Why are Christians such hypocrites?

At the heart of this question is the suggestion that Christians have a problem with hypocrisy. You’ll perhaps be surprised when you watch the videos that there is no denial of this accusation, but rather an acknowledgement that as believers we are not immune to a trait universally present in humankind. We all, Christian or not, grapple with inconsistencies between the principles we espouse and the behaviours we display.

Gill humorously reflects on everyday situations where this is true, such as parenting quirks like admonishing children for behaviour the parents exhibit themselves, and demanding doors be closed while sometimes also leaving them ajar. Piers admits his own hypocrisy too – having passionately campaigned for lower speed limits to enhance local road safety he candidly acknowledges his own frustration when having to drive slower!

Alongside these everyday contradictions, Gill considers more serious issues as she notes the troubling truth that the Church of England benefitted from its involvement in the slave trade centuries ago, with high-ranking church officials of the time sanctioning payments related to slavery. Whilst it is also true that Christians, such as William Wilberforce, were leaders in the movement to abolish the slave trade, such stark institutional failings cannot easily be dismissed.

Leo is honest about the impact of such shortcomings as he quotes Gandhi, who said: “I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christians”.  When individually, or corporately, believers fall short, it reduces the willingness of the watching world to listen to the message we bring. That’s why some within the church are called to prophetically speak to their Christian brothers and sisters urging them to do better, like Rev. Martin Luther King’s Jr. criticism of the religious leaders of his day for their inaction against racial injustice.

Piers though, rather than looking at the hypocrisy of others, focuses upon himself and the struggle that is articulated so well in Romans 7:15: “what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do”. These words are written by Saint Paul, a figure revered in Christianity, who nonetheless laments at his own internal conflict between wanting to do good and then succumbing to wrongdoing. This is the universal trait which the Bible calls sin, and Piers explains how, because of his Christian faith, he now has a greater awareness of his own personal failings.

Piers says that he feels more acutely those moments when his actions fall short of his beliefs and thinks that these are nudges from God. He isn’t just left being more conscious of his own hypocrisies, faith enables him to deal with the guilt and regret that arise. As a believer, he can take these feelings to God, seeking and finding forgiveness. This is an experience that brings clarity and peace, and an awareness of the unconditional love of God, which motivates him to better live up to his beliefs in the future. Leo takes this further and suggests that that his connection with God empowers him to live more in alignment with the faith he professes. Through prayer, the studying of scripture and living a life devoted to Jesus, it is possible to maintain a more balanced and integrated lifestyle where the believers walk does a better job of backing up their talk.

Gill wants to make clear, however, that the journey of faith which Jesus invites us on isn’t one dominated by rigid rule-following but is rather characterised by love. Those who have experienced the love of God are more able to love and welcome others who, like them, also struggle to always get it right. So, if you’ve ended up on this page thinking that you couldn’t possibly become a Christian because the church is full of hypocrites, then there is no need to worry… there is always room for one more!