I often hear those hostile to Christianity express the belief that we Christians are hypocritical and too judgmental. They complain that Christians rigidly judge and criticize the beliefs and behaviors of others. All the while, they are blindly engaging in the very behavior they claim to detest. They are outraged that we believe only those who accept Jesus as Lord can be saved and go to heaven. This belief, they say, creates a hierarchical system of division and exclusion, making it inherently harmful. And they are nearly universal in their objection to evangelism, which they often describe as pushing our religion on others. They perceive it as being harangued, even bullied into accepting the Christian worldview. 

But what if the Christian worldview is the view of ultimate truth? Would our bullying then be seen as a rescue mission rather than an attempt to indoctrinate? Unfortunately, those who complain about Christians rarely consider that the Christian view could possibly be the window into objective reality. In contrast, they are absolutely positive it couldn’t be. Therefore, they never consider that our ‘bullying’ might be a loving attempt to save them from eternity in hell.

One does not need to agree with Christianity or consider its worldview valid to be tolerant of Christians or view Christian evangelism charitably. One only needs to understand that Christians believe the Christian doctrine and, therefore, take their responsibility to seriously bring the Good News to the world. The Great Commission was among Jesus’s last words to His disciples before He ascended to sit at the Father’s right hand. He told His disciples to spread the good news of the Gospels to all nations. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everythinbg I have comanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20. 

This, then, illustrates what non-Christians are experiencing as harassment Christians are doing to rescue God’s people in obedience to His commands. According to our belief, this harassment is a sacrificial act of love. Christians are not oblivious to the scorn and anger directed at them as they attempt to share the gospel. They do not enjoy being laughed at, made fun of, or, less often, verbally or physically assaulted. No, they carry on in their obedience to God despite it all as an act of love toward all humanity.

I cannot deny that some Christians are hypocritical and judgmental, nor will I deny that all Christians behave hypocritically and judgmentally at some point. Why? Because we are not perfect, we are human, and all humans struggle with sin. As mature Christians, we might recognize our hypocrisy and judgment as sins and repent of the behavior, asking God to forgive us and help us do better. But what if we don’t recognize our unacceptable behavior? 

In that case, we must be open to the wise counsel of a brother or sister who brings sinful behavior to our attention. One of the acts of service God appoints to us as Christians is to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. When we witness the sinful behavior of a fellow Christian, we are mandated to lovingly bring the behavior to their attention. It is not an act of judgment or rebuke but a service to the sinner that they may repent and be forgiven. And as Christians, we must accept all gentle rebukes graciously and without defensiveness. If we are unsure whether the behavior is sinful, we can take it to God in prayer. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.- James 1:5-6

But wait, I want you to understand that being forgiven by God is not as easy as it is sometimes portrayed. I often hear from unbelievers that Christianity cannot be taken seriously because it allows Christians to behave however they like, just as long as they ask for forgiveness. Accordingly, they dismiss it as fantasy or magical thinking. If that assessment was accurate, Christianity would be invalid. But it isn’t. Let me explain why. 

First, we must do more than casually say “Sorry” to be forgiven. Being forgiven requires thought, feeling, word, and deed. First, we must consider our behavior and realize it was sinful. That’s the thinking piece. The feeling piece is regret for our behavior that offended God. And the word is our apology to God. The deed, of course, is asking to be forgiven. But none of that is as easy as it may seem, for it all requires sincerity. It is not sufficient to simply say, “Lord, I’ve sinned, I regret it, and I’m sorry.” We can’t ask for forgiveness just to be safe. We must actually believe we committed an offense against God and, in that belief, be sincerely sorry in our hearts. God does not evaluate our appearance, words, or deeds in determining our sincerity; He reads our hearts. I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Jeremiah 17:10.” 

If we are insincere in our apology, He knows it. And lying to God is not an inconsequential act but another sin. It compounds the first sin and adds to it the sin of pride. For what pride it must take to convince someone they could fool God. In the end, if we are lying, we will not only have not received forgiveness for the first sin, but we will now have three sins that we must convince God we genuinely regret. Glibly lying to God is not only futile, but it’s also reckless. If we are sincere in our belief that we have offended God, and we are sorry for the behavior and the offense, we must then apologize to God for our behavior and repent of the sin.

