It is disheartening to invite someone to come to church, only to have them reply, “No thanks,” and to give as their reason, “The church is full of hypocrites.”
Suppressing the riposte, “Not full. We always have room for one more,” I tend to challenge the challenge with, “Are you saying that a few hypocrites would keep you from what could be the most important meeting of your life? Your meeting with God?”
Are there hypocrites in our church? People who put on an act, pretend to be Christian, but whose daily behaviour shows that they are not? Why would they do that? Perhaps, as with any counterfeit, it is because being a Christian is worth counterfeiting: it is valuable. Who would want to forge a bad reference or a poor OFSTED report? Copying valuable paintings or currency makes sense, even if it is wrong.
So at least our hypocrites do see the value of being in the right relationship with God; perhaps they really want it, wanting to possess what they do not yet have, trying to lay claim to it by acting as if they are already there. It could even be important for us to have hypocrites around to remind us how important and valuable the right relationship with God is!
But there is still a problem for a church that gives the impression of being a congregation of hypocrites. What should we do about it? Sit in judgment? Expel members of the church who fall short? Unthinkable!
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Who are we, with all our faults, to point a finger and say, “He is a hypocrite - talks of love and then goes home and gives his wife a bad time.” Or, “She is a hypocrite - prays devoutly in church and goes around during the week spreading malicious gossip.” We know only part of their story. God knows the whole story and only He can judge.
We have to learn to love and accept even those we want to suspect of hypocrisy.
At the same time, we have to recognise that even the best of us are far from perfect. John Newton said, “As I look back on my life, I realise I am not what I should be, I am not what I could be, I am not what I will be, but, I am not what I was, and by the grace of God I am what I am.”
Our church is not full of hypocrites. Neither is it full of saints. It is full of human beings, all trying in their different ways to learn more, to love better and to follow their Leader to a real relationship with God. Being human, we keep slipping, but with God’s grace we can make it!
Rick
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