That thing about fakers and hypocrites in the church

Before I believed Jesus and followed him I heard about it: The church is full of fakers and hypocrites.  That’s why you can’t go; why you can’t do that.  So you stay away from the hypocrites.

And where is that?  The place away from the hypocrites?  Outside the church?  As long as you believe something else, follow something else, you’re not around hypocrites and fakers?  Maybe it’s OK to be an unbelieving faker, but not a believing one. 

But if the presence of believing hypocrites keeps you from believing, why doesn’t the presence of unbelieving hypocrites keep you from unbelief?  Staying away from fakers is the issue, right?

When I first got to know real Christians, I had a little surprise.  They were harder on themselves than I was on myself.  And they were better than me.  I didn’t expect that.  It got my attention.

Comments

[Oregonsun]

Thank you for a topic that is relatively un-discussed. I can't tell you how many times I have heard about the hypocrites, etc. in church and why certain people do not attend anymore. I have never had a really good response except that I am keeping my eyes on Jesus and not others. I would like to hear more thoughts on this subject.