Hypocrisy
A Look At The Cynicism Of Christians With Regards To Sin And Grace
Why is it that some people don't want to see other people change? Why is that they find it so hard to believe that someone could go from leading a life based on selfish choices to a life of surrender under Christ? The reality is that many people from our past that may have known us before our point of surrender don't want to believe the change is real because it forces them to look at themselves and question their choices. They would rather be cynical of our conversion and label Christians stereo typically as hypocrites. They look closely into our lives for any shortcomings we may still have and use them to dismantle and dismiss our faith with a loud cry of "Hypocrisy." Let me be clear, I have no desire to hold myself out as being without sin, but as soon as you claim Christ publicly many put that litmus on you. This is crazy to me in a way because I became a Christian out of the fact that I recognized my sin and my inability to be free of it. So then, because I have come to this realization and surrendered my self-centered life I am expected not to sin? Nope, that's not how it has worked for me. If it were in fact that easy I suspect there would be a lot more people following Christ. While I try hard not to sin I realize that unfortunately that I still do. Most of the times where sin is present in my life today it is not necessarily a conscious effort. This is not an excuse. Sin today is more of a result of me, "taking my eye off the ball." There are times that I loose my focus on my life as follower and believer. Times where I momentary take back my selfish will and loose the ability to be patient and have faith that God will fulfill me. This is where I think many of the cynics are completely missing the point of Christianity. I am a Christian because I know I NEED forgiveness not because I think I am doing everything exactly right or without sin.
This may be best explained by sharing a conversation I had with a friend when I was still new to faith. We met for coffee and I explained that I had recently re-read the Sermon on the Mount from the book of Matthew. I explained that I felt that so many of the expectations Christ gave us in this sermon on how to live were still so unrealistic for me. I felt frustrated and I was wondering if these teachings were really realistic. I love the response he gave and I still think of it often. Without hesitation he said, "Well, have you considered that this exactly why you need a savior?” He was dead on and I realized it quickly. When I became a Christian I knew that I needed and wanted forgiveness for the sin in my life that had accumulated over many years. And, in time I came to know forgiveness for all of that past sin, but it does not end there. Grace is an ongoing day-to-day forgiveness that lives with me even while I am trying to live life daily as a believer.
This is by no means implying that grace is a “blank check.” It has been my experience that at some point God calls me out on my sin thru conviction in my heart. And, through this conviction comes a conscience effort on my part to surrender this sin and change my actions or behaviors. Sometimes this has taken months and even years to occur. But thru a relentless pursuit that involves study and prayer I have gotten closer to the life described by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, and until the day arrives that I “get it right” I need as much grace everyday as I received on the day I surrendered my life. This was how I began to understand grace as a follower of Christ. I began to see that by staying close to God even in my imperfections, shortcomings and sin that I have changed over time. Sin that was once pervasive in my life years ago is virtually non-existence in my life today. I now do many things or don't do many things out of love and the pursuit of a relationship with God. I have come to know obedience out of Love, verses obedience out of discipline, which I could previously never achieve. Spiritual growth is truly a process. Grace has shepherded me to a new place in life where regardless of what the world thinks of me, or judges me, I know that a Christ like nature is growing in my heart. I am different. Not perfect, nowhere near it but certainly a better version of me thru which God can bring glory to his name.
Therefore, I understand well those that are cynical of Christianity on these topics of sin and grace. I too felt this way once. I too used this as a excuse to avoid and dismiss a deeper investigation of faith and instead cling to vices of this world that brought me only temporary comfort. However, with God's help people change, views change, hearts change, behaviors change, life's change and most importantly eternity can change.
"Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." Luke 15:7
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