Everywhere you turn, people are talking about how divided we are as a nation. But the problem isn't division—it's that the vast majority of us are done tolerating hypocrisy. And that is where the fundamental shift is happening.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn once wrote:
"You only have power over people as long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything, he's no longer in your power—he's free again."
We're witnessing this in real-time. People are waking up to the reality that hypocrisy isn't just frustrating—it's a form of control. And we're done playing along.
The Sinner vs. The Hypocrite
When faced with a sinner or a hypocrite, choose the sinner because at least sinners are honest about what they are— and we all are technically included in this group (Romans 3:23)! But hypocrisy? That's another level. Jesus Himself had the most scathing words not for those struggling with sin but for those who paraded around in righteousness while betraying truth.
I'll take a foe over a faux any day!
The most fiery rebuke Jesus ever gave was in Matthew 23—the Seven Woes to the Pharisees. He called them out for their self-righteousness, double standards, and abuse of power. Sound familiar?
Let's break it down:
1. They Shut the Doors of Heaven on Others (Matthew 23:13)
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for blocking others from truth while pretending to be righteous. Today, we see the same thing:
- Politicians, media, and elites gatekeeping truth—deciding what's "acceptable" speech while silencing dissent.
- Religious leaders twisting doctrine for personal agendas, pushing a social gospel instead of the Gospel of Christ.
- Education systems indoctrinating rather than educating, shutting down any viewpoint that doesn't fit their narrative.
Truth isn't something to be controlled—it's something to be revealed.
2. They Exploit the Vulnerable (Matthew 23:14)
The Pharisees took advantage of widows while pretending to be holy. Today, we see leaders who:
- Exploit the poor for votes but never change their circumstances.
- Profit off crises while claiming to be the solution.
- Use "compassion" by weaponizing empathy as a front for corruption and greed.
They don't serve—they use. And just like in Jesus' time, God sees it all.
3. They Preach, but They Don't Practice (Matthew 23:15)
The Pharisees made disciples of hypocrisy. Today, we call that political theater.
- Leaders demand we make sacrifices while they live in excess.
- The rich are vilified, yet billionaire elites run the system.
- The powerful push restrictions—that never apply to them.
Jesus didn't tolerate it then. Why should we now?
4. They Twist Truth for Their Own Benefit (Matthew 23:16-22)
The Pharisees made oaths meaningless—choosing when to uphold truth based on what benefitted them. Today:
- The media manipulates facts to fit an agenda.
- Politicians redefine words to control narratives.
- Judges twist laws to serve power, not justice.
They aren't interested in truth. They're interested in control.
5. They Obsess Over Minor Issues but Ignore Justice (Matthew 23:23-24)
The Pharisees focused on religious rituals but neglected what mattered—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Today:
- Lawmakers obsess over "climate justice" while ignoring the exploitation of human lives.
- Leaders demand we "follow the science" except when it contradicts their ideology.
- Hollywood and corporations preach "equity" while profiting off slave labor.
They aren't about justice. They're about power.
6. They Look Good on the Outside but Are Rotten Inside (Matthew 23:25-28)
The Pharisees looked holy but were corrupt inside. Today:
- Leaders virtue-signal while their private lives are in shambles.
- Celebrities preach "morality" while covering up abuse and scandals.
- Institutions claim to be "ethical" while profiting off lies.
They polish the outside—but inside, it's all rotten.
7. They Honor the Prophets While Betraying Their Message (Matthew 23:29-36)
The Pharisees built monuments to past prophets but lived in total opposition to them. Today:
- We praise past civil rights leaders while promoting division.
- We celebrate historical faith while rewriting doctrine to fit culture.
- We claim to uphold freedom while eroding it at every turn.
Jesus exposed their hypocrisy. And He's exposing it again today.
Meritocracy vs. Equity: You Can't Have Both
One of the greatest hypocrisies of our time is the push for "equity" while pretending merit still matters. The truth is that you either have a meritocracy or you have forced equity—you can't have both.
- If we reward outcomes instead of effort, we punish excellence.
- If we lower the bar for fairness, we eliminate achievement.
- If we replace competence with quotas, we destroy progress.
The Pharisees manipulated religious laws to maintain power, and today's leaders manipulate fairness and opportunity to maintain power. It's the same playbook, but it's a different era.
What Comes Next?
We don't need perfect leaders. We need honest ones.
We don't need flawless institutions. We need transparent ones.
And we don't need a country where everyone agrees. We need a country where truth is held higher than politics, power, or personal agendas.
When we mess up, we need to fess up. Integrity isn't about never failing—it's about owning our failures and making them right.
The Great Awakening isn't about division. It's about people standing up and saying: Enough.
So the real question isn't whether we are divided. The real question is:
👉 Are we ready to stop tolerating hypocrisy and start demanding integrity?
