Christians are Hypocrites, hypocrites are actors, people who pretend to be something they aren’t. Jesus’ harshest words were reserved for hypocrites. There always have been and always will be some hypocrites in the Church. But Jesus doesn’t ask us to follow others; He asks us to follow Him.
Although Christians can represent Jesus either poorly or well, the real question is whether Jesus is a hypocrite. If He were, then the whole structure of Christianity falls into ruin. God’s Word presents Jesus as nothing less than perfect. His disciples testified that He was without sin, 1 Pet 2:22, 1 Jn 3:5. Even Jesus Himself challenged others to prove that He’d ever sinned, Jn 8:46.
What About the Atrocities Christians Have Committed?Some blame Christianity for religious wars, the Crusades, burning witches, the Inquisition, slavery, even the Holocaust. This is really an extension of the question of Hypocrites.
Perpetrators of evil, for all their claim to be Christians, are Christian in name only. Focusing on their atrocities avoids the real issue. True followers of Jesus truly wish to be done with evil. Christianity has far more positive achievements than negative influences. It’s been instrumental in the formation of countless hospitals, schools, colleges, orphanages, relief agencies, and charity agencies. No other religion in history can compare. Above all it bears the message of God’s love and hope, through Christ’s Sacrifice, to a sinful and pitiful world.
Being a Good Person is All That Really MattersSome argue that even if a person’s religion is false, what really matters is that they are sincere about being good people. This is based on the error that God is pleased by “religion.” Sincerity doesn’t determine truth, however. One can be sincerely convinced of what is said to be true, yet be sincerely wrong. Many evil men such as Hitler were very sincere in their beliefs. God judges people on truth, not opinions, and that Truth is Jesus Christ.
Salvation more than believes right things; that’s intellectualism. Faith in Christ receives Christ as Saviour and commits to Him in an eternal relationship love and devotion.
The Bible is Filled With ErrorBecause the Bible is God’s Word and God cannot lie, Isa 55:10-11Jn 17:17Titus 1:2Heb 4:12, it’s totally trustworthy, free from any error. God’s Word is described as “the Word of Truth,” 2 Cor 6:7Col 1:52 Tim 2:15Jas 1:18. Inerrancy isn’t a theory about the Bible; it’s the teaching of the Bible itself.
Apparent inconsistencies in the Bible are resolved when people take the time to honestly study the passage, find out all the facts and allow the Holy Spirit to enlighten them. Many questions have been answered as new discoveries have been made in fields such as language, history, archaeology, and other sciences. No matter the difficulty, not a single irreconcilable error can be found in the Bible’s pages.
If God is So Good, Why is There Evil?This charge suggests that evil’s presence disproves God’s power. But is the presence of evil consistent with the God of the Bible? Consider:
- God didn’t create evil. Sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience (Gen 3).
- Evil is necessary for a free world. Freedom, or free will, gives humans the choice of choices – right or wrong choices.
- Evil always damages and harms us. God wants us to learn the consequences of our choices and then, willingly, call for His help, which He delights to give.
- God has the solution for evil. Jesus accomplished the ultimate defeat of evil on the cross and offers all who come to Him victory over sin and evil. He has planned a future for His people, which will be totally free of sin and evil!