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No one likes a hypocrite – someone who puts on a veneer of holiness but is really just mean, prideful and selfish. And let’s face it; there are plenty of hypocrites in church. And it might surprise you to find that God is REALLY angry about it – angrier than you are. The bible is full of warnings about hypocrisy. If you read through the old testament a large chunk of it is prophets declaring God’s anger against people who “honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”. When Jesus speaks to the religious leaders of the day he calls them “white washed tombs” (Matt 23:27) and compares them to cups that are clean on the outside but filthy on the outside (Matt 23:25). Jesus didn’t mince his words because he was on a campaign against hypocrisy. Once he was so furious that he burst into the temple court with a whip and upended the tables (think flying tables and crashing plates) of the moneychangers and merchants who were using God’s house as a place make money out of worshippers (John 2:14-16). God hates hypocrisy.

The reason there are so many hypocrites in Church is because: 1) Christians still sin, which may look like hypocrisy but isn’t. Hypocrisy is about the pretense, not the error. We need to observe thoroughly before we can make this distinction. 2) Many who claim to be Christians aren’t actually Christians. This is not at all uncommon in a society where it is acceptable to be religious.

If you are among those who have asked the question “Why are Christian’s such hypocrites?” you might be feeling pretty happy right now. You were pretty sure that Christian’s were a bunch of hypocrites and now it looks like God agrees with you. The trouble is that the same God who condemned hypocrisy also said: “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and missed the plank in your own eye?” In other words: its real easy to point the finger at other people, but don’t miss your own attitude problem. In the words of Eric Clapton “Before you accuse me, take a look at yourself”.

In condemning hypocrisy (which should be condemned), many “non-religious” people will start to look down on “religious people” and end up feeling morally or intellectually superior to all those ‘hypocrites’. In doing so, they become guilty of the same self-righteous arrogance they accuse religious people of.

The point is that the church does not have a monopoly on hypocrisy. It’s not a church condition. It’s a human condition – we are all guilty. Any time we call out hypocrisy without recognising our own hypocrisy we worsen the hypocrisy! True Christians should call out hypocrisy with great humility and without condemnation. Christians expose hypocrisy to heal and repent and reconcile to God. The only person who has a right to condemn hypocrites is God. He is the only one who has never lied, never pretended He’s something He isn’t and never done any wrong. He is the perfect judge and He has the right to condemn us all. The incredible thing is that he doesn’t condemn us all. Instead he chose to die for us and take the punishment for our sin so that we wouldn’t die but would live happy forever with God. This is the gospel.

Essentially ‘religion’ does not save anyone. The gospel does. Religion is only supposed to show you how bad you are so that you will turn to Jesus and he will save you. Religious people look at the rules and regulations of religion and think they can save themselves. Non-religious people usually make their own rules and, because you can always meet your own standards, don’t think they need saving. Both are just as bad. Religion is only good if it humbles you and makes you trust in God.