Ask the Pastor

By Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship, Shambaugh, IA

Clarinda Herald Journal Publication Date : 06/28/2006

 

Say A Prayer For The Pretenders

 

Pastor Scott,

            “I’m bothered by the hypocrites, who preach one thing, and live another… is this problem inherent to Christianity?

 

            I too am ‘bothered’ by the few Christians who live badly, and cast a long shadow over the many who live well. The problem is not with God, but with us. Over twenty times, our Savior characterized religious pretension as among the greatest of evils. .

            A Hypocrite is one who pretends to be what he is not--an actor playing a part. There are pretenders in every corner of society, including the church. The fact that the church promotes the highest ethical standard makes it an easy target for the accusation.

            One reason for hypocrisy among church members is the grace-nature of the church--anyone may come and be a part. Our failure to apply redemptive discipline on erring members is partly to blame. Love demands that we care for fellow believers enough to confront them when their attitudes or behaviors stink.

            On the other hand, just because a Christian fails does not mean that he or she is a hypocrite. In fact, Christians claim to be ‘sinners saved by grace.’ We do not claim perfection, but rather, that we are in the process of being made like Jesus. We have not yet arrived. At times we sin, but God’s mercy--for some-- has provided the excuse for living badly.

            We all share a common characteristic to some extent: An honest assessment of our motives and actions show that there is a disparity between our moral standards and our actual behavior. Our understanding of what is good and right exceeds our ability to carry it out. We agree that people shouldn’t steal, lie, or harm another, but do we do so anyway?

            Your question suggests that you believe; “People should always follow God with genuine faith, moral excellence, and goodness towards their fellow man,” but are able to do so yourself? Probably not.

            That’s why we need Christ’s forgiveness, received by faith in his substitutionary death upon the cross (1 Peter 3:18). In our own strength, we cannot make ourselves worthy enough for God to accept us--we need His mercy!

            As for the hypocrites in the church, there’s always room for one more!

            --Pastor Scott (www.askpastorscott.com)