I recently overheard in a restaurant a conversation in which one person talked long & loud about “judgmental” Christians & “all the hypocrites in the church”. The other person listened & nodded, agreeing with the assessment. You may be thinking, “You shouldn’t eavesdrop!” I wasn’t; I was across the room. (Some people don’t have an “inside voice”!)
A friend of mine told me about another conversation in which “hypocrisy in the church” and “judgmental Christians” were roundly condemned. People say these things as though the church has a corner on hypocrisy. Actually, it seems to me that you can find hypocrisy anywhere you find people…not just in the church.
We’re always hearing about another politician caught in an embezzlement scandal, or who plagiarized his speeches, or was unfaithful to his/ her spouse. Sometimes they are Christians, but as often they’re not.
We’re always hearing about another politician caught in an embezzlement scandal, or who plagiarized his speeches, or was unfaithful to his/ her spouse. Sometimes they are Christians, but as often they’re not.
How about entertainers who are caught lip-syncing to the wrong words, or just embarrassed when the recording quits? (Can anybody say “Milli Vanilli”?) Or when unscrupulous agents take money from young people with stars in their eyes, & then just take off?
How about when employees are paid to do a full day’s work, but spend time on the internet looking at stuff they shouldn’t (remember the government agency whose workers were surfing porn sites all day?), and then brag to their friends about how much they goof off at work?
You can multiply examples ad infinitum, but you get the idea. Hypocrisy is a human failing…so, yeah, churches have some hypocrites, because we have people. But you can find hypocrisy & judgmentalism anywhere people are.
Can I tell you something? We know who the hypocrites are. (People tell me, “There’s hypocrites in the church!” Like that’s a surprise to any pastor! I tell ’em, “Oh, I know! Sometimes it’s worse: sometimes it’s me!”) We know who they are and we love ’em anyway. ‘Cause sometimes they are people who are religious, but lost: they come to church, but they’ve never really come to Jesus. Or sometimes, they are new believers who don’t know any better. They think they’re doing right, but they haven’t learned enough about how Jesus wants us to act. Or sometimes, they’re really wonderful Christians who got up on the wrong side of the bed that day.
And I’m so glad they’re in my life!
But listen: I’ve been in church a long time, & I’ve met some hypocrites & borne the brunt of a judgmental Christian’s tongue more than once…but the vast majority of Christians I’ve met are humble, self-effacing believers in Jesus who readily admit their struggles & imperfections, but who have shown me such kindness & given me such encouragement that I don’t know what I would have done without them. They are real people whose lives have been really changed by Jesus Christ. And when someone falls or blows it big-time, they are the first to offer help, support & unconditional love. Just like they received from God.
And I’m so glad they’re in my life!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Dave Tyra