If you think repenting is easy, you probably also think it’s synonymous with remorse. It is not! Remorse is a feeling of regret, while repentance requires a change of belief and behavior. It requires earnestly turning away from sin. To repent is not merely telling God we won’t do it again but demonstrating it. And the demonstration is not a one-time event; it is a process. It begins by saying, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” But that isn’t the end. Once again, we must sincerely intend to avoid the behavior and sincerely try to avoid it. This includes asking the Holy Spirit to help us.

Going forward in the process of repentance, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we must be alert for all sins in our thoughts, words, and deeds, especially sins for which we have already been forgiven. And when we identify sin, we confess it in prayer, thus beginning the process again. I hope this convinces you that contrary to what some believe, being forgiven in the Christian faith is not as easy as simply saying we’re sorry. Instead, it is an exacting process that only faithful people are willing to complete every time they sin. 

The misunderstanding of how Christians are forgiven is in keeping with my belief that at the root of unfavorable opinions of Christians is a misunderstanding of Christian doctrine. Unfortunately, many who are critical of Christians believe that we consider ourselves perfect after being saved or born again. While some misguided Christians may have that idea, no theology, doctrine, or teaching within the Christian faith supports it. However, when we are unfamiliar with an idea, concept, or belief, we don’t know what we don’t know. Consequently, we cannot ask questions that might increase our understanding.

Having a basic understanding of the overarching doctrine of Christianity, or any group, allows us to know when a group member behaves in a way not condoned by the group culture. As in any group that shares doctrine, values, expectations, and worldviews, some Christians profess to believe as the group believes, yet their behavior says something different. When we are not familiar with how a group operates, what they believe, what they teach, and what they expect of their members, we are prone to form an opinion of the entire group based on the behavior of a few. Conversely, when we know what the group expects and teaches, we are more likely to recognize when a group member’s behavior does not represent the group’s values and teachings, thus restricting our opinions to the individual. 

Christians are often seen as judgmental and hypocritical based on the faulty assumption that we believe we are perfect. This distorted opinion can lead many non-Christians to experience our attempts to share the dangers of sin as a judgment rather than a gesture of love. And, because they think all Christians engage in that same sinful behavior they are warning about, they believe we are all hypocrites.

They are correct that Christians often sin, but they are mistaken that we profess to be perfect. While I can’t speak for all who identify as Christians, I can attest to Jesus’ official teachings. Nothing in Christian theology, doctrine, or teaching says we are perfect people on this side of eternity. In fact, it teaches the opposite. The official stand of Christianity is that all humans are sinners and can only be saved by Jesus. …” for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,…”- Romans 3:23-24  

Still, the relationships between Christians and those who misunderstand our faith are complicated. Because, of course, there will always be Christians who, while they may have good intentions, do not present themselves according to the doctrine of the faith. For some, it’s because they don’t correctly understand Jesus’s teachings. More often than not, these are unseasoned Christians, new to the faith, who want to evangelize from a pure heart but don’t yet understand how to do so with love and grace. Confused and full of fear, they often feel it’s necessary to present as perfect, perhaps to avoid criticism or because they fear their mistakes will overwhelm their efforts to evangelize. Fortunately, the damage caused by this group will be mitigated as they grow in their understanding of the faith.   

The more lasting damage is done by pseudo-Christians. These individuals sincerely believe they are Christians and think they are serving God. They may have good intentions, but they follow a false doctrine that misses the most essential elements of Jesus’ character and the motive of all His endeavors, love, grace, compassion, inclusion, and serving the poor, the marginal, and the oppressed. Instead, somehow, they were taught and believe Jesus is fundamentally judgmental, vengeful, and unforgiving. So, those are the character traits they emulate.

These, then, are those compelling individuals on whom most negative beliefs about Christians are based. You will see them picketing at some “Unchristian” event, carrying judgmental and threatening placards, hurling insults as they quote scripture, and pronouncing that everyone else is damned to hell. All the while, they believe they are serving God. Maybe they are, but it is not the Christian God of love and compassion.

