“Christians Are Such Hypocrites!”

Have you ever heard somebody say they have rejected Christianity because Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites, and they don’t want to be associated with them? Skeptics claim that Christians are no better than anybody else, and that at least skeptics aren’t being hypocritical by living an ungodly life because they don’t claim God in the first place.

Hypocrites or Human?

There is some truth to what they say, but here’s the thing, most Christians acknowledge that we are no better than anyone else. Being “holier than thou” isn’t a claim most Christians are trying to make. This is an ad hominem attack made by skeptics who are just waiting for the opportunity to pounce whenever a Christian slips up.

As Christians we also struggle with sin, and we understand that we are not perfect people. We want to follow the example of Jesus and lead perfect, sinless lives, but the truth is we give into temptation just like everybody else does.

Sure, some Christians are hypocrites. There are some Christians who pick and choose which Bible verses to follow and which to ignore, and there are some who twist the Gospel for their own ends. There are also Christians who are using Jesus as a safety net and not as a savior.

However, most Christians are honestly trying to live Godly lives, but we often fail to do so. This does not make the majority of Christians hypocrites, it makes us human.

Is This a Valid Excuse for Rejecting God?

The perception of hypocrisy has not only turned people from Christianity, but it has led some skeptics away from God. But, is this really a valid reason for rejecting God?

Should God be judged by the failings of humans? (Some would say yes, because God created mankind this way, but that will be the subject of a future article.) How do the actions of Jesus’ followers take anything away from Jesus?

Jesus is righteous and true even if we fail to live up to his righteousness.

We all fail and we all fall short of the glory of God,¹ that is why we lean on Jesus. This is why we need Jesus. We understand that we fail, but that does not mean we shouldn’t tell others about their need for Christ. We want others to understand that they are also sinners who need Christ, just as we do. Even though we are in sin we are obligated to spread the Gospel.

Spreading the gospel while in a state of sin is where the problem of perception comes in. We are perceived to be like the Pharisees in Matthew 23:3, who say and do not do, and we are not perceived as following Christ.

This perceived hypocrisy may be a reason to have an adversity toward some Christians, but it is not a legitimate reason to reject God. This is not even a reason to reject all Christians. Each individual is accountable for his or her own actions, and will be judged on them.

True Christians are always trying to improve, and while we are trying to improve we still must try to explain to others their need for a Savior. We cannot wait until we are without sin before we spread the Good News because we will never be without sin.

I argue that many skeptics are using this as an excuse as to why they are not pursuing a relationship with God, but their problem is not actually with God. They are misplacing their skepticism.

Do Not Let the Failures of Christians Deter You From Christ

If this is your reason for not seeking God, I beg you not to let the failures of some of Christ’s followers deter you. We are broken people also. Please do not blame God for the failures of Christians. If what is keeping you away from God is not God, but his followers, then maybe it is time to rethink your skepticism and your priorities.

Our Responsibility as Representatives of Christ

While it might not be a valid reason for rejecting God, it is understandable how some people can make this mistake.

So far we have talked about whether the failures of Christians is a valid excuse for rejecting God, and we have touched on our responsibility to spread the Gospel even though we are sinners, but we have not spoken about our responsibility as representatives of Christ.

Christians are representatives of God. We are supposed to be a reflection of Christ, but too often this is not the case.

We are not supposed to judge by appearances,² but to the secular world appearances are very important, so it is critical that we spread the Gospel the right way. We need to spread the Gospel in a manner that draws people in, despite our flaws, and does not push them away.

We, as Christians, have a responsibility to share the Gospel through our actions as well as our words. This is why it is so important that we honor God not just with our lips but also with our hearts.³

Jesus was an exact representation of the Father⁴ and we are to be an exact representation of Jesus. Of course, we will never be an exact representation of Jesus, but we are never to stop reaching for it and striving to be like Jesus. It is through this that we might draw others to God and show them God’s love.

We must ask ourselves; do our actions draw people closer to God or do they push people away from God?

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1. See Romans 3:23 ↩︎
2. See John 7:24 ↩︎
3. See Matthew 15:8,9 ↩︎
4. See Hebrews 1:3 ↩︎