Living in repentance is the starting point for removing judgment and hypocrisy from our own lives and encouraging the same in our churches.
By Scott McConnell
Even though it is not as widespread as some might make you think, the potential impact of people in church being judgmental or hypocritical is serious. It leads to some young people walking away from the church and some adults breaking fellowship to find a new church.
A source of the next generation leaving the church
Among young adults who attended a Protestant church for at least a year in high school, 66% stopped attending regularly for at least a year between ages 18 and 22. When asked why they stopped attending, the second most common reason was that church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical (32%).
The second most common reason young adults give for why they stopped attending church is that members seemed judgmental or hypocritical. Share on XA source of adults leaving their church
Among church switchers who changed to their current church for a reason other than a residential move, the motivations for leaving their last church are multifaceted. But two specific criticisms surface regarding both the pastor and the church: being judgmental of others and seeming hypocritical. In this survey, church switchers were only asked about these specific reasons if they indicated they left their previous church because they were disenchanted with the pastor or church.
Reasons church switchers without a residential move gave for leaving their last church:
- The pastor seemed hypocritical (10%)
- The church members were judgmental of others (8%)
- The pastor was judgmental of others (8%)
- The church members seemed hypocritical (8%)
While these percentages are fairly low, the first two are among the top 10 reasons church switchers left their previous church.
The evil of judgment and hypocrisy
Probably the first recorded critique of God’s people being hypocritical and judgmental came from Jesus Himself. In Matthew 23, Jesus declares seven woes. Six of them are directed at scribes or teachers and Pharisees whom He labels hypocrites. In the other woe, He gives them the label “blind guides.” The denouncement culminates in Him saying, “How can you escape being condemned to hell?” (Matthew 23:33b, CSB).
What is so evil about hypocrisy that Jesus would say this? The first two woes reveal the religious leaders were creating an alternative to the kingdom of heaven. They were blind guides because they were focusing on temporal elements of religion and ignoring the One who is the source of redemption and purification.
The hypocritical life focuses on appearances and boasting about getting a few things right. Jesus challenges this mindset saying none of the law was to be neglected. He specifically highlights how they were overlooking justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23) and failing to clean out impurities of greed and self-indulgence within them (v. 25).
“The hypocritical life focuses on appearances and boasting about getting a few things right.” — @smcconn Share on XWhile Jesus most frequently chastised the Pharisees for being hypocrites, He clearly aimed His related teaching of not judging others toward all His followers. Jesus said, “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use” (Matthew 7:1-2, CSB).
Whatever measuring stick we use, will show that we fall short of the glory of God. It is not our role to judge others, but we’re to humbly examine or judge ourselves. In the context of examining ourselves when we take the Lord’s Supper, the apostle Paul writes, “If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31, CSB).
Removing judgment and hypocrisy
Living in repentance is the starting point for removing judgment and hypocrisy from our own lives and encouraging the same in our churches. Our asking God for forgiveness frequently, should generate within us a deep gratefulness for His grace toward us. Fostering a spirit of thanksgiving creates a welcoming environment. Being transparent that we often need God’s forgiveness reveals we are no better than anyone else on this journey of depending on God’s grace. Those who hear this will know your church is a place for anyone seeking forgiveness.
We’d be naïve to think we are different than the Pharisees when judgment and hypocrisy creep into our lives. The source of filth inside our lives is often related to the same greed and self-indulgence that plagued the Pharisees. It is helpful to ask ourselves why we want the things we desire. Why do I want that material thing? And why do I want credit for that? Why do I want to spend my time this way? Why do I want our church to do things this way? If our honest response is that we have earned it or we deserve it, we are slipping into creating an alternative to the kingdom of heaven in our lives. We need to repent and turn to a desire for Jesus to be glorified in our choices and our motivations.
Justice, mercy, and faithfulness
Consider the things Jesus said were lacking in the Pharisee’s religion: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. A ministry that extends mercy is ministry offered to everyone, not those who qualify in some way. Ministry characterized by justice will address needs many overlook or inequalities society’s systems have created. This is not popular ministry. Society will often frown upon it and look down upon it. It is also not short-term. Justice issues will always be present in our broken world. Caring for people with mercy is often life-long work that requires faithfulness.
The more we personally pursue justice, mercy, and faithfulness the less our lives will have room for selfish pursuits. The more our church pursues justice, mercy, and faithfulness the more we will be known by our love for each other. For love is the only motivation for such others-focused ministry.
“The more we personally pursue justice, mercy, and faithfulness the less our lives will have room for selfish pursuits.” — @smcconn Share on XA threat to the church
Gene Getz, in Jesus on Leadership, points to hypocrisy as the first internal threat to the church addressed in the New Testament church. Ananias and Sapphira cared more about the appearance of giving all the proceeds from the sale of their property than being honest about what they were giving. Keeping something for themselves when they said they were giving it all was a secret selfishness. Peter referred to this as testing the Spirit of the Lord (Acts 5:9), and they both lost their lives because of it. God’s decisive response to this internal threat led to great fear and respect from the whole church (Acts 5:11).
Respect depends on having a singular focus on the kingdom of God. You can’t split allegiance between God and a handful of personal pursuits. Your church can’t split your agenda between God and a handful of personal preferences.
Are we being vigilant to test whether our teaching, activities, budgets, conversations, rituals, and requirements are pursuing the kingdom of God? If we follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in this pursuit, we will root out hypocrisy and judgment.
For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.