Unfortunately, they are the most high-profile representation of Christianity and the most memorable. This is who people are referring to when speaking of Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, and overbearing. Their behavior is not only an affront to God, but it also causes harm to all of Christianity. Because they are often the only Christians folks see, opinions are formed about all of Christianity based on this very unrepresentative group. I pray for non-Christians to look past this vocal minority group and look closer at Christians who are humble and work hard to live as Jesus lived. If you look for them, you will find they exist in more significant numbers than the pseudo-Christians

I often hear those hostile to Christianity express the belief that we Christians are hypocritical and too judgmental. They complain that Christians rigidly judge and criticize the beliefs and behaviors of others. All the while, they are blindly engaging in the very behavior they claim to detest. They are outraged that we believe only those who accept Jesus as Lord can be saved and go to heaven. This belief, they say, creates a hierarchical system of division and exclusion, making it inherently harmful. And they are nearly universal in their objection to evangelism, which they often describe as pushing our religion on others. They perceive it as being harangued, even bullied into accepting the Christian worldview. 

But what if the Christian worldview is the view of ultimate truth? Would our bullying then be seen as a rescue mission rather than an attempt to indoctrinate? Unfortunately, those who complain about Christians rarely consider that the Christian view could possibly be the window into objective reality. In contrast, they are absolutely positive it couldn’t be. Therefore, they never consider that our ‘bullying’ might be a loving attempt to save them from eternity in hell.

One does not need to agree with Christianity or consider its worldview valid to be tolerant of Christians or view Christian evangelism charitably. One only needs to understand that Christians believe the Christian doctrine and, therefore, take their responsibility to seriously bring the Good News to the world. The Great Commission was among Jesus’s last words to His disciples before He ascended to sit at the Father’s right hand. He told His disciples to spread the good news of the Gospels to all nations. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everythinbg I have comanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20. 

This, then, illustrates what non-Christians are experiencing as harassment Christians are doing to rescue God’s people in obedience to His commands. According to our belief, this harassment is a sacrificial act of love. Christians are not oblivious to the scorn and anger directed at them as they attempt to share the gospel. They do not enjoy being laughed at, made fun of, or, less often, verbally or physically assaulted. No, they carry on in their obedience to God despite it all as an act of love toward all humanity.

I cannot deny that some Christians are hypocritical and judgmental, nor will I deny that all Christians behave hypocritically and judgmentally at some point. Why? Because we are not perfect, we are human, and all humans struggle with sin. As mature Christians, we might recognize our hypocrisy and judgment as sins and repent of the behavior, asking God to forgive us and help us do better. But what if we don’t recognize our unacceptable behavior? 

In that case, we must be open to the wise counsel of a brother or sister who brings sinful behavior to our attention. One of the acts of service God appoints to us as Christians is to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. When we witness the sinful behavior of a fellow Christian, we are mandated to lovingly bring the behavior to their attention. It is not an act of judgment or rebuke but a service to the sinner that they may repent and be forgiven. And as Christians, we must accept all gentle rebukes graciously and without defensiveness. If we are unsure whether the behavior is sinful, we can take it to God in prayer. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.- James 1:5-6

But wait, I want you to understand that being forgiven by God is not as easy as it is sometimes portrayed. I often hear from unbelievers that Christianity cannot be taken seriously because it allows Christians to behave however they like, just as long as they ask for forgiveness. Accordingly, they dismiss it as fantasy or magical thinking. If that assessment was accurate, Christianity would be invalid. But it isn’t. Let me explain why. 

First, we must do more than casually say “Sorry” to be forgiven. Being forgiven requires thought, feeling, word, and deed. First, we must consider our behavior and realize it was sinful. That’s the thinking piece. The feeling piece is regret for our behavior that offended God. And the word is our apology to God. The deed, of course, is asking to be forgiven. But none of that is as easy as it may seem, for it all requires sincerity. It is not sufficient to simply say, “Lord, I’ve sinned, I regret it, and I’m sorry.” We can’t ask for forgiveness just to be safe. We must actually believe we committed an offense against God and, in that belief, be sincerely sorry in our hearts. God does not evaluate our appearance, words, or deeds in determining our sincerity; He reads our hearts. I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Jeremiah 17:10.” 

