Monday Devotional: Dealing with Hypocrisy
“Why is there so much hypocrisy among Christians?” I get this question A LOT when people in the community discover that I’m a pastor. I also often hear another, similar refrain: “I went to church a long time ago but was really burned by the people.” The charge of hypocrisy which is leveled against us regularly attending church-folk is sadly true for the most part. I’ve yet to discover a church without any stains from hypocritical sin practices. God’s Word however gives us more than adequate guidance on how to deal with hypocrisy. Jesus taught often on the subject, as he naturally anticipated that his followers would face it on a consistent basis. The council of Scripture sheds much light on ways to counteract the hypocrisy that eats away at our evangelistic witness. Let’s talk about a few here.
First, the Bible does not water-down hypocrisy. From the first chapters of Genesis to the lukewarmness of the churches in Revelation, we see hypocrisy on full display. Consider some of the more blatant examples of Judas betraying Jesus and Peter denying Christ after promising full commitment. The problem becomes crystal clear—so clear that our need for forgiveness and grace shines as bright as the sun. In other words, we cannot and should not look to men and women as the standards of life. Christ is the ultimate model and standard of true righteousness. When we begin to consider the standard of Jesus, we find ourselves falling short and in need of help from one another. This is the time to extend some forgiveness and grace and to invite each other to follow the Lord all the more fervently.
Second, consider that some people who attend churches may not actually be Christ-followers. Some people simply find the church to be a beneficial social circle, or they will use it as a way to lift their social position in a community. The point here is that we should not let the mistakes of a few condemn the whole lot.
Third, we are not always aware of the exact troubles and difficulties of other people. Some people act in ugly ways under pressure and great stress. If we were in their shoes, we may not be able to do any better than they are. It’s good to give each other some slack, especially when we consider that everyone is going through something troubling.
Fourth, Christians are not perfect. There’s an old church song called “He’s Still Working on Me” that says it all too well. We are in the process of getting victory over our sinful flesh and being completed by the Holy Spirit. If you are a part of a church for any period of time, you’re going to find that we all have certain buttons that the devil likes to push. Yet, if we forsake the church, we are giving Satan more ground in our battle. We need each other for prayer, support, encouragement, and fellowship.
Fifth, the same kinds of hypocrisies exist outside of the church, as well. If we apply the same logic to businesses as it is to some churches, our economy would crash from lack of participation.
Sixth, there are strong, bold, and courageous Christians in every church. Even though they are not perfect, they are worth emulating. As a fellow pastor puts it: “Take the good dollar and let the counterfeit go.” In other words, I’m going to watch John’s life over Judas’s.
These above points hopefully will help you to deal with the hypocrisy in churches and even in our own lives. Let’s continue to run our race of faith with great perseverance, making sure to take the wood plan out of our eye before removing the splinter from our neighbor’s eye.