Hi Tony,
This is a helpful clarification of the NT concept of hypocrisy. If I’m hearing you right, hypocrisy isn’t that we fall short of God’s standards when we’re not meant to, but that we then pretend (to God and others) that we actually haven’t. It’s a superficial sense of righteousness that doesn’t accord with the inward reality.

Rather than pretend we’ve got our lives all figured out, God would rather we confess openly our failings to one another, thereby protecting us from a hypocritical existence. The problem, of course, with initially being dishonest about something is that we then have to perpetuate the lie in an ever-increasing game of keeping up the facade. Not surprisingly, the life of integrity is far less stressful!

In applying this to how we treat others, it has occurred to me that there are countless occasions when we might inadvertently encourage hypocrisy in another. Too often, I prefer others to be “doing fine”, rather than actually know what’s happening in their lives. In the busyness and tiredness of everyday life, it is easier to presume that someone is fine rather than that they need to confess something. Sadly, by keeping the conversation superficial, through subtle cues and tone of voice, we express our being open only to positive responses. By denying another the possibility of things not being right, our “encouraging conversations” may achieve the exact opposite, furthering the other person’s inability to feel safe enough to share their deeper inward struggles.

To prevent against an increase in hypocrisy, let us work at being Hebrews 3:12-like communities!
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.