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As you look at the church you can see many hypocrites its true. Jesus looked at the religious people of his day and he said "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites". Jesus was not happy with religious hypocrisy at all. It is obvious from this statement that he hated it. Jesus was not a hypocrite.
What is a hypocrite anyway? It is someone who is an actor. It is someone who is pretending to be what they are not. This becomes very obvious when you have people who say that they are perfect, that they keep the Ten Commandments or whatever. It doesn't take much to see that they can't really live up to their claims. They are hypocrites. But everybody who claims something good about themselves will be found to be a hypocrite at some point.
No one is perfect, we all fail to keep our own standards let alone God's. The hypocrite is the one who says that they are good when they are not. So what about the hypocrites in the church?
Those who are seen to be in the church and are saying that they are better than others have missed the whole point of what Jesus was talking about. They have missed the whole point of the gospel message.
Christianity is not for good people it is for the wicked, the ungodly, the rebellious, the sinner, the sexually immoral, the homosexual, the murderer, the thief, the liar, the drunk, etc., people like me. This is what each real Christian was at one time. Jesus said that its not healthy people who need a doctor but rather the sick. You don't go to the doctor if you are well you only go if you are sick. Jesus was saying that we are all sick. He said that he had not come to call the righteous but the sinners to turn back to God. What is a sinner? Well you are one, just like me and everyone else. A sinner is considered as scum! (Psalm 119:119) ... I don't like that very much either but its none the less true. Its true of me and its true of you.
Now, you see, the hypocrite is the one who says that they are all right, that there is nothing wrong with them. I cannot say that I am all right. It would not be true, I would be being hypocritical. Also to say that I am never a hypocrite would also be hypocritical.
Christians are not good people. They are bad people who need a Saviour. The difference between the religious hypocrite and a real Christian is that the real Christian knows that they need help and that they are not good enough, while the religious hypocrite thinks that they are, at least, reasonably good.
Christians are bad people who are changing. Some change faster than others but they are changing.
Real Christians are people who have turned to Jesus recognising that they are completely unable to do what is right, that they can never satisfy God's demands and that they are ... hypocrites. They truly believe that Jesus paid the penalty for all their wickedness on the cross when he died. They believe that they have a righteousness that has come from God and was given to them as a gift. It is a righteousness that they have not earned but one that God freely gives to those who believe that Jesus paid for them. - Romans 1:16,17; 1 Peter 3:18.
The real hypocrites are the ones who deny that they need help and refuse to turn to Jesus. Or worse still who pretend to follow Jesus in outer performance only and who haven't surrendered their hearts to him.
The religious hypocrites, along with all those who reject Jesus, will be in Hell. Will you be with them?
If you want to know what your biggest problem with all this really is, click here.
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