Watch the Hypocrites — Not the Sinners by Adeline Atlas

digital products passive income social media May 17, 2025

Welcome back to Soul Renovation. I’m Adeline Atlas — 7-times published author.

Sinners are visible. Their struggle is honest. But hypocrites wear masks and manipulate perception. It’s not failure you have to fear — it’s fake righteousness disguised as spiritual authority. Discernment isn’t judgment — it’s protection.*

Sinners are okay. They’re real. Raw. They’ll show you what they’re battling. But it’s the hypocrites you’ve gotta watch for. Because at least a sinner will look you in the eye and say, “Yeah, I’m working through it.” But a hypocrite? They’ll preach one thing and practice another. They’ll wear the robe of righteousness in public and operate from ego, control, manipulation, and judgment when no one’s watching.
Let me be clear — I’m not here to throw stones. We all fall short. We all miss the mark. But the issue isn’t imperfection — it’s performance. It’s the people who know they’re out of alignment, but still parade around like they’re chosen, like they’re clean, like they’ve got a backstage pass to God while throwing shade at everyone else’s process.
This is where spiritual discernment matters. Because we’ve been taught to fear “sinners” — the wild ones, the ones who left the church, the ones with the past, the tattoos, the loud energy. But a lot of the time, those are the people God’s actually using. Because they’re humble. They’re aware. They know their need for grace. They’re not hiding behind performance — they’re walking through their healing out loud.

Meanwhile, it’s the ones quoting scripture the loudest, pointing fingers the hardest, acting like they’ve got it all figured out — that are the most spiritually dangerous. Why? Because they teach control, not freedom. They uphold image, not truth. And they’ll crucify you for what they’re doing in secret. That’s not conviction. That’s deception.
I’ll always take the one who’s honest about their flaws over the one who pretends they don’t have any. I’ll take the woman rebuilding her life from the ground up, shaking, praying, showing up — over the one who’s doing everything right on paper but operating from spiritual pride. Because here’s what I know: God works through authenticity. He doesn’t bless performance — He blesses positioning. And the one who’s willing to admit they’re broken? That’s the one He can rebuild.
This world doesn’t need more perfect people. It needs real people. It needs more room for honesty. For questions. For messy faith. For growth without shame. And that’s not going to come from people who pretend they’ve mastered everything — it’s going to come from the ones brave enough to say, “I’m still in process, and I’m still showing up.”
And here’s the deeper truth — hypocrites aren’t just dangerous spiritually. They’re dangerous relationally. Because you’ll be trying to heal, and they’ll be trying to humble you publicly to feel better about themselves. You’ll be trying to grow, and they’ll twist your transformation into a talking point. They weaponize your honesty against you. That’s not conviction. That’s ego in a religious costume.
So what’s the move? Stay honest. Stay soft. But stay sharp. Pay attention to fruit, not just language. Watch how people treat others when no one’s clapping. Watch how they handle correction. Watch how they talk about other people’s sins while hiding their own. That’s how you know the difference between someone who’s human — and someone who’s pretending to be holy.
Because the truth is — God never had a problem with sinners. He walked with them. He healed them. He dined with them. The only people He called out publicly? The religious elite. The ones who used the law to control. The ones who used fear to elevate themselves. That’s not divine. That’s manipulation.

So if you’ve been made to feel like you don’t belong because you’re still healing? Still figuring things out? Still messy? Let me remind you: God works through real. The anointing flows through transparency. Your breakthrough isn’t being delayed because you’re imperfect — it’s being built right in the middle of your mess.