Hypocrisy Exposed: What Masks Could Teach Us
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I wrote a post for the church I pastor about how our rejection to wearing masks could keep us away from people who need to hear the gospel, or even rob us of opportunities. My point had nothing to do with the medical effectiveness or political significance of wearing a mask during the pandemic. (And it still doesn’t.) Yet, the negative responses from strangers are alarming.
At first, I wanted to respond to these Christians to give them a better argument for not wearing a mask then the inconsistent, selfish arguments they were offering. But the more I thought about the matter, the more I’ve come to see that masks—on our faces or not— expose dangerous hypocrisy in our theology and behavior.
Allow me to share some examples.
One responder commented something to the effect of, “We should not be afraid like the world and masks are a symbol of the world’s fear.” Along similar lines, another said, “My hope is in Jesus, not in a mask.”
Indeed, as Christians, our utmost hope must be in Christ, and we should not be afraid. But let us not miss God’s common grace to bless the world. One who won’t wear a mask based on the above argument should also reject other government regulated safety like seat belts, speed limits, fire extinguishers, and 911 services. The person making such arguments should care nothing for who wins political office, who is appointed as a Supreme Court Justice, or for the right to carry a concealed weapon. These are also things Christians might place hope and concern in (at least a little) because they all have some involvement in reducing (or increasing) things that could cause fear. God is sovereign over all things; it is God who empowers governments.
Another responder was concerned that masks are part of the liberal political addenda. The argument continued that if we give in to wearing masks, the next request will be to burn down all churches. “The government has no right to force us to submit to their agenda,” the angry response continued.
Even apart from the extreme language, it’s nonsensical. This is the argument of the pro-choice movement, the LGBTQ+ movement, and many others. It’s ironic how quickly cultural-Christians have adopted the same argument. When I pointed this out to someone recently, I was rebuffed with, “But abortion is about saving the life of the defenseless.” I think that’s part of the argument for masks, with seniors in mind, right? But is it even worth having that conversation?
My point is not to argue for or against wearing a mask. That’s what I was arguing in my original post. Despite my argument in favor of masks, I hate wearing a mask and my flesh balks when the government tells me to do anything I don’t want to do (like paying taxes, for example). But when I feel the flesh waging war in my soul and I start defending my flesh, alarms should go off. This is my point.
Christ called us to kill the flesh. Christ called us to come and die to self, then live in and for him. If I were somehow exempt from wearing a mask but masks on others was still required, would I be so quick to stand on conviction and fight for the removal of all masks? Probably not. It would seem I don’t love others as I love myself (Matthew 22:37-40). If all Christians wear masks in exchange for the end of all abortions around the world, would Christians stand in unity and wear masks for the rest of their lives? Sadly, I don’t think so. We don’t love others as Christ has loved us (John 13:34-35).
What my mask is showing me is my depravity and selfishness. What the arguments about masks are showing me is that I’m not alone. Hypocrisy runs deep and wide. Lord, help us!