“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 6:1
Jesus is saying to beware the motives of your heart. Three times in this passage, with regards to giving, praying, and fasting, Jesus says, “when… don’t be like the hypocrites”
Jesus is showing us what it looks like to be a Christ follower and a citizen in God’s Kingdom. He is also showing us examples of authentic faith vs. counterfeit faith. The difference in replica, fake, counterfeit and what is real goes far deeper than appearance. It goes to the motives and to the heart.