Christians are Hypocrites

Darn right we are. We're no better than anyone else.

Wait a second. What did that just say? OK, allow me to spell it out for you. Christians are hypocrites. Yes, yes, yes we are. One of the most common accusations thrown at Christians is that we are hypocrites. And it's true. We are.



You Church People...

The problems are many in this discussion, but I suppose, since I decided to write a blog on it, I'll give some reasoning.


Yeah, like...everyone there.


First, Christianity is not a self-help program. Jesus is not something we add on to our life to improve ourselves. Much less, He is not an addition so that we can stand in the judgment seat and let everyone know how much better we are than them.

Second, Christianity is not moralism. This one is closely correlated to the previous one, but it needs to be said. Christianity is not about us being morally better. Does this mean that we do not desire to please God? Well, no. Does this mean that we accept sin as acceptable behavior? Well, no again. But then,we're every bit as sinful as anyone and everyone else.

Yep, all the time.

Thirdly, those outside the church see right through us. They should though, right? I mean, it's not like non-Christians are stupid. Lots of brilliant people in history have been non-Christians. So, being a Christian or not has nothing to do with intelligence. The problem here is that the world, just like many within the church, think church is about being better and improving yourself. So then when we aren't better, we get labeled as hypocrites, and the non-church people, who are just as sinful, get labeled as being more open, honest, and real. Sometimes it's because they reject that their sin is actually sin. That is most common. Other times it's simply because they're not "religious."

So then, what is the problem? Well, people have a completely incorrect view of what church is. Church people aren't better. And if they claim to be, they too have missed the point. We need the church precisely because we are not better and God judges by a perfect standard. More precisely, we need Jesus Christ. Not just church people, but everyone. He is also love and would have all people to be saved (1Tim 2:1-7).

Church is not a place to go to make yourself better. It's actually quite the opposite. It's a place to go to receive forgiveness of sins because you are not better and you know it. Because you ARE a hypocrite, you need to be forgiven. What we need is the Gospel! Self-improvement is not the good news if the standard is perfection and we cannot ever live up to that.

The world has missed the point too, or else they would be there as well. Many people within the church, as well as our culture at-large, don't know what the church is for.

It's not a self-help institution. It's not a place to get morally better.

It's a hospital for you, precisely because you're not morally perfect and never can be. We need grace and so does everyone else in this world.

+ Soli Deo Gloria +