If we are insincere in our apology, He knows it. And lying to God is not an inconsequential act but another sin. It compounds the first sin and adds to it the sin of pride. For what pride it must take to convince someone they could fool God. In the end, if we are lying, we will not only have not received forgiveness for the first sin, but we will now have three sins that we must convince God we genuinely regret. Glibly lying to God is not only futile, but it’s also reckless. If we are sincere in our belief that we have offended God, and we are sorry for the behavior and the offense, we must then apologize to God for our behavior and repent of the sin.

If you think repenting is easy, you probably also think it’s synonymous with remorse. It is not! Remorse is a feeling of regret, while repentance requires a change of belief and behavior. It requires earnestly turning away from sin. To repent is not merely telling God we won’t do it again but demonstrating it. And the demonstration is not a one-time event; it is a process. It begins by saying, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” But that isn’t the end. Once again, we must sincerely intend to avoid the behavior and sincerely try to avoid it. This includes asking the Holy Spirit to help us.

Going forward in the process of repentance, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we must be alert for all sins in our thoughts, words, and deeds, especially sins for which we have already been forgiven. And when we identify sin, we confess it in prayer, thus beginning the process again. I hope this convinces you that contrary to what some believe, being forgiven in the Christian faith is not as easy as simply saying we’re sorry. Instead, it is an exacting process that only faithful people are willing to complete every time they sin. 

The misunderstanding of how Christians are forgiven is in keeping with my belief that at the root of unfavorable opinions of Christians is a misunderstanding of Christian doctrine. Unfortunately, many who are critical of Christians believe that we consider ourselves perfect after being saved or born again. While some misguided Christians may have that idea, no theology, doctrine, or teaching within the Christian faith supports it. However, when we are unfamiliar with an idea, concept, or belief, we don’t know what we don’t know. Consequently, we cannot ask questions that might increase our understanding.

Having a basic understanding of the overarching doctrine of Christianity, or any group, allows us to know when a group member behaves in a way not condoned by the group culture. As in any group that shares doctrine, values, expectations, and worldviews, some Christians profess to believe as the group believes, yet their behavior says something different. When we are not familiar with how a group operates, what they believe, what they teach, and what they expect of their members, we are prone to form an opinion of the entire group based on the behavior of a few. Conversely, when we know what the group expects and teaches, we are more likely to recognize when a group member’s behavior does not represent the group’s values and teachings, thus restricting our opinions to the individual. 

Christians are often seen as judgmental and hypocritical based on the faulty assumption that we believe we are perfect. This distorted opinion can lead many non-Christians to experience our attempts to share the dangers of sin as a judgment rather than a gesture of love. And, because they think all Christians engage in that same sinful behavior they are warning about, they believe we are all hypocrites.

They are correct that Christians often sin, but they are mistaken that we profess to be perfect. While I can’t speak for all who identify as Christians, I can attest to Jesus’ official teachings. Nothing in Christian theology, doctrine, or teaching says we are perfect people on this side of eternity. In fact, it teaches the opposite. The official stand of Christianity is that all humans are sinners and can only be saved by Jesus. …” for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,…”- Romans 3:23-24  

Still, the relationships between Christians and those who misunderstand our faith are complicated. Because, of course, there will always be Christians who, while they may have good intentions, do not present themselves according to the doctrine of the faith. For some, it’s because they don’t correctly understand Jesus’s teachings. More often than not, these are unseasoned Christians, new to the faith, who want to evangelize from a pure heart but don’t yet understand how to do so with love and grace. Confused and full of fear, they often feel it’s necessary to present as perfect, perhaps to avoid criticism or because they fear their mistakes will overwhelm their efforts to evangelize. Fortunately, the damage caused by this group will be mitigated as they grow in their understanding of the faith.   

The more lasting damage is done by pseudo-Christians. These individuals sincerely believe they are Christians and think they are serving God. They may have good intentions, but they follow a false doctrine that misses the most essential elements of Jesus’ character and the motive of all His endeavors, love, grace, compassion, inclusion, and serving the poor, the marginal, and the oppressed. Instead, somehow, they were taught and believe Jesus is fundamentally judgmental, vengeful, and unforgiving. So, those are the character traits they emulate.

These, then, are those compelling individuals on whom most negative beliefs about Christians are based. You will see them picketing at some “Unchristian” event, carrying judgmental and threatening placards, hurling insults as they quote scripture, and pronouncing that everyone else is damned to hell. All the while, they believe they are serving God. Maybe they are, but it is not the Christian God of love and compassion.

