Tag: hypocrisy

One reason for the “hypocrite” tag is the way in which the Christian message has been promoted and taught over the years – predominantly as a religion of rules and regulations that even Christians can’t live up to.  People then measure us by our own standards – which we don’t fully keep – and then label us as hypocrites.  Jesus spoke about this: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Matthew 23:2-3)

There is an underlying belief, even amongst many Christians, that one can be saved by being and doing good – that is, by keeping the Ten Commandments.  But what does the New Testament say about the Ten Commandments?

In 2 Corinthians 3, the apostle Paul refers to them as “the ministry that brought death” and “the ministry that condemns men.”  Why?  The Law was never meant to be a way of salvation.  It was introduced in order to make us aware that, in our own efforts, we cannot attain the standard of God’s perfection.  Paul puts it this way, “Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died.” (Romans 7:9).  That’s why he refers to the Law as “the ministry that brought death.”

The Law is like the black cloth that jewellers use to display their gems.  The black shows up the beauty and value of the gem in the same way that the blackness of the Law shows up the beauty and value of God’s grace.  The church was never meant to preach the Law as a standard for the world to follow – we don’t even live up to it ourselves, and this leads to accusations of hypocrisy

In his book Unchristian, David Kinnaman says, “Christians believe the primary reason outsiders have rejected Christ is that they cannot handle the rigorous standards of following Christ.  The unchristian faith – hypocritical, judgmental and full of empty moral striving – is what Paul warned his readers about.”  (See Galatians 3:3; 5:1, 13-15)

No one can live up to the “Christian image” of being good and not sinning. As a result because of the “wrong message” many Christians feel the need to project an image of “having it all together.  It’s at this point that hypocrisy is perceived.

The solution is radical transparency.  The Bible teaches that we will not attain perfection in this life.  We need to be honest and transparent about this.  God calls us to be authentic people – the real deal – not pretending to be something that we’re not:  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

Does your life point people to a life in Christ that bursts with the freedom to love, restoration, purity and transparency?  Or are you burying people under the weight of a self-righteous life?

I love the way Leo Tolstoy articulates this: “Attack me, I do this myself, but attack me rather than the path I follow and which I point out to anyone who asks me where I think it lies.  If I know the way home and am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way because I am staggering from side to side?”

For more blogs click here.

“Why are there so many hypocrites in the church?”  This is an often-heard question and impression that people outside the church have of Christians.  So, what is a Hypocrite?

The word was originally used by Greek and Roman actors who would use large masks and pretend to be something they were not.  The word came to be used by people who were externally religious but internally insincere.  Hypocrites care more about appearance than truth.  They’re more concerned with reputation than reality.

Of course, hypocrisy is nothing new.  Jesus scathingly denounced the religious hypocrites of his day and encouraged people to be sincere in their faith and pure in their motives.  Have a read of Matthew 23:1-36 to see the extent of Jesus’ anger towards religious hypocrites whom He viewed as “Whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones.”

There are still religious hypocrites around today.  I was turned off Christianity and became an atheist during my teenage years partly because of the hypocrisy I saw in one of my mate’s families, as well as at a Church of England Grammar School I attended.  If you have been turned off Christianity because of hypocrisy then allow me to apologize to you on their behalf.

People are genuinely disappointed when those who call themselves Christian don’t live up to the message they preach.  Some people who have sincerely sought truth have been turned away from the Christian faith because of hypocrisy.

Others use it as an excuse: “I won’t become a Christian because there are too many hypocrites in the church!”  I love motivational speaker Zig Ziglar’s response to this: “Why not?  We can handle another one!”

Why are there hypocrites in the Church?

– Because there are hypocritical people in all walks of life.
– Because there will always be counterfeits of the real thing.  For example, you’ll never find a counterfeit $7 note because there is no such thing as a $7 note.  The fact that there are counterfeit Christians around means there must be the real thing as well – that’s good news!
– Because some people call themselves Christian but they are really not.  They go to church, wear a cross, have a sticker on their car, and carry a big black Bible but they’ve never had a life-changing encounter with Jesus!
– Because some people have a wrong understanding of what a Christian really is.  Some have an enormous expectation that Christians need to be perfect.

But the reality is Christians are not perfect; they’re still under construction.  In fact, the first step to becoming a Christian is to acknowledge to yourself and to God that you cannot make it in your own strength.  The Bible says we all fall short of God’s standard of perfection – we all miss the mark (Romans 3:23).  That’s why we need God’s grace.  That’s what being a Christian is all about.

Why are there so many hypocrites in the church?  I have a better question for you:  Are you going to allow a hypocrite to deny you from having a life-changing relationship with your creator?  The fact is, if a hypocrite is standing between you and God, the hypocrite is closer to God than you are!