The Hypocrisy of Christians: The Sins They Hate/Excuse

[A_JAY]

This thread is not about specific sins Christians love to hate, nor about sinless perfection, or masks. It is about the hypocrisy of many Christians regarding sin.

This is an Article by Frank Viola which appeared online in 2013.
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“Christians get very angry toward other Christians who sin differently than they do.”

~ Philip Yancey, quoting a friend.

I grew up in a denomination that made homosexuality the gravest of all sins, trumping every other transgression (except murder, maybe).

Many of the people in that church were dutifully self-righteous when it came to certain sins. Those who didn’t commit the sins they deemed the worse (externally, that is) saw themselves as more “pure” than their fellow brethren who may have stumbled in those areas.

I regret to say that in my early years as a Christian, I adopted this same attitude. Ironically, these same people winked at the sins of gossip, slander, outbursts of rage, judging the motives of others, and lying. Excuses were routinely made in an attempt to justify these “lesser” sins (so the thinking went). In addition, most of us were monumentally disinterested and unmoved by things like poverty, racism, sexism, genocide, and homelessness.

Continued in article

[Sin Metrics: The Sins that Christians Condemn & Excuse]

 

[mindfulzen]

Sexism!!!! There is no such thing in the scripture. There are no isms in public society. God over man, man over woman, woman over children, so how can you include christians, if it goes against scripture? If they make a tradfamily, you cannot expect them to go along with your sexism issue.

Murders are different, not uniform. We differentiate, otherwise you cannot protect yourself and shoot in selfdefence. You have the right to protect your own life by any means in both laws of ther land globally, and the biblical laws. So, not always a sin.

Why should they concern themselves with genocide? What genocide? And the same about racism. A shame if they do not concern themselves with helping homless people and donating money or time. But I do not know who they are, and perhaps they do that. Not all flaunt charity.

 

[renniks]

Why should they concern themselves with genocide? What genocide?

One example would be:
Rwandan genocide - Wikipedia

 

[mindfulzen]

One example would be:
Rwandan genocide - Wikipedia

You are not answering my question. Why should the congregation in a church in 2021, start discussiongroups about a 30 year old genocide, that is over? This makes no sense. Christians do not discuss problems that do not exist anymore and find solutions for past events that does not exist. This issue is an issue you can try to solve in retrospect if you jaoin a leftwing political group. But christians are not big on political theory over issues that are over. I would not ask them why they do not do discussions about Rwanda, but I am sure they would answer it clearly.

 

[A_JAY]

Well, Bless Your Heart! Topic here is The Hypocrisy of Christians The sins they hate and excuse

 

[Albion]

One example would be:
Rwandan genocide - Wikipedia

What would you think that a person (called "self-righteous" in the original post) should do about the Rwandan genocide of quite a few years ago? In order to get away from being self-righteous, that is.

 

[renniks]

What would you think that a person (called "self-righteous" in the original post) should do about the Rwandan genocide of quite a few years ago? In order to get away from being self-righteous, that is.

I think we should be concerned about present day genocide and mistreatment of people for whatever reason. For example, human trafficking is huge in our day and age and there's ministries specifically geared to saving people from that evil.

There's been entire ministries dedicated to saving kids from being forced into wars in Africa, etc.

There's ministries to the homeless. I could go on and on.
I don't like the term: "social justice issue" myself because it's kinda a broad spectrum that can mean a lot of things. But helping the helpless has always been part of Jesus' call.

 

[Albion]

I think we should be concerned about present day genocide and mistreatment of people for whatever reason. For example, human trafficking is huge in our day and age and there's ministries specifically geared to saving people from that evil.

That seems better IMHO than the other comparison--bringing up the Rwandan genocide of years ago. But still...if something that your local church is doing is wrong, can we rightly think of parishioners as hypocrites if they don't respond by doing something (what?) personally to stop the human trafficking that's going on with all the power of our government helping it along? The parallel seem to be amiss.

 

[renniks]

That seems better IMHO than the other comparison--bringing up the Rwandan genocide of years ago. But still...if something that your local church is doing is wrong, can we rightly think of parishioners as hypocrites if they don't respond by doing something (what?) personally to stop the human trafficking that's going on with all the power of our government helping it along? The parallel seem to be amiss.

I don't think that's exactly the point being made.
The point is that we take some sins seriously and shrug at others.
It's easier to judge your neighbors divorce than give food to the needy....

 

[Albion]

I don't think that's exactly the point being made.
The point is that we take some sins seriously and shrug at others.
It's easier to judge your neighbors divorce than give food to the needy....

Well, yes, if that's the point and nothing more.

But it's not exactly shrugging (or self-righteousness) to fail to solve some of the world's biggest tragedies by one's self. And then to think that if this is NOT done, the person has no business criticizing the local pastor or church when some other wrong surfaces....?

I hope you see what I mean 'cause I think I said almost the same thing before.