Unfortunately, they are the most high-profile representation of Christianity and the most memorable. This is who people are referring to when speaking of Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, and overbearing. Their behavior is not only an affront to God, but it also causes harm to all of Christianity. Because they are often the only Christians folks see, opinions are formed about all of Christianity based on this very unrepresentative group. I pray for non-Christians to look past this vocal minority group and look closer at Christians who are humble and work hard to live as Jesus lived. If you look for them, you will find they exist in more significant numbers than the pseudo-Christians

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everythinbg I have comanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20. 

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.- James 1:5-6

I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Jeremiah 17:10.” 

I Believe

I believe in God our Father
And in what He guarantees.
I believe in Christ, His Son, 
Who He sent to die for me.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, 
My indwelling advocate.
I believe in the Holy Trinity, 
One God, three inhabitants.
I believe in the Holy Bible 
As God’s undisputed word.
I hold it as self-evident, 
No matter what I’ve heard.
It’s where I go to learn the truth 
Despite what I might see.
And I build my life on its truth
Obeying its decrees

 I believe I believe
Our Savior came to earth.
I believe I believe,
He was a virgin birth.
I believe I believe,
There was no sin in Him.
I believe I believe,
His blood redeemed my sin.
I believe I believe,
He knew what awaited Him.
I believe I believe,
He’s coming back again.

I believe in the final judgment
When I will defend my life
I believe in the thousand-year rule
And a world that has no strife.
I believe there is a coming day,
When we will live in holy awe,
 A day that, as the bride of Christ,
We will together worship God.
©Linda Troxell, 05/23/2018

Hypocritical Christians: Truth or Myth?

I often hear those hostile to Christianity express the belief that we Christians are hypocritical and too judgmental. They complain that Christians rigidly judge and criticize the beliefs and behaviors of others. All the while, they are blindly engaging in the very behavior they claim to detest. They are outraged that we believe only those who accept Jesus as Lord can be saved and go to heaven. This belief, they say, creates a hierarchical system of division and exclusion, making it inherently harmful. And they are nearly universal in their objection to evangelism, which they often describe as pushing our religion on others. They perceive it as being harangued, even bullied into accepting the Christian worldview. 

But what if the Christian worldview is the view of ultimate truth? Would our bullying then be seen as a rescue mission rather than an attempt to indoctrinate? Unfortunately, those who complain about Christians rarely consider that the Christian view could possibly be the window into objective reality. In contrast, they are absolutely positive it couldn’t be. Therefore, they never consider that our ‘bullying’ might be a loving attempt to save them from eternity in hell.

One does not need to agree with Christianity or consider its worldview valid to be tolerant of Christians or view Christian evangelism charitably. One only needs to understand that Christians believe the Christian doctrine and, therefore, take their responsibility to seriously bring the Good News to the world. The Great Commission was among Jesus’s last words to His disciples before He ascended to sit at the Father’s right hand. He told His disciples to spread the good news of the Gospels to all nations. “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everythinbg I have comanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20. 

This, then, illustrates what non-Christians are experiencing as harassment Christians are doing to rescue God’s people in obedience to His commands. According to our belief, this harassment is a sacrificial act of love. Christians are not oblivious to the scorn and anger directed at them as they attempt to share the gospel. They do not enjoy being laughed at, made fun of, or, less often, verbally or physically assaulted. No, they carry on in their obedience to God despite it all as an act of love toward all humanity.

I cannot deny that some Christians are hypocritical and judgmental, nor will I deny that all Christians behave hypocritically and judgmentally at some point. Why? Because we are not perfect, we are human, and all humans struggle with sin. As mature Christians, we might recognize our hypocrisy and judgment as sins and repent of the behavior, asking God to forgive us and help us do better. But what if we don’t recognize our unacceptable behavior? 

