H a v e y o u ever given this excuse for not attending church? If so, have you ever stopped to analyze the statement? It is agreed that there are too many hypocrites in the church. But to stay away from the Lord’s church for this reason is being unfair. This ex cuse might be leveled against any institution that is com posed of people. Any employee who does not give his employer a good day’s work for his wage is being hypo critical. Wherever people are found, and whenever stand ards are set and expected to be kept, you will find hypo crites. The local church is no exception. In fact, Christ Himself once called a group of religious leaders hypocrites (Matthew 23:14), yet He attended church regularly, and expects us to. The church is not perfect because it is composed of imperfect people. Of course, this in no way condones the hypocrisy wherever it is found. Our United States currency has counterfeits (or hypocrites) circulat ing among the genuine, but we do not say, “ I will not use money because there are too many counterfeits.” What is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a person who professes to be what in reality he is not. There are many who profess to be Christians but who are not Christians. There are many who attend churches who are not the children of God. Profession does not always indicate possession. The very fact that people will attempt a Chris tian profession without being Christians is an admission that they believe the church has something worthwhile to offer. People will not seek to imitate that which is worthless. The sad thing is that many are attempting to live the life of a Christian without possessing the life of a Chris tian. This life can only be received by a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. John says, “And this is life eter nal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent ” (John 17:3). A per son cannot pretend to possess this life very long. He may attempt a good profession for a while but sooner or later the lack of reality will become evident. Again John says, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life” (I John 5:12). It is not only true that this excuse is based on a mis conception that all churches should be perfect, but also that a person can judge Christianity by looking at people instead of looking at the Lord Jesus. The Word of God explicitly warns us against using men as our standard of conduct. Isaiah 45:22 states, “Look unto ME, and be ye saved.” No matter how long we examine the person of Jesus Christ, we will never find Him to be a hypocrite. He alone is the One to whom we seek to point men. Men may be found to be untrue, but Jesus never fails. If we look to Him, we shall never be disappointed. The local church may have its hypocrites, but the one person worse than a hypocrite is the man who hides behind one! May I suggest that if you have been staying away from church because there are hypocrites in it, turn away from self and others and look to the One who will never disappoint you, Jesus Christ. A Christian is one who has acknowledged his sin before a holy God and personally received God’s Son into his heart and life by an act of faith. “For by grace are y e saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). The hypocrite will answer to God for his pretense. Job 36:13, 14 reads, “ But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath . . . their life is among the unclean.” W ill you be any better off if you hide behind the hypocrite? Available in tract form from the American Tract Society, 513 West 166th Street, New York 32, N. Y.
k
x
►
►
JULY, 1962
11
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter