42. The Hypocrite Discovered.

Will he always call upon God? - Job 27:10.

A hypocrite may be a very neat imitation of a Christian. He professes to know God, to converse with him, to be dedicated to his service, and to invoke his protection: he even practices prayer, or at least feigns it. Yet the cleverest counterfeit fails somewhere, and may be discovered by certain signs. The test is here: "Will he always call upon God?"

I. WILL HE PRAY AT ALL SEASONS OF PRAYER?

· Will he pray in private? Or is he dependent upon the human eye, and the applause of men?

· Will he pray if forbidden? Daniel did so. Will he?

· Will he pray in business? Will he practice ejaculatory prayer? Will he look for hourly guidance?

· Will he pray in pleasure? Will he have a holy fear of offending with his tongue? Or will company make him forget his God?

· Will he pray in darkness of soul? Or will he sulk in silence?

II. WILL HE PRAY CONSTANTLY?

If he exercises the occasional act of prayer, will he possess the spirit of prayer which never ceases to plead with the Lord? We ought to be continually in prayer, because we are:

· Always dependent for life, booth temporal and spiritual, upon God. Long as they live should Christians pray, For only while they pray they live.

· Always needing something, nay, a thousand things.

· Always receiving, and therefore always needing fresh grace wherewith to use the blessing worthily.

· Always in danger. Seen or unseen danger is always near, and none but God can cover our head.

· Always weak, inclined to evil, apt to catch every infection of soul-sickness, "ready to perish" (Isa. 27:13).

· Always needing strength, for suffering, learning, song, or service.

· Always sinning. Even in our holy things sin defiles us, and we need constant washing.

· Always weighted with other men's needs. Especially if rulers, pastors, teachers, parents.

· Always having the cause of God near our heart if we are right; and in its interests finding crowds of reasons for prayer.

III. WILL HE PRAY IMPORTUNATELY?

· If no answer comes, will he persevere? Is he like the brave horse who will pull at a post at his master's bidding?

· If a rough answer comes, will he plead on? Does he know how to wrestle with the angel, and give tug for tug?

· If no one else prays, will he be singular, and plead on against wind and tide?

· If God answer him by disappointment and defeat, will he feel that delays are not denials, and still pray?

IV. WILL HE CONTINUE TO PRAY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE OF LIFE?

The hypocrite soon gives up prayer under certain circumstances.

· If he is in trouble, he will not pray, but will run to human helpers.

· If he gets out of trouble, he will not pray, but quite forget his vows.

· If men laugh at him, he will not dare to pray.

· If men smile on him, he will not care to pray. >1. He grows formal. He is half asleep, not watchful for the answer. He falls into a dead routine of forms and words.

2. He grows weary. He can make a spurt, but he cannot keep it up. Short prayers are sweet to him.

3. He grows secure. Things go well and he sees no need of prayer; or he is too holy to pray.

4. He grows infidel, and fancies it is all useless, dreams that prayer is not philosophical.