In that case, we must be open to the wise counsel of a brother or sister who brings sinful behavior to our attention. One of the acts of service God appoints to us as Christians is to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. When we witness the sinful behavior of a fellow Christian, we are mandated to lovingly bring the behavior to their attention. It is not an act of judgment or rebuke but a service to the sinner that they may repent and be forgiven. And as Christians, we must accept all gentle rebukes graciously and without defensiveness. If we are unsure whether the behavior is sinful, we can take it to God in prayer. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.- James 1:5-6

But wait, I want you to understand that being forgiven by God is not as easy as it is sometimes portrayed. I often hear from unbelievers that Christianity cannot be taken seriously because it allows Christians to behave however they like, just as long as they ask for forgiveness. Accordingly, they dismiss it as fantasy or magical thinking. If that assessment was accurate, Christianity would be invalid. But it isn’t. Let me explain why. 

First, we must do more than casually say “Sorry” to be forgiven. Being forgiven requires thought, feeling, word, and deed. First, we must consider our behavior and realize it was sinful. That’s the thinking piece. The feeling piece is regret for our behavior that offended God. And the word is our apology to God. The deed, of course, is asking to be forgiven. But none of that is as easy as it may seem, for it all requires sincerity. It is not sufficient to simply say, “Lord, I’ve sinned, I regret it, and I’m sorry.” We can’t ask for forgiveness just to be safe. We must actually believe we committed an offense against God and, in that belief, be sincerely sorry in our hearts. God does not evaluate our appearance, words, or deeds in determining our sincerity; He reads our hearts. I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Jeremiah 17:10.” 

If we are insincere in our apology, He knows it. And lying to God is not an inconsequential act but another sin. It compounds the first sin and adds to it the sin of pride. For what pride it must take to convince someone they could fool God. In the end, if we are lying, we will not only have not received forgiveness for the first sin, but we will now have three sins that we must convince God we genuinely regret. Glibly lying to God is not only futile, but it’s also reckless. If we are sincere in our belief that we have offended God, and we are sorry for the behavior and the offense, we must then apologize to God for our behavior and repent of the sin.

If you think repenting is easy, you probably also think it’s synonymous with remorse. It is not! Remorse is a feeling of regret, while repentance requires a change of belief and behavior. It requires earnestly turning away from sin. To repent is not merely telling God we won’t do it again but demonstrating it. And the demonstration is not a one-time event; it is a process. It begins by saying, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.” But that isn’t the end. Once again, we must sincerely intend to avoid the behavior and sincerely try to avoid it. This includes asking the Holy Spirit to help us.

Going forward in the process of repentance, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we must be alert for all sins in our thoughts, words, and deeds, especially sins for which we have already been forgiven. And when we identify sin, we confess it in prayer, thus beginning the process again. I hope this convinces you that contrary to what some believe, being forgiven in the Christian faith is not as easy as simply saying we’re sorry. Instead, it is an exacting process that only faithful people are willing to complete every time they sin. 

The misunderstanding of how Christians are forgiven is in keeping with my belief that at the root of unfavorable opinions of Christians is a misunderstanding of Christian doctrine. Unfortunately, many who are critical of Christians believe that we consider ourselves perfect after being saved or born again. While some misguided Christians may have that idea, no theology, doctrine, or teaching within the Christian faith supports it. However, when we are unfamiliar with an idea, concept, or belief, we don’t know what we don’t know. Consequently, we cannot ask questions that might increase our understanding.

Having a basic understanding of the overarching doctrine of Christianity, or any group, allows us to know when a group member behaves in a way not condoned by the group culture. As in any group that shares doctrine, values, expectations, and worldviews, some Christians profess to believe as the group believes, yet their behavior says something different. When we are not familiar with how a group operates, what they believe, what they teach, and what they expect of their members, we are prone to form an opinion of the entire group based on the behavior of a few. Conversely, when we know what the group expects and teaches, we are more likely to recognize when a group member’s behavior does not represent the group’s values and teachings, thus restricting our opinions to the individual. 

Christians are often seen as judgmental and hypocritical based on the faulty assumption that we believe we are perfect. This distorted opinion can lead many non-Christians to experience our attempts to share the dangers of sin as a judgment rather than a gesture of love. And, because they think all Christians engage in that same sinful behavior they are warning about, they believe we are all hypocrites.

