February 1st, 2009 If You Hate Church- the series/ Hypocrites!

[Cynthia]

In our survey, 68% of respondents "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that those who attend church are fake and hypocritical.

This reaction produced one of two responses...

RESPONSE #1- "What's the point in following Christ- I know people who don't even go to church who act more righteous that 'so called' Christians!"

ASSUMPTION: God is defined merely by the people we know who claim to follow him.

TRUTH: Christianity is not about being righteousunrighteousness

Matthew 9:13- "... I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."

RESPONSE #2- I refuse to become a Christian because I don't want to become a hypocrite, like them!

ASSUMPTION: I must have it all together before coming to Christ

TRUTH: It is only when we are ___________ that we're in the perfect ___________ to be made ____________ through Christ!

Romans 3:22- "We can be saved no matter who we are or what we've done."


(ooops I missed a couple of fill in the blanks)

[Cynthia]

I remember when Jesse and I decided we wanted to go to The Net after we saw the billboard, the sticker and did the survey, I knew that this would be the number one response and it really irritated me, but not for the same reason that most might think. It didn't annoy me so much because I know that so many "Christians" are hypocrites and because I was embarrassed by them or by myself, but because I felt like it was so typical of a response. I know I'm being a little bold here, but I'm just gonna go for it.
When I was a kid I use to say I hated tomatoes, because my sister hated tomatoes, and any other thing she said I agreed with. She thought Joey was the hottest member of New Kids on the Block, so he was my crush too.
I feel like saying that Christians are hypocrites is like the same thing, its become a cliche. Do I deny that Christians can be hypocrites, not at all, but I feel like its said so much that its lost its meaning and its more or less something that non-Christians, non-believers and non-practicing Christians want to believe so that they won't have to be held accountable or feel like they need to change anything in there lives. Even when I was on my 6 year hiatus I still didn't blame my lack of relationship on hypocrites, it was because I truly just didn't want to be there and I was tired of feeling bored. To many times the buck is passed so that we don't have to be held accountable for our own faults. This is what I have scribbled in my notes
'For me I feel like I'm more of a hypocrite outside of the church then within, because I am a Christian and I know God and have experiences him, but pretend I don't outside of the service because its more convenient and much easier to live a worldly life.
I think if WE as Christians realized that its not about us pretending to be someone in the church that were not, but rather that were struggling when we leave, we might be more compassionate to one another. Instead of calling each other hypocrites we would help one another by reminding ourselves/each other of the freedom we have in the church and in Christ. I don't think a real sinner or hypocrite would waste time getting up on Sunday morning, I think they are/ we are just misunderstood"
This was the second service I attended?.. So this is when I first started going back to church. I still feel like there is a lot of truth to that. I understand why people would say that, and I think the thing that Christians forget is that we are sat on a pedestal, were the expectations are higher. We should try and live our lives above reproach, Its what were called to do, but I think its also important that people realize we are all human, and that were all hypocrites at some time weather were Christians or not.
All I know is that I'm really going to have to step up my game, because I don't want someone using my actions as an excuse to miss out on what God has, and the church aka the body of Christ so I've got to get it together!