Matthew 23:28 - Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Luke 12:1 - In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Yes, hypocrisy is even in the NT TO us!
I Timothy 4:2 - Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Questions

• Are you going to keep Paul's gospel of the risen Christ and Living God on the inside - still not interested in your walk 'in newness of life?"
• Are you ever going to show on the outside what you have on the inside ,,, you know... what it is to 'be' a Christian and not behave like the lost anymore?
• Do you think you are putting forth the proper testimony - 'almost' all the time?

Paul's Gospel - but...

• Yes - Paul's gospel deals with that for us... we know better and all about that stuff...
• But folks out there don't know that!

Just ask business owners and the Hallmark card president!

• Christmas
• Easter
• Veterans Day, Armed Forces day, etc.
• celebrating heroes of a war that came because America turned it's back on God's words!
• We glorify war victories and hide the truth of what was going on.
• It destroyed America from within.
• Look at war stories today - they glorify Catholicism, miracles, women power and feminism, rights, man's own might and spirit and power.
• Today, men think they are going to heaven based on the simple fact that God allowed them to live through the wars.
• Thanksgiving - almost an exception, of course, but still - we are to be thankful every day, not just one day.
• now even just a time for family to gather
• Patriotic and pilgrim stuff!  Hardly any true thanks to God - and if so, most of it is to the unknown God!
• Memorial Day - how many thousands died and went to Hell - and they go and decorate the grave and talk like they are fine today!  Are they hero's or victims?
• Labor Day
• Washington and Lincoln's Birthday
• Martin Luther King Day
• Flag Day
• Columbus Day
• Groundhog Day
• Valentine's Day
• St. Patrick's Day
• April Fool's Day
• Earth Day
• Administrative Assistants' Day, which once upon a time was Secretaries' Day
• Arbor Day
• Mothers' Day
• Fathers' Day, third Sunday in June
• Parents' Day
• Grandparents' Day
• United Nations Day
• Halloween
• And now we honor others, as well.  Cinco De Mayo, Ramadan, Kawanza, etc.

See Job 21:7-14

• Now, I wonder about Christians.
• Do we still really still think these holidays have anything to do with the Living God - let alone the so-called 'Patriotic Christian America?'
• It seems to me that Holidays have become an opportunity for us to forget about what we are trying to 'show and tell'  people about the truth and how to please God i none's walk throughout the rest of the year!

A better stand to their Unknown God than ours is to the Living God

• Sad to say, but we do have a few of the Great Commission crowd out there doing far better with their testimony than most of the Paul KJB rightly dividing folks!
• They DO take a stand on some things on the outward appearance, although on the inside, many tend to worship an unknown God. But still - they seem to 'behave' more like the Christian ought to - and I say that to our shame!
• yet - more and more are lowering their standards as they head to the new Christianity disillusioned about the old!

• spend and waste money they don't have - or shouldn't use for those purposes - many just add to their debt - sin for a season, it says!
• we take on many of the works of darkness
• we tend to put off the armour of light for a few hours - and have 'FUN' - sort of like a release of pent-up flesh being kept in check during the year!
• we can be just as loud as the world - and in some cases, even louder - like we are proud of it all!

• wantonness
• making provisions for the flesh
• fulfilling the lusts thereof
• riotous behavior
• behaviour that does not becometh holiness

• We are not sober minded in our activities
• we are not discreet
• we are not chaste
• we forget about our own children's good in what they see and hear - and then, on another day,  yell at them when they behave the SAME way another day!

• We show corruptness
• We show a lack of gravity
• We show a lack of soberness

• We give plenty of occasion for the adversary to speak reproachfully
• We speak things we ought not speak
• We behave in a manner we ought not behave
• We try to tear down the testimony of another by saying they are no fun - and actually cause them to stumble!  shame on you!
• We blaspheme the word of God!

• There is a sudden lack of shamefacedness
• There is a sudden lack of sobriety in one's outward appearance

• Modesty is compromised if not all together ignored and thrown out!
• Women are no longer in silence or subjection / nor do the men care - they must like to see their wives act like the world - FINALLY, eh!

• The sow back to wallowing in the mire and a dog back to his own vomit - but only on holidays!

III.  HolyDays to the World
As the spirit of Antichrist increases his work as the world approaches the Great Tribulation - we can see, through rightly dividing the word of truth, how holidays are becoming HolyDays to the world -

...AND sadly, even to the Christian who still can't see what is going on!

Faith Community!

• The world continues closer and closer to a "world faith!
• Good works based on their own discretion is the tool of this world faith.
• Agreeing to disagree - strength in diversity

• it is worship apart from the living God, of course - science falsely so called!
• it is worship to an unknown God again - still apart from the living God!
• it is worship of the creature than the Creator!

• today, we already see godliness without the power thereof...
• today, we already see they" will not" endure sound doctrine  (will not - not can't!  "they" shall turn away 'their' ears!

• More and more of our teens and children - and grown up children - are seeing the hypocrisy in the 'local church' today.
• They are asking the right questions.  It 'doesn't seem to work!'
• And they are right in their observations - it is NOT working!
• They don't know the correct answer, though!
• There are not many who can even tell them the correct answer, either!

STILL - profane and vain babblings that continue to lead folks into an increase of ungodliness!  II Timothy 2:15,16

These are some quotes from Corban College Journal - Summer 2007
(my comments in response are in blue)

Their emphasis:

behavior (orthopraxy)
over
belief (orthodoxy)

• Orthopraxy should serve as a means to an end, not an end unto itself!
• They react against evangelicals who seem more interested in debating the finer points of theology than serving other Christians and the world.
• Common thread?
• The extreme they are worried about are those who worship the Bible instead of the God of the Bible.
• They say we should be transformed into Christ's image!
• They push a return of mystical ancient rites - (Catholic and Greek Orthodox) - creating environments for experiencing God by walking through labyrinths, conducting contemplative prayer, lighting candles and adopting other ancient practices.

• For just one example:  Ephesians 2:8,9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
• their works are as they determine what are good works, of course.  Good is evil and evil is good these days... etc.

Their solution from those who do try to honestly care and want to stop this movement away from the church:

• Contextualization - presenting God's truth in a way that is understandable to a particular culture.
• can it get any simpler than one rightly divided Book - in print - free?
• II Corinthians 1:12 - For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
• II Corinthians 11:3 - But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

• when a church moves away from the essentials of Christianity - it already has!
• when it no longer clearly preaches personal salvation - it already doesn't!
• when it down plays the deity of Christ - their bibles already do that!
• when it allows the social gospel to supersede the believer's vital relationship with their Saviour - it already is happening!
• when it teaches that knowing God and his truth is impossible. - again, they say there is no one Bible - it is all 'feelings, etc."

• the journey of critical thinking and prayerful consideration!

Recommended reading,...

• Reclaiming the Center - Confronting Evangelical Accommodation in PostModern Times

BUT ALSO...
We MUST remember II Thessalonians 2:13-17

II Thessalonians 2:16,17 - Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

And that is where we receive our comfort and consolation!  By following Paul in a rightly divided Bible!
Philippians 2:1 - If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.