Published by An excuse for going to church by those who don’t attend on a regular basis is that the church is full of hypocrites people who don’t live up to the standards of the Bible.
Why would this be? Why wouldn’t God just fix everybody who goes to church so that everyone can be the shining example a good Christian ought to be? Why do Christians get themselves in trouble by sinning?
Christianity is a belief in something: it’s a belief that we were out of fellowship with God and God wanted us to have the possibility of being in fellowship with Him. Making sacrifices for sin wasn’t sufficient, so God sent His Son who became the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. All it takes to become a Christian is to acknowledge one’s own sins, to ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart, and to believe in what Jesus did on our behalf.
People have come to Christ on their deathbeds, not having used their lives for the glory of God at all. It is clearly stated in the Bible that we are saved solely by faith:
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph. 2: 8-9
If you think about it, this makes total sense. After all, what work of a human being is truly good enough for a mighty and perfect God? What painting, poem, piece of music, human act is not tainted in our hearts somewhere by selfish thoughts? We create for the glory of God (and most people add in parentheses that a little glory down here would be nice). We seek recognition and material “pay” of some sort (audience, money, admiration, status) when we do things–this is the human condition.
So we are saved by faith alone.
At the same time, God expects us to grow in our Christian walk. The Apostle Paul makes this very clear:
[1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.[2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.[3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 1Cor. 3:1-3
In what direction do we grow? Out of selfishness and toward God.
So, at any given moment in any church, there may be a range of people on the journey towards God’s ways. Some people are further along the way than others, and some churches are not able to help people move particularly far along that path. Some people don’t realize where they are on the path and they don’t know that they need to move Godward. Some people rest along the way temporarily and some people rest in a certain spot permanently. Some people seem to have a lot to conquer in terms of their selfishness and some are able to let self go with relative ease.
Why doesn’t God just fix us, then, when we declare our belief in His Son?
God gave us the choice to believe in Him and He doesn’t remove choices when we become Christian. Every day He gives us the choice to move towards Him or away from Him. Every moment we have that choice.
The process of moving toward God is a process of increasing faith and of maturing both spiritually and in terms of our natural selves. Paul points out that we are all carnal, but as we move towards God, carnality becomes somewhat less able to rule us. We can often (but not always) make better decisions with practice.
So why are some Christians (why are all Christians) hypocrites? Because we are human and in becoming Christian we have not lost our humanness.
Thanx for your sanity.
Thank you for the clarification.We are saved by the gift of God and
and our works are justified by faith in Jesus.John 15:7&8 also says
that to give fruit we are to abide in Him and apart from Him we
can do nothing.
Soooo, can we dumb this down for me? If I read this write, there are two kinds of Christians: 1. Christians that believe in the Bible and lead moral lives in God’s name according to the Bible, and 2. Christians who show go to church on Sunday, go through the motions and not much else?
What if I fall into neither camp, don’t embrace Christianity, lead a good and moral life, by chance don’t break the ten commandments, and finally connect with Christ on my deathbed? If my actions and morales tell you that I have led a good life but my faith does not, what happens? What would you think of me? Just curious.
Ted Goas
skepticalmonkey.com
Ted — it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of you. What matters is your position with God. As CO clearly articulated, none of our works are good enough, if they were then the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross wouldn’t have mattered.
I like that CO pointed out the reason why some people do not go to church — “that place is full of hypocrites!” Well, we don’t mind their company and invite them to bring their own bit of hypocrisy along — everyone has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
I completely believe this to be true. We don’t go to church to point out other’s faults but to hear the Word of God and to fellowship. If we keep our eyes more on the Lord and less on our brothers and sisters in Christ then we will get to the point, spiritually where we can see them as God’s souls more that just as faulty,sinful, human beings. After all aren’t we ALL the same? Praise the Lord!!
Ted,
It’s interesting to suggest that you might “by chance” not break the ten commandments–and that would be the definition of a good moral life. The first few commandments specify the relationship we are to have with God. In order to keep the ten commandments, then, you have to have a relationship with God.
I don’t believe you need anything “dumbed” down–you are a perfectly smart person.
As to what happens if you don’t have the relationship with God, if you are right and no God exists, then nothing will happen. If I am right and the God of the Bible exists, then you will have a very unpleasant afterlife. The God of the Bible wants to have a relationship with you here; should you not choose that, then He doesn’t want a relationship with you in the hereafter.
Thank you so much for commenting on this article–I appreciate your thought and am honored.
CO
This is true. Yet a true christian will show fruit of his/her faith. If I say I am saved then I will act like it also because the Holy Spirit dwells in me. For example, if you are truely saved and are still fornicating,etc. continuously than it shows you are not truely saved to begin with. Although there may be a certain time frame when first saved that you struggle with these actions there should be a change in your action as you grow in maturity in CHRIST. You will no people by their fruit. And true salvation will show.
