Hypocrisy

When I've heard those who don't follow Jesus explain why they choose not to, many times it's because of the hypocrisy they see that is in the church.  My first inclination is not to disagree with them, but to figure out what can be done to fix this.  I don't think it's fair to say that a church as a whole is hypocritical, but it is easy to say that some sort of hypocrisy is present in most, if not all, churches.  Obviously this is frustrating because I desperately want the world to see the church as a place that pursues Christ, and a place that will offer respite to those who suffer.

I recently listened to a sermon from the Village Church on Ultimate Authority: Guiding & Confronting the Mess.  It talked about where the hypocrisy can come from.  First, there are wolves in sheep's clothing, as 2 Peter 2:2 says, "And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed." Also, Jesus told the Pharisees, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves" (Matthew 23:15).  Secondly, there are varying levels of spiritual maturity within the church.  Paul writes about this in Romans 14.  The last reason that those outside the church see hypocrisy is because there is always a possibility of theological/missiological drift.  A good example of the last issue is the church of Ephesus, which was called out in Revelation 2 for losing its first love.  The Ephesians were still doing good things, but they had lost their focus on Christ.

After seeing all of these it seems clear that hypocrisy is a heart issue, and instead of asking what the church should do, it is imperative that I look at my own hypocrisy.  Those who don't believe, as said by Charles Spurgeon in a sermon on Ezekiel 16:54, could easily say, "You say you are crucified to the world, and the world to you: it is a very merry sort of crucifixion.  You say that you mortify your members and deny yourselves: your mortification must be suffered in secret, for it is but very little that we can see of it!"  My hypocrisy comes from being content in my pride and seeking my own selfish desires.  Even though I say that I serve others, my heart is too often turned inward.  Not only that, but I am okay with being comfortable.  This hypocrisy cripples my relationship with Christ, but also shows others a twisted view of following him. 

I pray that I would only seek Christ, for as he said, "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I have not come to bring peace, but a sword... And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 10:34, 38-39).  If the church is focused on Christ, then we will absolutely be ridiculed, but not for hypocrisy.  Again, as Jesus said, "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant to be like his master.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household" (Matthew 10:24-25)