” and not Christian, yet dressing simply is “all for show”?

Who lives up to your standard of being a Christian? John Calvin because of his correct theology? He also was not known as the “Pope of Geneva” for no reason: the man clearly had some questionable interior issues going on (lust for power, etc.)

If everyone’s a hypocrite and no behavior cannot be declared hypocrisy, this doesn’t seem like a very helpful post.

And yes, Calvin “may” have had some problems. But I think his reaction was to the wantonness of a Geneva in transition from Catholicism. He may well have been overbearing, but I think that we may be judging him a little rashly if we compare him with a pope in holiness—(which they weren’t at that time.) Remember also that the referring to him as a pope was made by his enemies, not those tending towards holiness.

However, the Amish community has gone too far in rejecting and separating from the outside world. I’ve spent time in true Amish areas off the beaten path (not the commercialized ones), and they would rarely look at you. The women would ALWAYS look away. None of this seemed all that humble to me. They’ve legislated the appearence of humilty but have rejected the substance. How can you spread the gospel that way?

Anyway, back to the post. Nathan, thank you for this fantastic reminder. I saved your post as a document and plan to interject some of this into our family alter time. And yes, Nathan, it did a samurai routine on my conscience as well.

I know of one and have heard of several more people tell that once they became truly saved within the Amish faith, they felt they had to leave that faith (Amish) for it was not a true faith (works righteousness).

“Holiness has nothing to do with the way you dress, look, manner of living, or what kind of standards one has.”

What I meant was this: Just because someone wears a certain article of clothing or chooses a certain style of living doesn’t mean that they are not hypocrites. Neither does it mean they are holy.

James–
Why would you berate people here with such things as “Who lives up to your standard of being a Christian? John Calvin”? I can assure you this: whatever *the* standard of holiness is, it sure isn’t your attitude.

Nevertheless, we are talking about inward holiness, not just an outward appearance holiness. The Pharisees were the certainly the outwardly holy people of their day, but inwardly they were ravenous wolves. I agree with the others here that from what I’ve read/seen about Amish, they are big on outward holiness in what is often self-righteousness. IMO, often times the most outwardly religious/strict/counter-cultural religious zealots are so because their theology teaches them that they must *work* to *obtain* salvation by merit (see the Mormons for an example). When salvation is based upon works, you’d be amazed what people will do outwardly to try to prove to themselves, others, and God, that they have made themselves righteous. See the Monks for another example of this.

In terms of this faith vs. works issue, the more I read of it the less I understand it. Are people who are not normally disposed to a life of virtue supposed to simply act out on every base impulse until Christ cures them of their spiritual afflictions? If there remains a man of sin (and St. Paul acknowledges that this the case), I would think there must be some effort, some “striving”, in overcoming that in something other than a passive manner. One may not earn their salvation, but we are also told to “work out our salvation in fear and trembling” which I think implies that the there is a road towards sanctification. There will be a duration in our lives where the interior dispositions and the outward face we show to others are not going to be in sync.

If, however, you are deeming hypocrisy to be the type of self-glorifying show as seen in some televangelists who profit by appearing to be holy, that’s another story altogether!

Thank you for penning these challenging words! They were much needed in my own life. God has used you to challenge me to the quick. Thanks for following God’s leading to write what He placed on your heart.

I’ve used this post on Pilgrim Scribblings. Trust that is O.K.

Keep writing the truth!

Your brother,

David Fisher