The second most popular excuse for not visiting is a sarcastic jab, "How long before they start asking for my money?"
The remarks sound different, but both express the same conviction: I like sinning and putting myself first. But I wonder, is every church really full of hypocrites?
Well, if the word hypocrite means a person whose actions belie stated beliefs, then I'm a hypocrite, too ... because despite professing faith in Christ, I am continually failing and fall short.
Only Jesus Christ was perfect and without sin: not any preacher, not any TV evangelist, not the head deacon, not Mother Theresa, not the Pope and not anybody else.
No matter what faith, religion or New Age conviction you might proclaim, unless you're currently living an absolutely flawless and perfect life, then you're pretending to live according to principles and virtues you don't possess ... which makes you a hypocrite, too.
So if there's human beings in church then I'd have to agree: Yes, church is full of hypocrites ... because believers in love with and 100% devoted to Christ still fail and fall short. And if they're honest, most will freely admit to failing every day.
Don't be surprised or offended: we're all fallible and imperfect, compared to Christ. That's why Jesus commanded, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven." So instead of gloating and self-righteously pointing out the other guy's sins, we should first pay attention to our own, and then follow Paul's instructions to "encourage one another and build each other up."
Churches are full of hypocrites. But then so are grocery stores, office buildings, nightclubs, highways, movie theaters and football stadiums.
But then, hardly anybody stays home from the Super Bowl because "All football stadiums are full of hypocrites."
-- -- --
What about rules ... and why do some churches have so many?
There's a difference between rules and commandments. Rules are man-made (and imperfect, by definition). Rules are man-serving and man-given, but Commandments are God's living instructions to us, not because God exists in a permanent state of moody surliness or vengefulness, but because He loves us ... and being holy and perfect, God wants to protect and keep us from sin. And God will use discipline, as well as the consequences of our sins, to teach and encourage us from sinning again.
Knowing Christ means hating the sin in our lives, prayerfully repenting when we've fallen short, asking for His forgiveness and seeking the Holy Spirit to rid sin from our lives.
If rules are man-made guidelines that help you avoid & steer clear of your particular sin, then follow the guidelines. But also remember that rules aren't God-given, and that salvation doesn't come through adhering to man-made rules and traditions: No church edict can ever replace or supercede the power of the Holy Spirit.
-- -- --
But still ... every church I've ever visited wants my money!
I haven't visited every church ... so I don't know if that's true. What's more important is this: You don't have any money. None.
The next time the offering plate starts making its way down the end of your aisle and you find yourself protecting your wallet with a death-grip, think about this:
In 1857 the SS Central America, carrying 30,000 pounds of gold, sank in a hurricane off the North Carolina coast with a loss of 425 lives. The ship was carrying so much gold that its loss actually contributed to the financial Panic of 1857.
Many of the ships' 153 survivors reported that in the ships' final moments, doomed passengers stranded on deck were begging to trade gold ... pounds and pounds of gold ... to anyone willing to give up their place in a lifeboat.
Not surprisingly, nobody was willing to make the trade. And so the fantastically wealthy men left on deck went into the water with their pockets literally bursting with gold (gold's even heavier than lead).
You were born without a purse or a wallet and when you leave this world, you won't be taking so much as a penny with you. All the money in your possession, every cent of it, belongs to God ... He's merely allowing you to serve as His temporary asset manager. And one day you'll be held accountable for spending His Money ... whether serving and honoring Him, or entertaining, accomodating and satisfying yourself.
God can withdraw the balance and close the account at any time, too, so be cheerful ... and don't complain too much when God commands a tiny, tiny withdrawl from His account.
-- -- --
If you can't find a church in your area, try visiting the New Spring Web Campus on Sunday morning at 11:15AM or Sunday evening at 6:15 PM. No matter where you live.
Who knows? You might find out when you've stopped griping and finding fault with all the hypocrites, God's got something HUGE, life-changing and ever-lasting to say to your heart.
