Tim Tebow, who once quarterbacked the New York Jets and the Denver Broncos, has managed to maintain public visibility even though his football days appear to be over. Hee has done this is by openly marketing himself as an observant Christian. His words and actions on and off the field are the contemporary equivalent of broad phylacteries that Jesus referenced during one of his many rebukes of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:1-7.

Jesus said that the Pharisees purposefully displayed their righteousness so that others would see what they do and praise them for it. In Matthew 6:1-6 Jesus called people who make such public displays hypocrites. Comparing Tebow’s behaviors with Biblical warnings about public displays of religiosity, it seems fair to call him and other religious showoffs Pharisees and hypocrites.

Tim Tebow’s public displays earn positive praise from sectors of the Christian community who share his beliefs and value public displays of religiosity. As the Bible says, this praise is his full reward in full. This means that his rewards for these displays come from men — not from God.

It is bad enough that Tebow does his religious thing in public view just like the Pharisees. Even worse is the fact that he actually receives praise and even income for doing it. It is not an overstatement, therefore, to suggest that all of his public speech and behavior has an underlying commercial motive.

That Tebow attracts this attention is clear evidence that this kind of behavior is accepted and encouraged by others who also identify themselves as Christians. This is consistent with the fact these admirers also practice their religion for the public to see. That means that all the religious things that they say and do are fake faith because religion and faith are not equal.

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