Hypocrites in sports have been around for a long time. Recently, former major leaguer and manager Pete Rose reapplied for reinstatement to baseball. He was suspended years ago by the commissioner of baseball for gambling.

Coaches and athletes are not perfect. I doubt that’s a revelation to you. Both make mistakes and often, those mistakes draw more negative attention than they should. Coaches and athletes always make things worse when their beliefs don’t match up to their actions.

 Galatians 2 – Saying This—Doing That

When Paul observed the inconsistency between Peter’s faith and his practice in Galatians 2, he pointed out the apparent contradiction.

Peter lived like the Gentiles, observing their customs, speaking their language, and eating their foods, but his beliefs were not consistent with his actions. To have fellowship with the Jerusalem visitors, the Gentiles would need to live like Jews. It became evident to everyone that Peter was a hypocrite.

Most would agree that hypocrisy is not something we should model for others. Yet it is pretty easy to slide into it. One recommendation for avoiding hypocrisy is to have an accountability partner or small group that can help you detect and destroy the hypocrisy in your life.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete see themselves as ambassadors for Christ (1 Cor. 5:20) and model their life after Jesus with their attitudes and actions. They remind themselves that any hypocrisy might cause unbelievers to reject the message because the messenger lives an inconsistent life. Based on Galatians 2, use the HEAR journal below to develop your understanding and application of this passage.