-
In what ways have you seen hypocrisy in the church negatively impact the church’s witness to the world? What do you feel is the best way to eliminate hypocrisy in the church?
-
I have seen many who call themselves Christians and be very judgmental about others, showing themselves to be self righteous. Non Christians who encounter such people, always seem to go away from wanting to even know Christ and the Christian Faith.
We as Christians must put on God’s Love and have the understanding that one we ourselves were lost and through Christ we have been found and that we are a work in progress ourselves. We need to extend that same mercy and love we received to others. -
Many people in church nowadays have negatives view according to the words of God, because they changes words for their own desires in order to fulfill what they want, sometimes you may find the people outside doing evils deeds and still going to church with no spiritual transformation at all.
-
The ways I personally see hypocrisy in the church today is watching people who proclaim Christ as their savior not living up to the christian way of life. Some examples of what I mean are: cursing outside of church, drinking, cheating on their spouse, neglecting their families and sexual talk amongst co-workers and friends that do not share the same beliefs. I do not know the best way to eliminate hypocrisy in the church execpt to submit to God and allowing his sprit to transform us into what he has for us.
-
For years, I belonged to a Christian cult that claimed to practice a “give” way of living rather than the “get” way of the world; however, as time went on, I realized that it preached a works gospel that that de-emphasized Jesus Christ and emphasized an Old Covenant-centered religion. Members were judged on their works that included eating “clean” meat and avoiding “unclean meats,” celebrating Old-Covenant Holy Days ( especially the Seventh-Day Sabbath), not wearing make-up, and a host of other “dos” and “don’ts.” The most egregious practice was the way it excused racism by preaching the doctrine of British Israelism that teaches white, Anglo-Saxons were descendants of the Lost of Israel and therefore were to comprise the leadership in the church at all levels. This discouraged many Christians of color, and many of them left the church. When the Holy Spirit led the church’s leaders to embrace Jesus Christ fully, some members had a hard time accepting members of color who were being placed in positions of leadership, choosing instead to leave and form congregations that continued in the false doctrine.
The only way the Body of Christ is ever going to eliminate hypocrisy in the church, especially when it comes to race, is to fix our eyes of Jesus, follow His examples throughout the gospels, and the inspired Word of God that proclaims through the Apostle Paul that “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28 NRSV).
Hypocrisy, like all other sins, will be in the church until Christ sends His angels to separate the wheat from the chaff. (Matthew 13:30.) Until then, we should keep in mind that, as someone once noted, there are four kinds of people, any of whom can be found in church: (1) those who believe they are not Christians–and they are not; (2) those who believe they are not Christians–and they are; (3) those who believe they are Christians–and they are; and (4) those who believe they are Christians–and they are not.
-
When I first gave my life to Christ and started going to Church, soon after I realized some of the same problems I had with people in the world were the same problems I had with people in the Church. I remember being so discouraged and was ready to leave Church altogether, but God spoke into my spirit and said ” don’t judge Me for what people do”. That really helped me throughout the years to keep my eyes on God who is faithful in all things.