I have written a related article that I’ve named “Our Journey” which may be of some interest to fellow readers here. It answers the question posed in this article, why aren’t we “fixed” at the moment of salvation… I hope I’m not too out of place in my sharing: http://roovis.is-a-geek.com/christ/journey.html
-Richard
Well, since there isn’t a god….
never mind.
Just stay out of the class room with this garbage.
Gracias.
You will never enter into God’s grace unless you are baptized by full immersion. Why is it that people have this tendency to leave out of their thinking what is said in James 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
And Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Why is this always forgotten?
Pat,
Baptism is simply meant as a public demonstration of faith; it is not necessary for salvation. In this case, “for the forgiveness of your sins” means “because of the forgiveness of your sins.” Or Peter could have been speaking of baptism by the Holy Spirit, which every believer has.
Ted,
There are only two types of people: those who acknowledge Christ in their lives and those who don’t. No one is “moral” by God’s standards.
You are most sincere however MANY PEOPLE WILL NOT TAKE YOUR BIBLICAL TEXT AS FACTS! This is fiction to many people. Your Bible excerpts explain nothing to the unfaithful.
The problem is that Christians who are human try to pose as pious people who are perfect and cram their faith down everyone else’s throat.
I think this could be better in content. Although the title will get you the views. It is disappointing.
Hi CO -
Excellent, excellent article.
By faith alone you are saved. Jesus Christ died and rose again on third day, so that anyone who believes in Him are saved.
I agree with Bryant, there are only two kinds of people, those who believe in God (Jesus Christ) and those who believe not. Those who believe in Jesus Christ will continue to grow closer to His ways throughout their lifetimes and those who choose to reject God will continue to distance themselves further away from God throughout their lifetimes.
Let’s be completely honest here though, because Ted asked a fair question and it should be answered the way God has taught it.
Those who accept Jesus Christ(God)into their hearts are forgiven for their sins, period and will spend an everlasting life with God.
Those who reject Jesus Christ(God) will not receive forgiveness and spend an eternity in Hell, after the Judgment Day.
People who believe that they somehow can earn favor with God and bypass Jesus to receive forgiveness for their sins and enter into Heaven through their own means, are simply fooling themselves. If these people wish to pay the price for their own sins without accepting the only Savior Jesus Christ, then they will learn that they will be spending an eternity in Hell paying for their sins and an eternity is forever without end.
People who reject Jesus Christ in this life will be rejected by God on Judgment Day. When God the “Father” asks Jesus Christ “the Savior” do you know this person, and if the person who is in question rejected Jesus Christ in their Earthy life, then Jesus Christ will reply to the Father as not knowing them. Which means that their name was not found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and this means that their judgment had been sealed and an eternity in Hell awaits all who rejected God’s gift of Salvation and eternal life with Him.
Now, there are some people even some people who consider themselves to be Christians who believe that God is just a Loving God and He would not really send people to Hell. But, that isn’t what God Himself has said, the Bible (God’s Word) teaches that anyone who rejects Jesus Christ has sealed their own fate, if they did not receive Jesus Christ while they were living in the flesh here on Earth.
If God really were to change His mind at the last moment, then everything else that God represents would be in vein and Jesus Christ’s sacrifice would have been for not. That would mean that Satan would have won his battle with God and no one would be saved. That is not what the Bible teaches and no matter how hard some humans try to rewrite the Truth of God, in the end and on Judgment Day there are going to be billions of disappointed humanists and secular religious people who will all learn that God is Real, Jesus Christ did in fact die for our sins and rose back to life on the third day, and that the penalty of sin is death.
Some people call this type of teaching a scare tactic to force people into accepting, but it is not. There is nothing to fear when you have accepted Jesus Christ and live in fellowship with our savior, creator and God.
God Bless,
Nelson Doyle
You speak the reality in many churches claiming to be Christian. Truly Life with Christ is an individual walk towards perfection. Christians are not immune to the temptations of this world, as Christ was when He did his ministry in this world.
wow, don’t troll.
not cool.
and Jesus loves you.
and we WON’T stay out of the classroom, thank you very much.
I am sorry, but by “faith alone” belief…..you would have to agree that even evil men like Ted Bundy will be in the Kingdom of God as long as he has faith in God at his time of death.
NO, not me. I am a Christian and I have full faith in Gods plan. However, I disagree with typical religious doctrine that says faith alone. Mans salvation is good works AND faith. Neither by themselves equal salvation.
Thank you, CO. An honest and brave explanation of the gospel. I’m new to Triond and am delighted to find so much genuine Christian content. You have inspired me to submit one of my poems on the subject of hypocrites now.
Thanks for sharing….however, Faith alone is not enough…
In James 2: 26
“Faith without deeds is dead”
Yet, a call to all Christians. Once again, thanks for sharing.
Thank you I loved reading this, I needed to read it considering the info. I got last night that I wrote and shared about.
just me,
Only bad people go to heaven. This is precisely what all Christians confess to being upon salvation — their need for a savior, to be spared from judgment.
