“The church is full of hypocrites!” Church leaders and church members hear that a lot. People who don’t regularly attend worship services frequently provide this response to defend their lack of participation. But is it true? Is the church really “full of hypocrites?”
Well, yes and no.
I like to reply to these critics by saying, “The church isn’t full of hypocrites. We’ve always got room for one more!”
While not everyone appreciates my quirky sense of humor, most are disarmed by that response and appreciate the honesty of acknowledging that we’re all a bit hypocritical at times.
One of my favorite ministers, Steve Brown, recalled how a church member expressed her gratitude for his sense of transparency in the pulpit. Brown said that the woman approached him one day and said: “You know, a lot of ministers have told us they were sinners, but you’re the first one we’ve believed!”
That woman’s statement underscores the well-known Bible verse in Romans 3:23: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We may not like to hear it, but it’s true: all have sinned—ministers included—and all continue to struggle with sin. In fact, we are saddened to admit that all too often what we believe seems incongruous with how we behave. For example:
- What we believe about forgiveness is tested by how we behave when the impolite clerk overcharges us and staunchly maintains that he didn’t.
- What we believe about grace is tested by how we behave when our children continue to make the same mistakes, over and over again.
- And what we believe about patience is tested by how we behave when that old guy pulls his clunky car out right in front of us on the expressway and then drives just 15 miles per hour.
Maybe it’s just me, but I often find “not being hypocritical” a pretty big challenge. I don’t like it when my behavior doesn’t match what I believe. That’s why I’m glad God forgives hypocrites like me and gives me the grace to change my behavior by His renewing power in the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Romans 12:2, Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The “renewing of our mind” happens only by the grace of God.
When we turn to the One True God of the Bible and, by faith, receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have the ability to live the life God has called us to live. God gives to us His grace; grace that forgives us when we sin, and grace to strengthen us for the journey ahead.
Christians will, however, continue to make mistakes along that journey and will never be perfect this side of heaven. In fact, they’ll look rather hypocritical at times.
That said, I hope you plan to take your place alongside me and all the other hypocrites this Sunday–social distancing or online–as we all express our gratitude to a forgiving God.
When it comes to the gathering of hypocrites on the Lord’s Day we can be thankful for the words of an old familiar hymn: “While millions have come, there’s still room for one!”
What About You?
- How is “hiding” behind the hypocrisy of others a way to excuse our own faults?
- Do you believe yourself to be hypocritical at times?
- How does the gospel address our hypocrisy?
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