How many
say this is true? How many say the church building is full of hypocrites?
Twice
in the past month, different individuals have said this to me. Both had
been part of a church family before and no longer have any desire to go to
church because of the behaviors and attitudes they experienced with the church
people.
As I sat
and listened about the gossiping, haughty attitudes, lying, and the acting
‘holy’ in church and differently at work/school, I had to agree with
them.
I would not want to attend church with those people
either.
I did
not fault these two people who, I believe, were daring me to counter them with
words about the good of church.
As I
prayerfully considered my words, things popped into my head like ‘the church is
for the sick, not the healthy’ and ‘you shouldn't attend church for the people
but for God’. And while these are true, the real truth is we Christians need to step up our game.
These
two conversations have made me think. I have been prayerfully reviewing
every aspect of my life. I have areas that need change because I am a
work in progress but there is hope. One of my favorite songs, Jesus
Saves, says, “Freedom’s calling, chains are falling, hope is dawning
bright and true. Day is breaking, night is quaking. God is making all things
new. Jesus saves.”
I am
still delighting in the fact that Jesus provides freedom, He makes all things
new. It doesn't matter if you started your walk of faith 5
minutes ago or 50 years ago. He makes us new and He calls us to be
renewed.
If you
are the person who does not go to church because of the hypocrites, let me say
this. Your experience was wrong and did not please God. You will
not find a perfect person in the church for we are not God. We have all
sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But that does
not excuse us from living as redeemed beings (Hebrews 10:10). I apologize
for what you have experienced from the mouths and hands of pastors, teachers,
laymen and laywomen. Please know this is not God’s design for a
Christian. We have failed, we were wrong. However, God is good and right.
When sin
entered the world through Adam and Eve, God provided a way for deliverance
through sacrifice. Each person’s sins were forgiven through the sacrifice
of the most perfect animal that could be found. This was not adequate to
fully redeem because, after all, it was just an animal not the most perfect
life and perfect sacrifice. In order to fully redeem us to Him, God sent
Jesus Christ to die on the cross, as a sacrifice for us. Only this Lamb
of God would do because he was without sin.
It seems these two I spoke with have experienced
individuals who realized they were sinners and prayed for forgiveness through
Jesus Christ but have not made another step towards living a Christ-filled
life. Romans 12:2
says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
As a
church, we can not be satisfied with the knowledge that 'we prayed the prayer'
and hug our friends because 'we are in', only to turn around and behave in
ungodly ways. Instead we must immerse ourselves in God's Word and
pray for the Holy Spirit to do a complete work in us and make us Holy as He is
Holy. (1 Peter 1:15).
Church, it is time to kneel down. It is time to pray for God to revive us.
We are the feet of Jesus, called to be his disciples.
So I prayerfully sing,
"Change my heart oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart oh God,May I be like You.
You are the potter,
I am the clay,
Mold me and make me,
This is what I pray.
Change my heart oh God,
Make it ever true.
Change my heart oh God,
May I be like You.
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