|
 "If
that is the way Christians act then I don't want to be a
Christian." You have likely heard this many times and may
have given tacit consent to the thought — having strong
distaste for hypocrisy in religion.
There
is no denying that followers of Christ should so live as to
attract rather than repel; and we make no excuse for those
lights who have gone out, or salt that has lost its savor. But
one who uses the "if that is the way..." excuse, is
also "copping out" on responsibility.
Christianity,
in its true sense, is not determined by what any person,
high and noble or low and vile, does or says about it. "The
church," even in its purest stage, is the product of
Christianity, not the mother of it. God has not abdicated His
throne, nor Christ His divinely appointed roles. God distributes
the "rule" (inspired truth) which reaches to all alike
(2 Cor. 10:12-14, 4-5).
If
I mislead someone by my conduct or teaching, I must answer for
this in judgment (1 Cor. 3:12-15). But my sin is not his
| |
righteousness. He is not released from his obligation to God because I failed to
meet my obligations. Or, to put it another way, offences must
come — sin and injustices will continue so long as this age
lasts — but this does not excuse him "by whom the offence
cometh" (Mat. 18:7). The inevitability of sin in the world
does not excuse the sinner. Are we to assume that the one who is
disgusted by hypocrites has no need of forgiveness? If he knows
what Christianity is NOT, does he know what it IS, and refuses
to conform? Or, has he confused a "good moral life"
with Christianity? True followers of Christ are morally upright,
but they know they can not trust in themselves for
justification. Freely acknowledging their need for forgiveness,
they trust in Jesus Christ for mercy and redemption. One has not
learned the real meaning of Christianity until he so learns
Christ.
And
we do not learn Christ by studying the faults of others. We must
turn our attention from the disciples and center it upon the
Master.
[Previous
Article] [Next
Article]
|
