Response: "Hypocrites"? You mean, people who say they believe in Jesus, but don't obey Him? Yeah, epic; I can definitely see how you wouldn't want to have any part of that...
NEXT!
(Proverbs 21:22)
02 July 2013
The hypocrite's anti-hypocrisy dodge (NEXT! #34)
by Dan Phillips
Challenge: Sure, I believe in Jesus. But I don't go to church because, you know, there's hypocrites there.
Response: "Hypocrites"? You mean, people who say they believe in Jesus, but don't obey Him? Yeah, epic; I can definitely see how you wouldn't want to have any part of that...
Response: "Hypocrites"? You mean, people who say they believe in Jesus, but don't obey Him? Yeah, epic; I can definitely see how you wouldn't want to have any part of that...
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27 comments:
I Love It!
Amen & Amen.
"Hypocrites do not love one another; though they are always talking about the want of love there is in the church." CHS
Yeah, because all you non-believers never ever do what you say you shouldn't.
Too bad we all couldn't have you're perfect record!
Or...
Yeah, imagine, all those people claiming to need a Saviour due to their own failure and imperfections, actually having sins and imperfections...
This exposes the fact that too many Christians expect all other Christians to conform to their own expectations without pausing to consider what are God's expectations.
BTW, did I miss the announcement about moderated comments at Pyro?
You know, you could just respond and tell them to go to an ancient Greek library, because it's.... wait for it.... filled with "Hippocrates"...
If you don't go to church, then you are likely not tithing. If you are not tithing, then you are not sowing, if you are not sowing, you will not reap.
So if you want to be rich, you should go to church!
OK, that sounds kind of nuts, but since it's you...
I am so sorry, guys! Joel Osteen stole my password yesterday and was commenting as me on C-Gate and apparently today here.
I thought CHS has noticed it, but no one told me until today.
In regard to the actual post, the response I heard once and I like best is this:
Person A: I don't go to church because there's too many hypocrites there.
Person B: It's ok; we have room for one more.
Had a delightful interaction with one of these folks a week ago. First, she said "It's this kind of judgment that will keep me out of the church forever." So I told her, "Yeah, good for you, avoiding all those nasty judging people." She then explained, "I am able to be so much more tolerant when I am alone." I said, "Yes, it is much easier to tolerate others when they aren't around." Finally she explained, "I am better able to worship when I am alone." To which I replied, "I have no doubt that you worship quite well, when you are alone."
Now, concerning the obvious nuances in Dan's answer (we are supposed to discuss DJP's post, right?).
I think he points out clearly the hypocrisy in the original statement. The factor of 'obedience.'
So the question isn't - does church have a lot of dirty rats in it, but rather, are you commanded to be a member of a local church?
If the answer is yes (which it is) - then you're a hypocrite for not going.
So then we get the joy of the fun irony like when intolerant people preach tolerance or judgmental people preach acceptance.
I think Michael and Web Hunt have figured out a way to monetize comments. Kind of like "pay per click."
Well, I'm blocked now anyway as my last comment (the only one actually about the post) didn't make the cut. We'll see if this one makes it past Big Brother.
Sweet! Through the gates!
Did the Jesus you believe in never meet with his disciples?
Read the NT. That's the Jesus I believe in, and there's your answer.
In Jeff's defense, I think he was responding to the "Challenger" from the post, not addressing you, DJP.
OoooooOOOOOOooooohhhh.
I was indeed responding to the challenger. The last thing I did before submitting was decide that I could probably omit the first 4 words, "Or you could reply"
...In retrospect, it seems that introduction would have been valuable.
Nah, it's all good. Sometimes people don't get me, either.
(c:
My favorite retort to the whole "The church is full of hypocrites" was this: "Yes it is, but I'm sure they can fit in one more."
To the Challenger:
So it's more holy before God that you abstain from being around hypocrites than submitting to leadership in a corporate setting, taking the Lord's supper with the brethren, worshiping in song corporately, hearing the word preached by and submitting to the teaching of the Word from someone who has dedicated their life to honoring God by feeding the sheep, using whatever gift God has given you for the building up of the body, submitting to other members of the body for the building up of one another, showing the world that you love God by going and being among those who love Him and partnering with them to proclaim and demonstrate the Gospel to your community and the whole world....
If God said that in the same place he said all these other things, I think you're OK. If not... #CheckYourBible #CheckYourJesus
A paraphrase of a conversation I had with one gentlemen about this: "Churches have too many hypocrites in it, that's why I don't go to church." Me: "Where else would you suggest they go to deal with their sin?" Him: "Well, they should change, and practice what they preach." Me: "And let's suppose they did that. How would you know since you're never with them?"
Crickets... to which the subject changed to something about how he had been hurt by some people at a church, and he didn't have to go to church to love Jesus and know that he was saved.
What would be nice is if a man would get up at a conference in the next month or so and preach about how important this is!
BILL: I'm a Christian, but I won't go to church because it has hypocrites.
BOB: What's a hypocrite?
BILL: Someone who says he believes something, but doesn't practice it.
BOB: Oh. Like someone who says he believes Jesus is Lord, but doesn't obey Him?
BILL: Exactly.
BOB: { puts fingers in ears, awaiting implosion of universe from pressure of undetected irony }
Maybe the Challenger could come and take some of the specks from these hypocrites eyes.
Good thought Dan.
Well, even Paul said that he had not attained perfection yet...guess people shouldn't have met with him either...
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