They are correct that Christians often sin, but they are mistaken that we profess to be perfect. While I can’t speak for all who identify as Christians, I can attest to Jesus’ official teachings. Nothing in Christian theology, doctrine, or teaching says we are perfect people on this side of eternity. In fact, it teaches the opposite. The official stand of Christianity is that all humans are sinners and can only be saved by Jesus. …” for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,…”- Romans 3:23-24  

Still, the relationships between Christians and those who misunderstand our faith are complicated. Because, of course, there will always be Christians who, while they may have good intentions, do not present themselves according to the doctrine of the faith. For some, it’s because they don’t correctly understand Jesus’s teachings. More often than not, these are unseasoned Christians, new to the faith, who want to evangelize from a pure heart but don’t yet understand how to do so with love and grace. Confused and full of fear, they often feel it’s necessary to present as perfect, perhaps to avoid criticism or because they fear their mistakes will overwhelm their efforts to evangelize. Fortunately, the damage caused by this group will be mitigated as they grow in their understanding of the faith.   

The more lasting damage is done by pseudo-Christians. These individuals sincerely believe they are Christians and think they are serving God. They may have good intentions, but they follow a false doctrine that misses the most essential elements of Jesus’ character and the motive of all His endeavors, love, grace, compassion, inclusion, and serving the poor, the marginal, and the oppressed. Instead, somehow, they were taught and believe Jesus is fundamentally judgmental, vengeful, and unforgiving. So, those are the character traits they emulate.

These, then, are those compelling individuals on whom most negative beliefs about Christians are based. You will see them picketing at some “Unchristian” event, carrying judgmental and threatening placards, hurling insults as they quote scripture, and pronouncing that everyone else is damned to hell. All the while, they believe they are serving God. Maybe they are, but it is not the Christian God of love and compassion.

Unfortunately, they are the most high-profile representation of Christianity and the most memorable. This is who people are referring to when speaking of Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, and overbearing. Their behavior is not only an affront to God, but it also causes harm to all of Christianity. Because they are often the only Christians folks see, opinions are formed about all of Christianity based on this very unrepresentative group. I pray for non-Christians to look past this vocal minority group and look closer at Christians who are humble and work hard to live as Jesus lived. If you look for them, you will find they exist in more significant numbers than the pseudo-Christians. 

Christians do not become perfect once saved; let’s dispel that myth altogether. Nonetheless, the consequences of our sins are mitigated when we accept Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer and begin the journey of following Jesus. And then, we are guided on our path to salvation by following the commands of the one who saved us. This gift of grace allows us to see how good, kind, and loving God is. Soon, we feel the full impact of God’s love, which He demonstrated by sacrificing His only Son to save us, even while we were still sinners. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

Once we understand God’s incredible love, we deeply desire to please Him by obediently following His commands. Commands that, contrary to the belief of some, are not arbitrary rules but protection from the turmoil, pain, and crippling fear inherent in living on a sinful and fallen planet.

As we contemplate the gift of God’s outrageous and freely given love, we also become more aware of Jesus’ sacrifice. Even knowing He would experience a horrific death, Jesus went to the cross obediently and willingly to save us from eternal separation from God. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!– Philippians 2:8. There is no way to fully express our gratitude for this enormous and unselfish act. But our effort to love all of God’s children as He loves us is our attempt to show our gratitude. It is also the most significant part of our motivation to tell others of this opportunity to enter into a relationship with a savior who will love them unconditionally in this life and save them from eternal damnation in the next, even though they hate us for telling them.

We believe in God’s sovereignty and that obeying His commands is the key to living a life of hope, confidence, peace, and love in a world of confusion, insecurity, and hopelessness. And the love God extends to us, we want to, in turn, extend to others by sharing the good news of the gospel. Jesus’ earthly ministry was aimed at pointing mankind to the Father, so they would know they were not alone in their struggle against sin. When He went to be with the Father, He did not leave us as orphans. Instead, He asked the Father to send us the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, and God’s actual Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit lives within us, guiding us to truth and the Father’s will as we attempt to walk our redemptive paths. We simply want everyone to hear and know this message. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate… —the Spirit of truth…. he will be in you. …I will not leave you as orphans; – John 14:16-18

I hope those of you who have had a negative experience with self-proclaimed, judgmental, and holier-than-thou Christians have glimpsed from this writing the possibility that Christians and Christianity are not what you have assumed them to be. Please, don’t simply take my word. Please check out my claims for yourself. I even hope that some of you, God willing all of you, will find your way to Christ as a result of reading this. But I don’t want to lead you to believe that becoming a Christian is a magic bullet to having a perfect life. It is not. In fact, it will likely make your life less comfortable. Jesus told us to expect trouble in our lives if we follow Him. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. But He also assured us that, ultimately, it will be worth all the trouble.

