I've posted this before, but we could all use a reminder from time to time...
How Come Some Christians Are Such Hypocrites?
The media has been deluged with stories of ministers who have been charged with molesting young children, church leaders who have embezzled funds from church accounts, and pastors caught in adulterous affairs. Scores of religious celebrities and leaders have been exposed in recent years for sexual or financial impropriety. But its not just Christians that disappoint, but their institutions. As a result, more and more seekers are saying, "Spirituality, yes... 'churchianity', no."
When those who claim to follow Christ are immoral, inflexible, strange, uptight, unloving, judgmental or hypocritical, it casts shadows on the faith itself. And when our experience with the Christian community involves being bored, or even worse, burned, it is tempting to walk away from Christianity altogether. Yet disappointed people who continue their exploration of the Christian faith have often done so by reminding themselves of the following spiritual truths...
First, while somewhat trite, the phrase, "Christians are not perfect, just forgiven", is important to remember. What is behind many... not all, but many... charges and accusations against the character and integrity of Christians is the demand for perfection in the life of anyone who claims to be a Christian and urges others to consider Christianity as well. But an authentic Christian is
not someone who is perfect, just someone
who has come to God for forgiveness and a relationship. Despite their imperfections, Christians should not stand in the way of your relationship with Christ.
The real issue is Jesus, not the weaknesses and imperfections or behavior of those who try and follow Jesus. Christians may disappoint you, but Christ won't. P.S. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9- "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast."
How Come Some Christians Are Such Hypocrites?The media has been deluged with stories of ministers who have been charged with molesting young children, church leaders who have embezzled funds from church accounts, and pastors caught in adulterous affairs. Scores of religious celebrities and leaders have been exposed in recent years for sexual or financial impropriety. But its not just Christians that disappoint, but their institutions. As a result, more and more seekers are saying, "Spirituality, yes... 'churchianity', no."
Comments (8)
SP,
NONE of us are Perfect; I've been saved 33 years and I have more reason each and every day to realize IT IS ALL OF GRACE ALONE. In so many ways I've GROWN, but the more we GROW, the more we KNOW just how undeserving we are..........how much sin YET remains!!!!
Those who hold Christians to a standard of Perfection betray the fact that they DON'T understand salvation is of grace, they think it's of WORKS. While of course we SHOULD be those whose lives are DIFFERENT than those who make no profession, there is no promise we'll be PERFECT in this life, and it's unreasonable / unScriptural for anyone to EXPECT that of us.
Great post, SP!!!!
TTYL, LW
XO X-Daddy
P.S., in our Sunday School we are studying the book of John, it's amazing how many charges were brought against the character of JESUS, the SINLESS One, by the Pharisees!!!!
Will you allow me to feature this sometime? I really love it.
i think christians get an unfair reputation, especialy seeing as how much good they do for society. i don't go to church myself very often, but when i do go, i see people with real love for their fellow human beings...more than i ever see it anywhere else, actualy. who feeds the poor? the government? please. the government programs and food are substandard, the churches provide real food eaten by real people.
who provides the infrastructure to the third world? the local governments? please again, they're robber barrons. it is the missionaries who build the aquaducts and schools.
i could go on and on, but i actually like you christians. i'm thinking about joining someday. i got a long walk ahead of me still...but i have a friend now to walk it with, one that will never leave me to walk alone.
i'll see you there someday, amy, i'll see you there.
We are saved by grace and not of anything we do. Our sins are forgiven and should live in such a way not to cause our brothers and sisters in the faith to stumble and to have unsaved people want what we have.
Good word - It's difficult seeing people use the name of Christ(ian) for their own benefit. It bothers me that there are those here on xanga that claim to be Christians and yet put up trash. -and even their xanga name suggests Christianity. I long for purity to see God.
@aaronmcnees -
@xThexGodfatherx -
@Randy7777 - Great comments, you guys!!!
Some additional thoughts regarding THIS part of your post....
"How Come Some Christians Are Such Hypocrites?
"The media has been deluged with stories of ministers who have been charged with molesting young children, church leaders who have embezzled funds from church accounts, and pastors caught in adulterous affairs. Scores of religious celebrities and leaders have been exposed in recent years for sexual or financial impropriety."
There are many who PROFESS Christianity who are NOT saved, even though they may actually be in leadership positions in the church. Scripture speaks of those who call Him "Lord, Lord" and even plead what "great things" they have done in His Name....but He will describe them as "workers of iniquity" who HE never knew (though THEY professed to know HIM), and HE will tell them to depart from Him and send them to Hell !!!! So there ARE many who honor Christ with their lips, though their hearts are far FROM Him. The world, however, naturally lumps everyone who SAYS they are Christians TOGETHER.....and we ALL get unfairly TAINTED because of what others do.
One is always quick to point out faults of others rather than looking at themselves, Christians included. I posted a quick comment on this over on Facebook.
Praying for you Amy. Always.