Proverbs 11:9 "An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered."
A hypocrite is defined as a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion. Do you know any hypocrites? Have you ever fit into the role of a hypocrite? I'm sure we all can say yes to both of those questions.
Could you not destroy one's confidence in God or the Bible by an improper life or by being a hypocrite? There are people living today who have been convinced there is really nothing to Christianity or the Bible. They have observed those who claim to be a Christian and believe the Bible..... and yet their lives and their knowledge of such was nothing more than pretense.
What gets under my craw is when I go soul-warning or witness to someone and they tell me they won't go to church (whether saved or not) due to the hypocrites in the church. I'm here to tell you that every church has hypocrites. But so does the workplace and the grocery store and anywhere else you might go yet people go to work and they go shopping and they go to other places. So is this the real reason they aren't going to church? You might say "Well a person has to work or go shopping." Um....last time I checked Hebrews 10:25 is still in the Bible. It commands us "not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together". That means we are to be in the House of God regardless of our excuses or our reasons for not going. That includes if there are hypocrites in the midst. So if you are guilty of using the excuse of hypocrites being there....get over it!! God COMMANDS us to go to church. He DOES NOT command us to go to work or to go shopping...although those things are necessary to survive if you want to eat and be healthy. You know what...if you want to get technical....you have to go to church to eat and to be healthy spiritually. Yes you can read your Bible at home and you can pray at home and you can worship at home...but if you don't go to church you are disobedient to the Word of God and therefore you are not eating and you are not healthy. A saved person cannot receive from God the things he needs without being right with God in this area of going to church.
So I guess what I'm saying this morning is if you fit into the category of a hypocrite...confess it as sin to God and get right with Him in this area and quit using that excuse for not doing what God has commanded all of His children to do. Also...make sure that your life lines up with what you profess. If a person says they are saved and they are holding a beer in their hand when they say they are. It makes it hard to believe that person is. Some goes for a person saying they are saved and go into some of the places they go into. So...our lives should be backed up by what we say. Examine your heart and see if you are guilty of this thing of hypocrisy and if you are confess it and get it right. I never want to be guilty of causing a person to not want to be saved or keeping a person out of church or from getting right due to my life not being what it should be as an example of the Lord Jesus Christ.
10 comments:
Amen and amen!!! This was sooo good!!! There are hypocrites in every church - there are sinners in every church! If we go looking for them, we will surely find them - including us! Thank you for such a great post!
I hear this excuse alot also, mainly from family but that is all it is. I enjoyed this post. I agree that a saved person should show they are saved by the way they live, It's easy to be a christian while in church for a couple of hours but christians are being watched outside of church and the way we live our lives will either be a testimony for Christ or against him. People are always watching christians.
I think that the hypocrite thing is the number one reason I have encountered w/folks who don't go to church. Many of them do profess to be saved. I always take them to the scripture you referenced in Hebrews.
When a person is truly right w/God, they will attend church faithfully because that is what He will instruct them to do. So, I say to those that give excuses, "If you were right w/God you would go to church.Period.
I think what "gets" most people (and arguably, the whole "hypocrit" excuse is most likely just a cop out) is not the general hypocrits in church, but the hypocrits that end up RUNNING the church. Does that make sense?
My dad, who is a wonderful man and knows the Lord, has no time for preachers who condemn others for menial sins and have no love in their hearts for anyone. The "cold hearted, hellfire and brimstone" type preachers. He says the bigger sin is the lack of love.
I think it is that mentality that is what people mean when they say they don't go to church for the hypocrits.
But again, it is most always just a cop out and excuse not to go.
That's it....walking daily with Christ to reveal Him to others.
~Kristi
Sis, Julie, Excellent post. connie
I wish my husband would read this, I may have to print it out and leave it laying around! lol But seriously, these are the excuses that he uses not to go to church! I know it is because he is not right with God and is not on the right track with his walk and God knows the real reasons. This has been really hard for us. He is a believer and he is saved but just not on the right track and satan still has his holds on him. As a matter of fact, anyone who reads this post, if you would pray for my husband that would be great!!!
Awesome post, thank you so much for this Sister Julie!!!
maranatha....Thank you for your comment....you are right that if we look hard enough we will find someone who fits both categories. But I for one don't want to be looking for the hypocrites...I just know I don't want to be one.
karen....you are so right about us being watched. And it is easy to "play" the part of a Christian when you are in a Christian environment such as church. It's out in the world and at home that our real character shows.
sista cala....I believe that God puts a God-given desire in us to want to be at church when we get saved. Thank you for your comment.
lindsey....I appreciate men of God who have no tolerance for hyporites. That is how we should all feel. But it starts with us setting the example and praying for those that are.
happymama...You are so right!!
Connie....Thank you for your encouraging comment.
cindy....I had no idea that you didn't have the support of your husband in going to church. I will be praying for him and I hope others that check my site will join us in doing so. Stay strong in the Lord and remain faithful in your walk with God and just as it says in I Peter 3:1-2...you have opportunity to win him over. Thank you for the blessing you have been to me!!
Mrs Julie this is a great post. I pray the Lord would help me not be a stumblingblock to the cause of Christ by my attitude or actions.
Bro Tim
Sister Julie, Thank you so much!! You are a blessing to me as well. Actually, I do have his support in attending and being involved and everything, I just do not have the support in him doing it with me. He is always coming up with excuses not to go. The Lord has given me peace to a point about it and let me know that I just need to keep praying. I do not even ask him anymore, I just turn to God. He did attend this last week to watch our daughter be baptised, so that is a start.
Thank you for joining me in praying for him!! That means so much to me!!
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