Christianity is an attempt to better understand God and His plan. It is a journey to reach a higher state of love and connection to God and our fellow man. But Christianity is a difficult road to travel from the outside and the inside. Christians are not one cohesive group. Instead, they consist of many denominations with differing ideas about the minutiae of being a Christian. There’s not much on which all Christians agree, and not much that’s carved in stone.

For this reason, one must be careful when looking to other flawed and sinful humans to define our faith. I believe most humans do their best with what they have, but that doesn’t make them reliable or even honest. It can be dangerous, especially for new Christians, to take everything one is told as the gospel, no pun intended. 

When we are saved, our life changes fundamentally. Our way of thinking, beliefs, worldviews, and behaviors all change to become more aligned with God’s will. Where we once were most concerned with ourselves, we now care more about others; where we once followed our hearts, we now follow the word of God. But if our journey of following Jesus and living as He lived changes us, there must be a way of identifying the changes, even measuring them. And there is.

There is, in Christianity, something known as the Fruits of the Spirit. The fruits are qualities that we acquire as we walk with Jesus and learn to live as He lived. But they are not qualities we overtly pursue but instead, gifts the Holy Spirit manifests in us as we are sanctified and become more like Jesus. The extent to which we demonstrate these fruits, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, is a marker of how deeply our life is rooted in the life of Jesus. The more we have of the fruits, the more we have learned to live as Jesus lived, the way God calls us to live.

The fruits can be a reliable indication of the genuineness of a Christian’s professed faith. The stronger the Christian demonstrates the fruits, the chances are there is a parallel in the strength of their faith. We must be clear that I am not saying that the quality of the fruits necessarily indicates the genuineness of a Christian’s perception of His or her faith. It isn’t unusual for a Christian to lack insight into the quality of his or her own faith, especially a new Christian. Most Christians sincerely believe they are saved and strongly demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit. But thinking you are saved is quite different from walking out the path of salvation as you grow in your attempt to live and love as Jesus did. Ultimately, assessing a Christian is no different than assessing any human, it comes down to this: don’t believe what people say; believe what you see them do. 

It can be exhausting for new Christians to sort out what they are told they must believe as a Christian. There is an existing document of the core beliefs that most Christians agree are required to be considered a Christian. It’s called the Apostle’s Creed. It is not a list of steps or rules, only foundational beliefs that define us as Christians. If we make these beliefs our guiding principles and check everything against the Word of God, as we grow in Christ, we will also grow in hearing God’s voice. You can find these basics simply by Googling the Apostle’s Creed. However, we must not forget that, in the end, our relationship with God should be defined by God.

It is also challenging to determine what God is saying. Sometimes, we just have to walk in faith and turn down the noise of what we hear from others to seek God’s voice. But we must have boundaries over which we will not step. The Apostle’s Creed is a good way to establish that line. Beyond that, we must simply put our faith in God, trusting He will guide us if we allow Him to. 

I hope I have helped you to understand that most Christians are not deliberately judgmental or knowingly hypocritical. More than anything, we are imperfect humans doing our best to honor God in a sinful world.  

Let’s pray:

Lord, it is a growing problem for the body of Christ that many people today believe Christians are hypocritical, judgmental, dishonest, and manipulative. Characteristics that are directly opposed to what you call us to be. To solve this problem, we, on both sides, will need to deeply desire change and work together to create fertile ground for that change. Today, we come before you, asking you to enable us to bring about the desire and the ability to change. Lord, we know this is not a new issue. Nor is it a simple issue. Its roots are deep, its flames are fanned by the enemy, and it is supported by fear. It may be a long road, and our work may be cut out for us, but Lord, we believe we can accomplish anything in your name. So, please, Holy Spirit, come move in your church, prepare us for this new thing you are doing, and help us release this old thing dividing your beloved people. We are ready, Lord, send us revival. We pray this in the holy name of Jesus. Amen.