Extending grace to the unlovable- that's the theme of the previous article. This time, Rev. Sang Ho Bae explained that true righteousness seeks God's approval rather than human praise, for He sees the hidden motives of the heart and rewards sincere acts of faith done in secret.
Jesus, in Matthew chapter 5, corrected the distorted teachings of the scribes and Pharisees and revealed the true spirit of the Law. And when He comes to chapter 6, He exposes the reality of their false piety, that is, their hypocrisy. Matthew chapter 6 is like a mirror that reflects the soul. Our hidden motives, our secret pride, and our desire to be recognized—things that have lived within us as we have been conscious of people's eyes—are laid bare before it. When one stands before this word, no one can lift his head, and repentance and self-examination naturally arise. The word exposes not our outward appearance but the true state of our hearts, as if stripping them bare.
The Lord said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before people to be seen by them; otherwise you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 6:1). Charity is a good and beautiful act, and throughout the entire Scripture God repeatedly commands us to care for the poor, the orphan and widow, and the sojourner. The early church also devoted the church’s resources to charity. In this way, charity is originally a good and precious work. But the problem the Lord pointed out is the heart with which a person approaches that good work. It is the desire to reveal oneself through charity—this is precisely the attitude of “blowing the trumpet.” Using good deeds to gain praise from people—this is the hypocrisy the Lord rebuked. And this is not merely the problem of the Pharisees of old, but the problem of all of us today. The desire for human recognition and praise lies deep within human nature, transcending all ages.
The Lord rebukes the act of giving and serving to receive praise from people as “hypocrisy.” The Greek word for “hypocrisy,” hypokritēs, originally referred to an actor in ancient Greek theater who wore a mask and performed on stage as another character. Just as an actor hides his own face and puts on the face of another, the hypocrite hides his true heart and performs piety. Outwardly he appears devout, but inwardly his heart is not directed toward God; rather, he lives conscious of the eyes of people. This is precisely the hypocrisy the Lord rebuked. Our hearts so easily lean toward the gaze of people. But the moment one seeks human praise, that act ceases to be piety and becomes hypocrisy.
The Lord said, “When you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” This does not literally mean that one should not know it oneself, but is an emphatic expression meaning that one should not make a name for oneself when doing good. First Peter 4:11 exhorts, “Whoever serves, let him do so as one who serves by the strength that God supplies.” The strength, the resources, and even the heart with which we can do good all come from God; therefore, the glory of good deeds must be given not to ourselves but to God alone.
The reason people advertise their good deeds is to gain praise. But the moment one becomes preoccupied with oneself, one drifts away from the essence of faith. Jesus never once used His power for Himself. Even when He healed the sick and cast out demons, He did not seek to reveal Himself. He said, “I do not receive glory from people” (John 5:41), and “He seeks the glory of the One who sent Him” (John 7:18). Mark 3:12 records, “He strictly ordered them not to make Him known.” The Lord lived entirely God-centered.
Then are the words “Let your light shine before people” (Matt. 5:16) and “Do your charity in secret” (Matt. 6:4) contradictory? By no means. Lloyd-Jones found the difference between these two passages in the matter of “motivation.” The good deeds spoken of in Matthew 5 are like light, which naturally shines forth; but Matthew 6 warns against good deeds done to be seen. Light cannot be hidden. A true believer’s life bears fruit that naturally becomes visible, even when he does not try to reveal himself. As a result, glory returns to God.
There is a reward from God for the acts of true faith. Some say that doing something in hope of a reward is childish faith. Absolutely not. Hebrews 11:6 says, “He rewards those who seek Him.” The great figures of Scripture looked to the reward. Moses considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt because he was looking to the reward God would give (Heb. 11:26). Jesus also “endured the cross for the joy set before Him… and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). Paul confessed, “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness” (2 Tim. 4:8). Looking to the heavenly reward is itself an expression of faith and is not childish faith but the mark of true, biblical faith.
But the moment one seeks praise from people, the reward from God disappears. The Lord says, “They have received their reward in full” (Matt. 6:2). Human praise passes by like a momentary breeze, but God’s reward is eternal. Therefore, the believer does not need to strive to leave a name in the world. One may be famous in the world yet stand empty-handed before God; and conversely, one may be unknown in the world yet receive great reward before God. In Matthew 25 the Lord speaks to those on His right: “I was hungry, and you gave Me food… I was a stranger, and you welcomed Me… I was in prison, and you came to Me.” They did not even remember that they had done such things, but the Lord had recorded them all.
As I reflect on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6, I am confronted by how deeply my heart longs to be seen. Psychology tells us that the human brain is wired to seek approval; praise activates the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and giving a temporary sense of satisfaction. Yet Jesus exposes how dangerous this can be for the soul. When good deeds are driven by the desire for recognition, the act may look holy on the outside but is already empty before God.
History shows that the Pharisees were respected religious figures, admired by society, yet Jesus saw beyond their public image and addressed the hidden motives of the heart. Science and experience both confirm what Scripture already teaches: external validation fades quickly, but inner transformation lasts. That is why Christ calls us to give in secret—not because goodness must be hidden, but because the heart must be purified.
When Jesus says not to let the left hand know what the right hand is doing, He invites me to live before an audience of One. In a world obsessed with visibility and self-promotion, secret obedience trains the soul to love God for God Himself. Faith grows deepest where no one is watching. As Scripture reminds us, God sees in secret and rewards in eternity. This truth frees me from performing for people and calls me back to sincere, God-centered living.