The only people who end up in heaven, are those who have realized they have no right of their own to be there.
-Richie
http://roovis.is-a-geek.com
I liked it. It’s very objective and honest. Just because there are hypocritical Christians does not mean that the religion or the church is bad. My religion is neither here nor there, but I think people use it as an excuse not to go. I would recommend anyone to read “Why I am Not a Christian” by Bertrand Russell, whether you believe in God or not, it’s a GREAT READ!! I am writing several articles on the logic and problems in religions and will publishing them soon!
Sometimes you Christians make me laugh. Does anyone ever notice that old Book persists in saying things that the creationists, who claim to take it as literal truth, have to admit are metaphorical (like the “doors” in the firmament that let the rain through)? That means, of course, that they have to arbitrarily decide which parts are literally literal, and which are only metaphorically literal (and can’t they twist the English language!). I’ve never yet read a justification for who gets to make that determination and how, so I’ll summarize it thus: Everything is literal except things that even we creationists can’t stomach.
Even worse, the “scientifically accurate” Bible reveals not a single fact about nature that wasn’t commonly known at the time. If only it had revealed the atomic structure of matter, or the inverse square law, or the existence of bacteria–or even the heliocentric solar system!
I thought of some more.
Stars somehow have grown a lot bigger and moved much farther away, so that by now it seems foolish to expect a sizable fraction of them to fall to Earth, as predicted in Revelation.
The Earth, on the other hand, to test Man’s faith in the literal veracity of scripture, has shrunk to become much smaller than the sun, and has taken to circling the latter, instead of vice versa, as originally established. Furthermore (confirming its sinful nature), it has floated up off its pillars or foundations, lost its four corners, and become a silly ball, on which there just is no possible mountaintop from which one could see all nations of the Earth.
I’ll be back for more of your brains later.
Like Richie, I, too, have written an article related to this subject. This was published on Helium and is entitled: “Non Christians’ Chances in Heaven”.
I basically agree with CO in that we go to church because we are not perfect people. If we were all exactly like God wants us to be, there would be no need for religious teachings.
However, (and there are always exceptions to rules), there are people who admittedly are not Christian, or do not have a belief in any form of diety, yet they live exemplary lives. I question that if my neighbor, who is a non believer, lives his life in a loving, compassionate, helpful, charitable, and sacrificing manner, that he will be doomed to the fires of hell for eternity. I question this because: a person can be condemned to execution for murder or other horrible crime, and at the very last moment of his completely useless life and concern for others lives, can suddenly… at zero hour… become saved and will automatically earn a seat at God’s side.
I realize that it is not for us to judge. But, we have already made judgment on this person to put him to death. God, being a higher power, of course can save and redeem this person. But I don’t believe he is allowed any chosen place in heaven. He is just allowed to float about for eternity, never entering heaven, but never going to hell either. At least, that would be a more acceptable scenario.
But, until we ourselves enter that plain, we will never really know how it works, will we?
A well written and Biblically sound article, CO! To answer some who have questions about “deathbed” or “death row” conversions inheriting eternal life along with those who committed their whole lives to serving God, the parable of the prodigal son(Luke 15:11-31) and the parable of the workers (Matthew 20:1-16) give hope to those who realize their need for salvation at the end. To those of you who do not recognize the Bible as God’s word, or who don’t even believe in God – that would take a much longer comment. Perhaps I will write up an article myself to answer that one.
This is a god article. One thing to remember, being a Christian and following God is a choice. The Holy Spirit does not force us to follow God nor do the right thing. We follow because we believe and with grace and mercy we live the life we were called to live.
I love your insights.
Paul, in Ephesians, makes it clear that humans are saved through Grace; not through good works.
Often, cults are works-based, convincing members that they have to earn their salvation when the Bible makes it clear that faith is what is required for salvation.
The Mosaic Law was works-based and was done away with to make room for the New Covenant. If salvation were through works, the Law with all it’s precepts would have been sufficient.
Here’s another thought: if humans had to earn their salvation, then Christ’s sacrifice wouldn’t have been necessary. It was the ransom for sin that was provided to buy back sinners.
I’ve enjoyed reading the comments as much as reading the article!
Everyone has a different opinion on Christianity based on their own life’s experiences, and I would like to point out why people who aren’t Christian will NOT understand this article or Christianity. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to draw the unsaved to God, and to convict Christians of their sins. The Bible will not validate any part of Christianity to the unsaved because they cannot understand it without the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
We can argue our point all day, but it isn’t up to us, so we don’t have to take offense when someone doesn’t get the point.
Great article by the way!
To Top Ten Triond Writer:
That “your Bible is fiction and has no base in an argument with someone who doesn’t believe it” defense is pretty old, don’t you think?
You’ll say that to me when I quote scripture, but what happens when you quote scientific “research” to me about evolution or whatnot? Yeah, I find THAT to be fictional. The street goes two ways.
New rationale needed.
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