Hypocrites Everywhere

It seems the number one complaint non-believers have against Christians and the church is that it is seemingly full of hypocrites.  Webster defines hypocrite as “pretending to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially: a pretending to be more virtuous or religious than one really is.”  Is the church the only place people pretend to be what they are not or talk what they don’t walk?  I was reading this week that Lance Armstrong, the seven time Tour De France cyclist, was stripped of his titles due to illegal drug doping.  Yet, for years he has denied any use of the drugs.  His story is just one of many sports figures who have pretended not to be involved in illegal performance-enhancing drugs only  later to be proven they were.  I haven’t heard anyone crying “hypocrite” and never attending or watching a sports event again.  In recent years, some universities have realized that some of their faculty were hired with bogus degrees from non-existent schools.  Wouldn’t these people be defined as hypocrites? Yet, people still attend those schools.

Have you ever worked with someone who worked hard in the presence of the boss only to be lazy at other times?   Aren’t they a work hypocrite?  Did you stop going to work?  How about the family member who always speaks about his love for his family, yet spends very little time with them? Aren’t they a hypocrite?

My point is this: “Hypocrites” exist in every walk of life.  Pretenders aren’t exclusive to the church.  Just as hypocrites at work, school, play, and in our families don’t keep us from those activities, they shouldn’t keep us from church.  The truth is God will deal with spiritual hypocrites.  Just look at Act 5 and the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  The early 20^th century evangelist Billy Sunday said, “Hypocrites in the church? Yes and in the lodge, and at home.  Don’t hunt through the church for a hypocrite.  Go home and look in the mirror.  Hypocrites? Yes, see that you make the number one less.”

Good advice.  Come see us Sunday.  We will be talking about this.
Pastor Jeff