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9. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.Luke 12:9. Jesus, speaking to a large crowd, says, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." For the Pharisees, pretending to be good, hid their evil intentions, lacking true sincerity. Hypocrisy spreads like yeast spreads through dough. Jesus teaches that nothing done in secret will remain hidden. You can hide nothing from God, and all things hidden shall be revealed. God knows you inside and out, the good and also the bad, and loves you just the same. True reverence for God will lead to a trust in God's goodness, which exceeds any human effort. Humans may kill a body, but cannot take away your reward in Christ. And no person can remove a soul from hell once God has placed it there. Everything created by God is under His care, and we need not be afraid, for Christ has redeemed us. We must publicly show allegiance to Christ in word and deed. Denying Christ leads to being denied in God's presence. The lesson: avoid hypocrisy, be genuine and faithful. Be honest, fear God, not men, and openly confess Jesus as God and Savior. Amen.