Christianity is the fulfillment of God\u2019s plan to restore a broken world through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God is in the process of restoring the world.
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Hypocrisy Doesn\u2019t Discriminate
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Perhaps the most important realization we can have is that hypocrisy is ubiquitous. That is, hypocrisy is not limited to one religious, racial, gender, or age group. Indeed, even the nation of Israel\u2014God\u2019s chosen people\u2014exemplified inconsistency between beliefs and lifestyle.
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We \xa0are \xa0all flawed people. \xa0We are Sinners.
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We all wish we were nicer, more honest, more selfless, more giving. We\u2019d like to be more concerned about those less fortunate than us. We want to live consistently with those things we believe are true, noble, right, pure, and lovely.
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even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, --Romans 3:23\xa0
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Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. -Ecclesiastes 7:20
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Most people would say that you\u2019re a good person, but the skeletons in your closet might change their minds.
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I interviewed an iconic porn star on Motorcycle Radio, for episode 16 and realized that I was a little wary at first. \xa0It was hypocrisy.\xa0
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We all need Jesus. Every person is flawed and broken, whether we like to admit it or not. And Jesus came to fix a broken world.
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Is the church full of hypocrites? Yes, it is. It is also full of liars, cheaters, adulterers, and much more. All people are sinners. That is, all people have lied, stolen, lusted, etc. Just because someone is a Christian, does not mean that he has never done these things. But it does mean he is warring against them. The church is full of people who have struggled with various sins in their lives, and all people in churches still struggle with various sins. The fact is that we have a fallen nature, and we war against it--sometimes without success--which makes our failures all the more visible to the world.\xa0
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Hypocrisy is the claim or pretense of holding beliefs, feelings, standards, qualities, opinions, behaviors, virtues, motivations, or other characteristics that one does not in actual fact hold. It is the practice of engaging in the same behavior or activity for which one criticizes another.
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Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.--Ephesians 4:29
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You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.- Matthew 7:5\xa0
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\u201cJudge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.--Matthew 7:1-2\xa0
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And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, \u201cLet him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.\u201d-John 8:7\xa0
Being a Christian does not mean we are perfect. Being a Christian means that we recognize our sins, try to turn from them, and try to act like Christ. But obviously, we fail.
Also, there is a sense in which the church, the people in it, are overly hypocritical. The Christian church is supposed to reach out to the lost but often seeks nothing more than being comfortable within its own doors. It is supposed to reach out to the poor and support them, but too often we see people on TV asking for millions of dollars. The hypocrisy is plain for everyone to see.
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If someone has a high moral standard and he fails, then his hypocrisy is more evident. But if a person has no moral standard, how can he be rightly accused of hypocrisy? The reason the accusation of hypocrisy can so easily stick upon the Christian church is that the moral standard set by Jesus is so high. We, Christians, are supposed to be loving, kind, and gracious; and when we are not but instead act selfishly, our hypocrisy is all the more evident. We profess Christ and him crucified, but we often fail to exemplify his great loving sacrifice by being selfish and cowardly.
Therefore, we need to repent, admit our failures, and try to live as Christ-like as possible. We will fail, of course; and the world will point out our failures. Our actions should match our profession nonetheless.
So, what do we say when someone accuses the Christian church of being full of hypocrites? We say, yes, you're right.
(portions of this text were borrowed from other sites.)Why Are Christians So Hypocritical? - Explore God,Hypocrisy in the Church - Christian Answers Network,Why Should I Become a Christian? The Worst Hypocrites ...
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Julie Miller - Don't Let The Devil Ride