I do not want to go to church because they are hypocrites. I hear that a lot. What is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings. A person who says one thing and then does something different on purpose. The key is on purpose.

Should people at church actually do what Jesus says? Yes.

Should they do it all the time? Yes

Will they? No, because we are all human. We make mistakes.

I John 1:9  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This verse is written to believers, because they will make mistakes and will need to be forgiven again and again.  Then you have this famous verse often quoted.

2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Once again this is written to people who are with the Lord, and says they too will make mistakes.

What makes a hypocrite a hypocrite? It is not making a mistake but doing it on purpose. An example is a person who calls themselves a Christian and says you need to stop lying, but at the same time lies in their business to get ahead. That person is a hypocrite. They are doing the opposite of what they say they believe.

It is true that many Christians in churches make the mistake of doing something they say they should not do. The true believer then will repent of that and work to change.

Another reason people think churches are full of hypocrites is because they preach against this but allow the same thing to happen. A church that does that is a Hypocrite. But there is also a right and a wrong way to do that. To just point that person out and tell them how bad they are is also being a hypocrite because Jesus is about love, and love works to help the person change to be something amazing.

Churches should preach the Bible, stand on the Bible, do as the Bible says, and when some fall, do not crush them but help them get right with the Lord, and at the same time not accept the sin as OK.

This takes guts on the people in the church to really look to help one another no matter what, and it takes great humility on the part of those in the church to accept this, knowing it is for their own good that the issue came up.

Yes, the church is full of people who still make mistakes. It does not mean they are all hypocrites. It just means they are all still learning. That is what Jesus asks for. When you go to a church look and see if this is actually what is happening. If you see something amiss bring it to the attention of the Pastor and see what happens. Sometimes things slip through the cracks that need to be addressed. We are all human. If nothing is done, call the church hypocritical, but if something is happening or something does happen, then they are following the teachings of Jesus.

One last thing about people who say the church is full of hypocrites and that is why I will not go. Doesn’t that by definition make you a hypocrite? You know God wants us to go to church. God asks if we will. The concept of church in almost everyone’s minds is that this is a good idea. Yes, there are churches out there that do not do the right thing (Just because a church says it is a church does not mean it actually is) God gave you a brain to figure that out. God also needs you there to help others grow close to God, sometimes by pointing out their mistakes and then helping them, and then lastly, you too make mistakes like all of us, and yet God still wants you to come. If God does not expect perfection, why should you?

Seeing that we all still makes mistakes actually shows us how much God loves all of us, and that truly no one is better than anyone else. We are all equal, all sinners, and all saved by grace (God’s love is a gift and you do not deserve it, but Jesus gives it to you just because you ask, wow!).

If you are looking for a perfect church, you will never find one on this planet. If you are looking for a church filled with people just like you, that is what the church is. And we all need one another to help us along this journey so we can please Jesus and be blessed and then be rewarded in heaven by the One who has it all, and can’t wait to share it all with you, yes you, even though you messed up on earth over and over again, but you were humble enough to try and do better every time He forgave you. 

What a deal!

Remember Jesus loves you all, I love you all, and you are all Awesome!