The Excuse for Today- “There are hypocrites in the church.”

Hello sisters in Christ and friends. I am going to dive into a subject that might step on some toes, including my own! Of course, I am always stepping on my own toes in all my posts. What excuses do people make for stopping going to church services/leaving the church? I have been guilty of making excuses for missing services in the past, so I’m not calling anyone out. I never completely stopped going, but there was a time when any ole reason could keep me from attending services. And that behavior is really no different in God’s eyes than not attending at all, because God wants us to be faithful, and I wasn’t. So…..there is no judgment here…..only encouragement and concern for souls. I am simply trying to use the Bible and my own experiences to help others to realize what I have come to realize……that there will be no excuse that we will be able to make when we stand before God on judgment day. 

Sooooo……”I’m not going back to church because there are hypocrites in it.” First of all, what is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a person who claims or pretends to have certain beliefs about what is right, but who behaves in a way that disagrees with those beliefs. (Britannica Dictionary) Another definition is someone who puts on a false virtue or religion. (Merriam-Webster) Maybe someone in the church personally hurt you in some way, such as gossipped about you to others. Maybe some people made you feel excluded. Cliques in the Lord’s church are detrimental to the church’s growth. They have no place in the church. I absolutely agree that these things are hypocritical, because the Bible says not to gossip, not to show partiality, and to do good to everyone. Or ….maybe you have simply witnessed people in the church being fake in their words or actions. Maybe you’ve heard them use inappropriate language out somewhere, or know of them out drinking in a restaurant or bar. Hypocritical behavior? Absolutely. But ask yourself, who are you going to answer for on judgment day? Who am I going to answer for? Am I going to answer for the one gossiping? Or the one being cliquish and snobby? Or the one using bad language? Or the one drinking in the restaurant or bar? The answer is….I am only answering for me!  I will answer for myself, and myself only on that day. Pauls tells us in Romans 14:10, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” When we judge others so harshly that we refuse to go to church services because of them, are we not being hypocrites ourselves? None of us are perfect, and leaving the church certainly doesn’t help us in that area. I submit to you that we have all been hypocrites at some point in our lives. How do I know? Because Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Can any of us say that everything we do or say is done or said in the name of the Lord? Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think that any of us can say that. We can only strive for that. Romans 3:23 says that, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves. Are we helping our relationship with God by not attending services? Do we think God is pleased with our excuse? Will God accept any of our excuses? Do we think we are better or holier than the hypocrites, because we are not attending church services? Is it God’s place to sort out the hypocrites or is it ours? Is the church full of perfect people trying to get to heaven or imperfect people trying to get to heaven? An honest heart will give honest answers to these questions. The first four books of the New Testament are about Christ’s life, death and resurrection from different perspectives. The book of Acts is about the establishment of the church of Christ, which is not a name by the way, it is a description. It is the church that belongs to Christ, per the word “of”. (Romans 16:16) The entire rest of the New Testament through Jude is written to either established churches of Christ or individual Christians. Christ died for His church. If we deny the church, then we deny Christ. If we were baptized into Christ, then our sins were washed away, and God added us to His church. (Acts 2:47) But….do we really think it is ok to just leave….and still have favor with God? Would we do that in any other setting, whether it be a job, a team, or a club. Would we just leave with no notice? No….because we made a commitment. I’m certain that it would take a lot for us to break that kind of earthly commitment. What if we asked the employer of a job that we just left without notice for a good referral to another place of business? Would he do that for us? Of course not! However, this is not a job or a club folks. This is our eternal soul. We made a commitment to God that we cannot go back on, friends. And being a faithful member of His church is that commitment. And remember, I’m speaking to myself here just as much as I’m speaking to anyone else. My toes are always hurting. And let’s not forget….we have obligations within that commitment. We have an obligation to build others up and help others get to heaven. (Hebrews 10:24-25)  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Can we fulfill these obligations if we stop attending services and leave the church? Can Jesus, as our mediator, give us a good referral to God on judgment day if we left His church? (Hebrews 9:15, 1 Timothy 2:5) Will Jesus stand between us and advocate for us with God in that moment? Again, an honest heart will give an honest answer. So…in closing, the church is a perfect institution made up of imperfect human beings. So…..maybe someone treats us badly, or looks down on us, or doesn’t speak to us, but……do you know what? What they think or say about us DOES NOT MATTER!! They answer for THEM! I answer for ME! You answer for YOU! And can I just say that most of the time those people who are trying to make us feel “less than”, probably feel “less than” themselves for some reason. It doesn’t make it okay for them to treat us this way. That is not what I’m saying at all. Just know that they are insecure about something or they wouldn’t be focused on others’ shortcomings so much, and they wouldn’t be making light of others’ imperfections. And it makes us angry and it hurts….doesn’t it? I know it does, because I’ve been hurt by someone else’s words before, but here is one thing that I will not do….. I will not let anyone else’s words and actions affect my salvation. Think about Jesus for a moment. He was hurt by people’s words and actions, but He didn’t let it stop Him from fulfilling the will of His Father to save us…. His people….His church. So please don’t punish your Creator by leaving His church. If you have already left…..please come back. For every one person who is looking down on you, there are probably twenty who love you, and will embrace you with open arms. The best thing you can do for yourself, and those people who hurt you is to come back to God, be restored back into His church, and rededicate your life to Him. Then smile at those people who may have hurt you, pray for them, and then let it go. We can’t control other people. We can only control our actions and reactions. Please don’t let “hypocrites” cause you to lose your soul, and keep you from your reward in heaven….I’m begging you. I’m rooting for you. 

Maybe you haven’t started your Christian walk yet. If you need help understanding how to become a Christian and be saved, please reach out. I can help you or put you in contact with someone who can help you.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Below is the plan that God has set forth in His Word, for mankind to receive His grace that leads to salvation and an eternity with God in heaven. 

We have to hear His word. (Romans 10:17) 

Upon hearing the message of Jesus, we believe it. (Mark 16:16) 

Then, we confess Jesus’ name before men. (Matthew 10:32) 

Next, we repent of our sins. (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19) 

Finally, we are baptized into Christ for the remission of our sins.  (Acts 2:38, Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Romans 6:3-4, Acts 22:16, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27) After baptism, God adds us to His church. (Acts 2:47)

Then, we remain faithful in our commitment to Christ until death. (Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 2:20-22)

Source

biblegateway.com