“But woe unto you, scribes, and Pharisees, hypocrites!…”  (Matthew 23)

 

How many times have I heard the old, tired cliche? Everyone that has uttered that seems to think they are the first to say such a thing. This certainly is not the only rehashed cliche,  “That’s not how/what I was taught,” or  “If I went to church it would fall down,”  or  “I know all that stuff, already,”  or  “Jesus and I have an understanding,”  or  “Maybe someday,”  or  “Sunday is my only time to rest, ”  or  “I went to church when I was a kid and,”  or, or, or, or…..

All if not most preachers and church goers have heard all or most of these cliches and boring excuses before and time and time again.  It is the Christ-ian past time to listen to such things. We could comment and put to rest all of these but we will (DV) look at the favorite one about the hypocrites in the church. We will test that theory today, (DV).

“I don’t go to church because it is full of hypocrites.” Before we look at this excuse, let us look at one of the favorite answers given by many believers and church goers,  “You are right and if you came it would have one more.” While that may sound true and guttsie, it is false. The reason it is wrong is because it is simply untrue.

Are there hypocrites in the church?…sure, is the church full of hypocrites?…certainly not! What is a hypocrite? The hypocrite means actor or one that wears a mask. Again there are actors and mask wearers in the church, but she is not full of them.  It is more accurate to believe there are far more hypocrites outside the church than inside.

One is sure to find an innumerable actors, mask wearers, hypocrites in the world than in the church.  Places like Hollywood, politics, and anywhere else one looks.  If one would watch the news anyday of the week in recent weeks, it is over run with reports on the rampent hypocrisy in Hollywood and liberal and progressive politics in the Democratic party. These institutions are quick to attack when they see blood in the Republican party, yet when the blood is in their own waters they remain silent. This silence is a manifestation of their hypocrisy.  However, in the Republican party, when one of their own falls, they are more likely to do what’s right and renounce their own. This maybe to defend their party but it is not hypocrisy.  Be sure, Reader, I am fully aware that there is hypocrisy in both parties.

Back to our original question RE: hypocrisy in the church. What makes one a hypocrite?  Doing the same thing one tells others not to do and doing it with the full knowledge of one’s hypocrisy. For example, if a pastor preaches against pain killers and those that use them, yet is an unrepentant addict himself, is he being hypocritical? The pastor is indeed a mask wearer.  However, if he preaches from a place of sympathy and even empathy and is repentant before God, he is not.  Your present writer has had his own bouts with the pain killers never once preached from a place of strength, superiority, and judgement against those that are in the battle of their lives.

I faced that battle and lost to that battle for years. The only way victory was won was full dependence upon the grace and full support and understanding of my very Good God while I lay in my bed laying in puddles of sweat and suffering through withdrawl for alomst (2) weeks. I threw up for most of the time and wishing and even praying for death.  To this very day I have nothing but encouragement for those that are still in the cluthes of that enemy. But I have zero sympathy for the hypocrisy of those that are or have been abusers and preach against ohers in that same conditions, especiaaly against those that are ever confessing to God for their weakness and brokenness.

Therefore the Christ-ian that repents for their sin and seeks to encourage others in their own battle is most assuredly not hypocritical.  Those in hollywood are certainly hypocritical as are the politicians that defend their own while accusing the other party for the same crimes or accusing the other party when they no them to be innocent. A person or group that remains silent when they know their own party, group, or ilk is wearing masks are just as hypocritical.

To those persons that continue to use this cliche, please come up wwith something more original or truthful like…..”Thank you for your invitation to your Church but I’d rather not attend.”  This will be more original, more thruthful, and more worthy of respect.  To the Christ-ians that answer this excuse with, “You’re right…” please stop agreeing with them and looking for common ground. There is no common ground to be found in this area.

Godspeed.

P.S.
Please overlook any mis-spelling or grammatical errors. Your writer is/was enduring another panceatic assault at the time of this writing and I really needed to get back to bed, as was stated above, I do not use pain pills anymore. Brethen pray for us.