 

[renniks]

Well, yes, if that's the point and nothing more.

But it's not exactly shrugging (or self-righteousness) to fail to solve some of the world's biggest tragedies by one's self. And then to think that if this is NOT done, the person has no business criticizing the local pastor or church when some other wrong surfaces....?

I hope you see what I mean 'cause I think I said almost the same thing before.

I don't see where anyone said anything about fixing the world's biggest tragedies by ourselves. A lot of churches are too self involved though, IMO, to the point of not giving anything to try and fix the world's problems.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

I don't think that's exactly the point being made.
The point is that we take some sins seriously and shrug at others.
It's easier to judge your neighbors divorce than give food to the needy....

What are the human qualities that are being projected into immensity that have more serious consequences than ones human's shrug at? What is the wisdom for knowing the difference?

 

[A_JAY]

George MacDonald famously said, “I understand God’s patience with the wicked, but I do wonder how He can be so patient with the pious.”

Let me close by saying that if we’re going to play the “your sins are worse than mine” game, we shouldn’t be remiss in looking at what made Jesus’ blood boil when He walked this earth. Who was He the angriest at? The answer is a lead-pipe cinch for any student of Scripture. It was the self-righteous, pious, condemning, judgmental Pharisees. The self-appointed monitors of other people’s righteousness.

Who was Jesus the most patient with? The very people whom my first denomination looked down their noses at as being the worst “sinners.” In Jesus, the pyramid is inverted yet again. The person who is adept at calling “dirt” in others, but fails to see the dirt in himself/herself, is in a very dangerous place. Such is the nature of a Pharisee. Those sins which blind a person from seeing the weight of their own transgressions against that of others are treated as more serious by God.

In short, every sin comes off the same tree. All sin is serious. All sin put Jesus on the cross. Therefore, we are deluded whenever we lessen the sins we’ve committed and magnify the sin of others … whatever they might be.

Thank God that Jesus has paid the price for all our sins and given us the power to walk free from their dominion. Let us, therefore, be harsh with ourselves in the matter of sin and compassionate to everyone else.

When it comes to the issue of sin, the New Testament puts the emphasis on a person’s present walk. Is a person continuing in a certain sin? This is where the issue of repentance comes in. (To repent means to stop doing it. It means to “Go and sin no more,” as Jesus put it.) So if we know a brother or sister who has been “overtaken in a fault” presently, let us seek to restore them in Christ.

But it is paramount that as we do, we treat them the same way we would want to be treated if we were standing in their shoes, knowing that we are just as sinful as they are, “taking heed, therefore, lest we fall into the same thing or worse.”

 

[A_JAY]

Mat 7:3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Mat 7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
Mat 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.


That ^^

 

[Der Alte]

I wish I was perfect so I could feel superior and stand in judgement on other Christians.

 

[bèlla]

Everyone has struggles. Some wrestle in areas that aren't an issue for others. That doesn't minimize our hardships.

~bella

 

[Hazelelponi]

Mat 7:3 "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Mat 7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
Mat 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.


That ^^

That isn't telling you not to judge, it's telling you not to do so hypocritically.

i.e. the "remove the log from your eye so that you may see clearly to remove the speck from your brothers eye..."

Are you sure your here without log in order to help your brother with his speck?

Because your here in judgment against those who see practicing homosexuality as a sign of an unrepentant heart, as the Bible teaches...

 

[Hazelelponi]

I wish I was perfect so I could feel superior and stand in judgement on other Christians.

I'm not perfect but I do take open sin and not "eating" with such a one to heart. (I Corinthians 5:11)

 

[Der Alte]

I'm not perfect but I do take open sin and not "eating" with such a one to heart. (I Corinthians 5:11)

There is a difference in how a Christian deals with sin and getting on a public forum and discussing them.

Matthew 18:15-17
15 "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'
17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.​

 

[Ligurian]

But helping the helpless has always been part of Jesus' call.

Psalms 82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for Thou shalt inherit all nations.

Matthew 26:11-13 For ye have the poor always with you; but Me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on My body, she did for My burial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

John 10:33-36 The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35 If He called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 Say ye of Him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

Psalms 82:1-8 God stands in the assembly of gods; and in the midst of them will judge gods. 2 How long will ye judge unrighteously, and accept the persons of sinners? 3 Judge the orphan and poor: do justice to the low and needy. 4 Rescue the needy, and deliver the poor out of the hand of the sinner. 5 They know not, nor understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth shall be shaken. 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you children of the Most High. 7 But ye die as men, and fall as one of the princes. 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for Thou shalt inherit all nations.

Revelation 11:18 And the nations were angry, and Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear Thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Psalms 2:1-3 Wherefore did the heathen rage, and the nations imagine vain things? 2 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers gathered themselves together, against the Lord, and against His Christ; 3 saying, Let us break through their bonds, and cast away their yoke from us.