do we really care about the lost?
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Now this is the truth! So many People use the 'Hypocrite' card to beat Christians into complete and abject silence and immobility. They have 'convinced' us that until we are perfect (like Christ!) We should say nothing and do nothing as we're no 'different' or any better than they are. The 'key' to the REAL truth is what Hy just emphasized, it's Christ IN us that saves us and it's what Christ accomplished on that CROSS by His blood that saves all & separates us, sets us apart and makes us different. Only that... not of ourselves or anything we 'do'.
"Honestly i don't believe in god, well i don't believe anything related to that, specially in churches, been raised as Christian but honestly i just don't believe in it. Although i live my life more as Christian then many Christians out there. I believe that's what it's important. "
good to see your trying to be a decent human beingnot enough people, regardless of their beliefs, strive for decency. i wont judge you man, if you need something, pm me, i'll be glad to help if i can
Amen! I agree.
I tend to agree. However, to be in Christ means walking in the light as He is in the light. It is about doing. We as Christians need to be living moral lives right in the sight of God. Living in adultery or in adulterous relationships while professing Christ is hypocritical. To claim to know Him and not do His will..is that walking in the light? To attempt to guide others to Christ while at the same time living in darkness is indeed hypocritical.
Oh absolutely yes SG! So true. We can't 'profess' to be light and live in darkness... that's sort of the 'proof' that Christ is not truly living 'in' us. We must be 'hearers' AND doers of the Word also.. definitely. People expect us somehow to be 'perfect' however, and even the most Holy of Christians is still Human and prone to human error. (if you will)
Makes alot of sense to me, I thought that was an excellent post!
Me too! Made a TON of sense to me!
I agree that we want to do well. Scripture says that if we walk in the Light as He is in the Light ... then we love (have fellowship).
Living moral lives is important. I'm not making light of that. But if someone is living in adultery and still professing Christ as a Savior... how is that hypocritical? Unless they were holding themself up to be a righteous BMOG (big man of God).... If they were lying about it and professing to be "a good married person", yes.. that would by hypocrisy. It may be ill-advised and sinful. But it isn't hypocrisy unless the person is professing that he/she is something other than what they are. I've known a number of Christians who were strong believers and yet still continued in premarrital sex. They justified it in their own mind and admitted it. That would not be hypocrisy. Sin? Yes. Foolish? Yes. But hypocrisy? Only if they were holding themself up to be something other than what they are.
I don't think it's about doing his will as much as it is about attempting to do his will and being honest about our struggles and failures. We all attempt to do the best we know how... I believe we only sin when we are afraid not to. And if we admit our fears (as we identify them) and admit that we are "in process", then we are not hypocrites when we express to others that Christ is our Way, Truth and Life.
Agreed! Hypocrisy is pretending or professing to be HOLY when you're not....
Not all Christians are perfect and ALL Christians 'sin' to some degree or another.. that's not hypocrisy, that's Life... (lol)
Excellent post HyOnLyph... you're so good at 'breaking these things down'..... Thank you!
I have a hard time with the hypocrite thing, I mean we are all hypocrites in some way or another. I think Jesus Himself was the only one qualified to point to another and rightly call him/her a hypocrite.
How can one live in adultery and profess Christ as their savior? It is the VERY reason people throw the hypocrisy card. To speak one thing and do another is double minded and it is unholy in the sight of God.
James 4:4 Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.
Actually this is the very definition of hypocrisy as given by Webster. It doesn't have anything to do with declaring perfection. To declare perfection is foolish. However, even the humblest of hearts who would profess Christ and knowingly live in an adulterous relationship is a hypocrite. Too many professing Christians live immoral lives and people see these things. It is a black eye on the church and it kills the cause of Christ. Those outside have every right to throw the hypocrite card. When they do, perhaps we should take a closer look at just exactly what people are really seeing in us or out of us. The hypocrite card may be God's way of telling US that we need to wake up.
James 4:4 Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.
Actually this is the very definition of hypocrisy as given by Webster. It doesn't have anything to do with declaring perfection. To declare perfection is foolish. However, even the humblest of hearts who would profess Christ and knowingly live in an adulterous relationship is a hypocrite. Too many professing Christians live immoral lives and people see these things. It is a black eye on the church and it kills the cause of Christ. Those outside have every right to throw the hypocrite card. When they do, perhaps we should take a closer look at just exactly what people are really seeing in us or out of us. The hypocrite card may be God's way of telling US that we need to wake up.
I would add that hypocrisy is acting in any way that is opposed to the way one professes to believe (whether it's question of religion or not). There are even atheists who are hypocrites.
OOH! Excellent point Chimney! Not restricted to Christianity tho' most would like it to.... (lol)
Well, philosophically, living in adultery is completely different than knowing that Christ is one's savior. In many cases, the mere definition of adultery becomes so overwhelming that people just give up. And yet they love the Lord. What should we expect them to do... divorce their wife of 20 years simply because she had sex with a married man before they ever knew each other and got married? The husband would be an on-going adulterer. In order to stop being an adulterer, he would have to leave his wife and mother of his children. You see, living by the law just isn't that cut and dry. There is no law for us to live by except love God and love others as yourself.
If we stand on the principle of adultery then we have to stand on the principle of the whole law. So any Christian committing any sin would qualify a hypocrite. It just doesn't wash scripturally or practically or by definition
No one is claiming anything about declaring perfection. So I don't really know how that applies.
hyp·o·crite /ˈhɪpəkrɪt/ Show Spelled
noun
1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.
The key appears to be "pretends" or "feigns"... inferring intent. Inferring representing one's self as something they are not.
I believe Jesus Christ is my savior. With that belief, I qualify as a Christian. I don't claim any moral superiority or religious position other than that which is given to me freely by the sacrifice of Christ. Not of myself but through Him who died for me. I sin often and sometimes even intentionally. And whenever I have been called a hypocrite, it was by an angry non-believer who was justifying his own denial of the truth that was staring him in the face.
The validity of my claim of being a Christian, has nothing to do with my continued struggle with sin or morality etc. Now if I claim to be a pillar of morality and commit moral sin, and still claim to be that pillar, well then you would be correct in calling me a hypocrite. But the claim of being a Christian does not infer that I am without sin.
You see, hypocrisy is a matter of the heart. It is not up to us to judge someone's heart.
Exactly, when we call someone a hypocrite, we aren't judging their heart (at least I'm not). But I can see if their actions don't line up with what they profess to believe. I'm not saying that they aren't a "Christian"---that's not my job. I'm saying that their actions don't line up with what they themselves profess to believe. Ex. A superstitious atheist should not exist. If an atheist says that the only thing in this world is what they can sense through sight, hearing, etc, then to believe in luck-whether good or bad--is hypocritical. It's not a "judgment" on them, just an observation of their actions and their beliefs.
Yep. as long as they are professing what the accuser is assuming. Calling one's self a Christian does not infer that they are claiming to hold to any station of righteousness other than that which is imparted by Christ. But most people, when they accuse Christians of being a hypocrite, do it with their own assumptions. i.e. "You call yourself a Christian and you just ran a red light. You hypocrite!" One has nothing to do with the other.
But if I say, "I'm a Christian and I love everybody all the time, just like Jesus did".... well then you'd be able to call me a hypocrite when you found out that it wasn't true. I try, but... well let's just say, I try ...
Personally, I'd avoid judging their heart and their actions. I have no idea what fear they are dealing with that may cause them to behave a certain way. (And I want the same mercy returned toward me when I screw up.)
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Yep. as long as they are professing what the accuser is assuming. Calling one's self a Christian does not infer that they are claiming to hold to any station of righteousness other than that which is imparted by Christ. But most people, when they accuse Christians of being a hypocrite, do it with their own assumptions. i.e. "You call yourself a Christian and you just ran a red light. You hypocrite!" One has nothing to do with the other.
But if I say, "I'm a Christian and I love everybody all the time, just like Jesus did".... well then you'd be able to call me a hypocrite when you found out that it wasn't true. I try, but... well let's just say, I try ...
Personally, I'd avoid judging their heart and their actions. I have no idea what fear they are dealing with that may cause them to behave a certain way. (And I want the same mercy returned toward me when I screw up.)
Yes, I can see where you're coming from. (Thank Heaven, that when we get where we're going there won't be any traffic lights or stop signs or speed limits!
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Isn't that the truth. I expect we will all lovingly YIELD.Yes, I can see where you're coming from. (Thank Heaven, that when we get where we're going there won't be any traffic lights or stop signs or speed limits!
I believe we have to show them by setting an example. That is in my opinion the most difficult way to witness, but the only true way to do it. We are still in the end, created with a sin nature. All the things that appeal to the lost, still appeal to me. The difference is I see the sin in these things, and ask for strength to shun the ways of the world.
I have been a Christian for years. In that time I've learned that the only way to be successfully Christlike is to stay close to Him. There are some that say it isn't necessary to go to Church, or read the Bible. In my experience, if I don't faithfully go to God's house, and read His word, and talk to Him daily, I begin to feel a distance between us which makes it even more difficult. I can feel my attitude changing toward the way of the world. I lose my compassion for people, and begin to put myself first.
I have been a Christian for years. In that time I've learned that the only way to be successfully Christlike is to stay close to Him. There are some that say it isn't necessary to go to Church, or read the Bible. In my experience, if I don't faithfully go to God's house, and read His word, and talk to Him daily, I begin to feel a distance between us which makes it even more difficult. I can feel my attitude changing toward the way of the world. I lose my compassion for people, and begin to put myself first.
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