How Can I Believe What Is Often Associated With Hate And Hypocrisy? Series

How Can I Believe What is Often Associated with Hate and Hypocrisy?

Series: How Can I Believe?

Brad Bailey – May 27, 2018

Intro

Today we are concluding our series entitled: “How Can I Believe?” In this series we have been engaging the questions that can arise in the process of believing in Christ.

So in the recent past weeks we have engaged the questions of How can I believe in God…in the Bible…in the historical Jesus… in there being any distinct truth… in the nature of a good God amidst a world in which there is suffering.

Today… we conclude engaging the question:

How Can I Believe What is Often Associated with Hate and Hypocrisy?

Hate and hypocrisy…are two characteristics that most people don’t believe are good. When these are deemed to be associated with those who identify as “Christians”… it effects both the credibility of the good that the faith can bring…and it effects the desirability socially. [1a]

Hate refers to how some who associated with being “Christians” … can be more judgmental. It may be a simple as underhanded or harsh words… to wars that are waged in the name of religion.

Hypocrisy… can reflect so many ways in which … those who claim to be “Christians” … see to live inconsistently.

Here are some actual statements people have made… [1b]

“There are so many conflicts over religion because of extremists forcing their views that I feel I wouldn't want to be associated with that.”

“Why is it I have more Christian values ( being a non church goer) than some so called Christians ?!”

“My brother-in-law objects because his sister was 'religious' and she would not talk to their mother. It put him off religion to see a religious person behave like that.”

“My objection is not to God, but to his so-called representatives on earth; pedophile priests, charlatans, evangelistic millionaires...why does God allow this?”

There are numerous ways in which negative associations are made…

• There was a women who sought to be faithful to following Christ marries a man who expresses a serious commitment to the same faith in Christ.... marriage unfolds into control and abuse.... ending in divorce.... she finds her own community more distant from her. As she begins to consider future relationships... her Christian friends and family only ask her one question about any man..."Is he a Christian?" And she wonders.

• A news correspondent works with public response from social media... and notices that the most callous responses come from those claiming to be Christians. He wonders.

• One of the local restaurants near a large church gets a lot of business on Sunday afternoons....but it has become the least popular shift to work...because these religious people are known for being low tippers. Each of those waiters and waitresses wonders why.

• A young life, growing up as part of a church community, always felt their parents desire for them to be a "good person"...and an underlying assumption that “Christian” was synonymous with “good person.” “Non-Christian” was synonymous with “bad person." As they began to develop friendships over the years....it didn't always prove to be true. And they wondered.

• Then there are so many leading the way that fall in the ditches of depravity themselves. From child molestation to secret encounters, Christianity is at no loss for scandal. Then there are the great historical black-eyes from forced conversion (inquisition) to wars being lead by the church (the crusades).

• We may look at our own lives...and wonder. (What I see in myself...and wonder.)

I don’t want to loose perspective here… I know that the media will always feed our appetite for the drama of scandals… and the failures of others. But the fact is that leaders who seem the most devoted and passionate...fall...and fail...and we may wonder.

I think this question can be felt by those who don’t yet believe ..and those who do believe.

The associations of “Christians” with hate and hypocrisy is like an outer ring which may cause some to feel socially safer outside… and others socially trapped inside.

This question is one I feel personally.

When I first heard the Gospel… introduced to this figure Jesus… profound love … and grace…. unlike anything I could imagine.

That would lead to a life defining desire to give my life vocationally to gathering lives in relationship to him… to gathering and growing lives who live out that love…distinct… and an authenticity that is made possible by grace.

So to find myself associated with that which is deemed to reflect hate and hypocrisy… is one of the most difficult decisions to find myself in.

So how do I find my way forward?

It seems that the most natural reaction is simply anger.

I get angry at… those who seem to reflect so badly on the name of Christ they claim to be committed to.