Question 71 – The church is full of hypocrites, why should anyone trust it?
Most of us have encountered negative experiences with those who claim to be Christians. These people attend church, portray themselves as pious, and at times "rain down hellfire and brimstone" on non-believers for their ungodly actions, yet often, just after they step outside the church doors, they gossip, lie, steal, curse, and are unfaithful. Thus, we arrive at one of the most compelling arguments people raise against Christianity.
Hypocrisy and the Church
When we seek to oppose Christianity and reject God's Church, we must first understand what God's stance is toward such behavior. If, in our case, hypocrisy were approved by God, rejecting the Church might be justified. However, if He Himself condemns it, we should not dismiss God's orders and decrees. On one occasion, Jesus said of the religious leaders of His time:
"And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you. But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others." (Luke 11:39-42)
Or elsewhere:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (Matthew 23:27-28)
We could continue with numerous examples where God condemns hypocrisy and calls for love, sincerity, and the abandonment of the iniquities that are so familiar to us. The message of Christianity is clear—God does not approve of hypocrisy.
How Then to Deal with This Unpleasant Phenomenon?
1) is essential to remind ourselves that the vast majority of those in the Czech Republic who identify as Christians are, in fact, not true Christians. Many have merely adopted certain traditions and religious behaviors or simply sympathize with Christian values. They actually know very little about true biblical Christianity grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ (and this applies even to those who have attended church their whole lives!). They may believe in God, but it often has little impact on their lives. That's why these people sometimes live even worse than any decent atheist. In my opinion, it is precisely those who aren't genuine Christians that provoke most of the aversion and resentment towards Christianity and the Church. However, it's true that uninformed people cannot recognize this difference.
2) We cannot rid ourselves of uncomfortable questions and the burden of these wrongdoings within churches simply by blaming nominal Christians. It is a sad fact that even a true Christian is merely an imperfect and graced sinner. I often realize this about myself as well. God has many times convicted me of hypocritical actions or thoughts. It was then up to me how to deal with this burden on my conscience. Will I confess it to God, ask for His forgiveness, and strive to change my behavior, or will I resist God's will in this matter? This is a part of the daily struggles of every Christian. A true Christian has a notable advantage—they are aware of their desperate state and have a helper in God to work with on their improvement. Yet, it often happens that they simply "fall." Therefore, it is true that even a sincere believer can temporarily fall into a certain hypocrisy, though if they earnestly wish to fulfill God's will, they should not remain in it for long.
3) Hypocrisy, or any imperfect human behavior, is not something the Bible does not explain. The Bible describes mankind as a fallen creation, subject to selfish passions and in desperate need of divine forgiveness. If we take this to its extreme, it is precisely due to, among other things, our hypocrisy that Jesus had to come and shed His precious blood for us.
Consider this: If you are not a Christian and decided to become one today, would you be perfect? God may miraculously rid you of many faults, but your natural desires would generally remain. Do you think you would never err and not be (even unknowingly) hypocritical in many ways? The answer is known..., and that's precisely why you, too, would need divine grace and forgiveness.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Summation
Hypocrisy is a "civilization disease" of the human race. Hypocrites exist to varied extents in essentially all people. The fact that one becomes a Christian does not lead to absolute perfection. In a sense, it's precisely because we are imperfect and hypocritical that we need God's grace and forgiveness.