Hearts without guile and hypocrisy

Without guile or hypocrisy!

“Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!’ Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do You know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’” John 1:47-48.

Soon Jesus will come again, and all the true, spiritual Israelites, in whom is no guile, will be raptured. Jesus’ life was absolutely pure. Neither guile nor hypocrisy of any kind was found in Him. His sacrifice was wholehearted and bloodstained. Yet wherever He went He met guile and religious hypocrisy. They honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him.

“In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy!’” Luke 12:1.

Here we can see how seriously Jesus viewed hypocrisy. He hated it! Therefore we can understand why Jesus was so glad when He discovered Nathanael. Jesus did not give him a superficial testimony. He had examined him closely when He saw him under the fig tree.

Open and honest, with their lives in the light

Jesus can give this same testimony to all spiritual Israelites—those who are in His bride. Can He say this about you and me as we go about our daily tasks? “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” If not, then we should see to it that He can say this about us as soon as possible, so we can be molded and be ready for His coming.

The condition for entering Jesus’ school of discipleship is to forsake everything, putting off all guile and hypocrisy and all remains of malice. (1 Peter 2:1; James 1:21)

How good it is when we meet such true disciples, knowing that we will never meet anything evil coming from them. They never act from ulterior motives. They are open and honest; their lives are in the light. They think, speak, and do good. We never see anything to the contrary. If we could look into their hearts, we would discover far more good than can be seen. This is the true, unfailing brotherhood in the body of Christ. It stands the test in both good and bad days here on earth, and for all eternity.

It will be a great day when Jesus, at His coming, gathers His teachable students whom He Himself has fully trained, to His eternal praise and glory. They will be eternal stones in the city, the New Jerusalem, and the nations will walk in its light and glory. Revelation 21. This is not a mixed glory. It is clear as crystal; it is genuine through and through.

Keep your heart pure

The gospel is true salvation from every kind of guile and hypocrisy. Peter proclaimed the gospel, and the Gentiles' hearts were purified by faith. (Acts 15:9) “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8. However, keeping the heart pure is not an automatic process. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23.

Temptations come as evil and impure thoughts from my flesh and want to gain room in my heart. This is where I need to fight in faith to keep my heart pure. It is not sin to be tempted, but if I open my heart to evil and impure thoughts, I will become evil and impure. We must not give in to the devil. We must resist him, steadfast in the faith. We shall quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with the shield of faith. Ephesians 6:16.

Through faith in Christ, it is in fact possible to keep our hearts pure, without guile or hypocrisy, even in these last, evil days when people have an appearance of godliness but deny its power. 2 Timothy 3:5.

A steadfast spirit

“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:6. God cannot impart to me the most precious thing He has—His wisdom, which is first and foremost pure—if I do not have room for Him in the innermost and deepest recesses of my heart. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10.

This spirit is not unsteady in any way—not wavering or capricious. It must be a steadfast spirit in everything that is noble, good, and true, and on which both God and people can rely. This is the kind of brothers Jesus has, with whom He will rejoice together for all eternity in the greatest glory. And Jesus is the firstborn among such brothers. (Romans 8:29)