Are We Becoming Hypocrites?

Sneak Peak: We need to do better as believers.

I met someone (let’s call him Dan) back in April. I was traveling back to Dallas after visiting my family in Florida. One day, we had a conversation on the phone and it was a four-hour conversation. No joke! I noticed Dan have a negative connotation towards Dallas for being “too churchy”.

“It’s way too many churches there!”

So, I asked, “Well, do you go to church?”

Let me tell you, I wasn’t expecting this conversation to happen. We began to debate about churches, but eventually, Dan said some things and I had to write about it here. Why? Let’s hear it from Dan.

Are We Becoming Hypocrites?

“The reason I left Christianity was because I saw people in my church profess how much they love God, but the night before they were in the club, they were cussing, they were having (premarital) sex. You can’t claim Christianity and get offended when someone calls you out. I get annoyed when Christians try to find scriptures to justify their wrongdoing. That don't make sense to me!"

I had to pause for a moment. Why? He wasn't wrong. I used to live a double-minded lifestyle (James 1:8) until an ex-Christian called me out about my behavior. I had to ask myself, “Am I truly following Christ if my behavior says otherwise? Is my faith solid or can be blown easily?” I felt uncomfortable. Why? Here were my thoughts:

How dare they call me out? I believe in God and I do ministry! I pray! I read my Bible!

Instead of feeling convicted, I decided to make the person feel bad by using the classic “find a scripture and make them feel bad” move. (If this person is reading this, I am truly sorry. That was disrespectful behavior on my end). Actually, that person helped me see the error in my ways, and I humbled myself a lot. That experience taught me a lot when I started following Christ again. Now, I’m going to be keeping it real. I don’t write for comfort. I write to speak the truth with love (Ephesians 4:15).

Here it goes. Have you ever done something you know you weren’t supposed to do, but when you’re called out, you found a scripture to quickly justify it? Clearly, I have before, and although we aren’t perfect, I have to challenge you: are you doing a service or disservice representing Christ?

Is God’s Grace Unlimited?

I asked Dan how does he feel about God’s grace. He sucked his teeth. “I get that God is forgiving and all. At some point, you should feel convicted to change. Change doesn’t have to be overnight. It can be one day at a time. I think sometimes we use God’s grace to continue doing the wrong thing. In other words, we just want to do what we want to do."

I get it. We are fallen as people. However, once you have decided to follow Christ, you are to follow Him (Matthew 16:24-36) and become the light (Matthew 5:16). The walk isn’t easy. You will have hard days. You will have to make steps to change. It's not always fun and games. You will lose friends, supporters, and maybe, your job.

Why Should I Care?

Now, I get it, why should I be bothered by someone’s else life? Honestly, if you decide to do your thing, that’s on you. You have to answer for it. God gives us free will everyday to make choices. Sometimes, God isn't going to jump in and there's natural law of consequences (Romans 1:24-27). But I want to stress how our hypocrisy is making us look foolish. How can we encourage others to come to Christ if we’re causing them to stumble by our own actions (Romans 14:13)?

God Knows Your Heart

“But God knows my heart.” Yes, He knows your heart. He knows it for sure. He knows the good, the bad, and the ugly. God "knowing your heart" isn’t an excuse to not at least take a small step to do better in your life. He isn’t asking for perfection. He wants you to try.

If you want to "do you", go ahead. Do you, boo. Only God can judge you, right? However, people are watching what you do and make assumptions off of it. How you live does impact those around you. Some of us don't want to be role models. When you decided to follow Christ, you are representing Him in what you do. So, in a way, you are here to help others, show Jesus’s love on this planet—you know, all of the good stuff.

It's Up to You

If you want to wear the Christian name tag, but not live by it, you’re going to raise eyebrows among believers, who want to help sharpen you (Proverbs 27:17) and non-believers, who think you’re a fraud. What small thing can you start changing today? What can you give to God so He can guide you (Proverbs 3:5-6)? How can you show love to others? Change is not a sprint. It takes time. Your walk is your walk. God is always calling. Will you accept or decline the call?

In the words of Dan, “Honestly, I can’t tell Christians apart from the crowd anymore.”

What do you think? I know this blog was a bit sterner, but I had to speak the truth with love. What advice would you give to a new Christian? What about a seasoned saint? What about Christians falling apart? How do you think we can improve as a body of believers? Let me know in the comments. Remember--keep it positive, pure, and true.

Connect with me on my instagram @authenticallybrittany.