The next time you hear someone say they are not a Christian because there are too many hypocrites in the church, here are a handful of tactful ways to respond:
- What do you mean by “hypocrite?” (You want to make the point that a hypocrite is not merely someone who is morally imperfect, but someone who says he believes X but purposely fails to practice X)
- Yes, there are hypocrites in the church. Jesus told us there would be. But Jesus wasn’t a hypocrite. What do you think about Jesus?
- Yes, there are hypocrites in the church. Jesus told us there would be. But there are also genuine Christians who are following Jesus. Why do you choose to let the hypocrites dictate your response to Christianity rather than the true followers of Jesus?
- What does that have to do with you? Couldn’t Christianity still be true even if a lot of confessing Christians are bad people? The question God is concerned with is not what others do, but what you believe and how you live.
- Are you saying that because other people fail to live up to their ideals you don’t have to even try?
- If you can’t tolerate all the hypocrites in church, why not follow Jesus independently of a local church body—to avoid all of those immoral Christians? (This will get them to tell you the real reasons they are not a Christian)
Do you have any more to add to the mix?
May 15, 2012 at 12:12 pm
Come on down! There’s always room for one more!
May 15, 2012 at 12:19 pm
I normally reply, “There are hypocrites everywhere you go. That apparently doesn’t keep you from doing what you enjoy. I enjoy worshiping God with fellow believers. If you can put up with hypocrites at the park, you can surely put up with them at church.”
Explanation: Many folks take their children to the park who do not really want to be there. They are merely doing it because they feel they have to in order to look like a good parent. In that sense, they are being a hypocrite (an actor), but why should I avoid the park because of some hypocrites? In that sense, you can find “hypocrites” everywhere you go. Bottom line: the “hypocrite excuse” is a dishonest attempt to justify one’s unwillingness to go to church.
May 15, 2012 at 12:36 pm
I’m guessing their hypocriteaphobia doesn’t kick in at the grocery store, or restaurants, or the movies, or work. Which is strange because I’m pretty sure people don’t stop being hypocrites when they leave the church on Sunday. In fact you don’t even need to be a church goer to be a hypocrite.
May 18, 2012 at 8:48 am
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