The Church Is Full of too Many Hypocrites

February 9, 2026

A pompous deacon once tried impressing boys on Christian living. He asked, “Why do people call me a Christian?” After a pause, one boy said, “Maybe because they don’t know you.” This joke highlights hypocrisy’s sting. Hypocrisy is when we claim to have higher standards or more noble beliefs than we live out.

In Romans 2:1, Paul confronts hypocrisy amongst the faithful head-on. After listing Gentile sins in chapter 1, he turns his pen to the Jews, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.”

Churches earn “hypocrite-filled” reputations because people expect Jesus’ followers to excel morally, and followers expect it too. Hypocrisy seems more contemptable when we see Christians exhibit it. When the church leader speaks of controlling anger and protecting his family he is speaking the truth. When word gets out that he beats his wife, the hypocrisy is sad, tragic, and can make us very angry.

But the truth is, everyone struggles with some form of hypocrisy just as we are all guilty of being sinners. I have met many people who have said, “I could never go to church. It is full of too many hypocrites.” I like the quip of one pastor who said, “Don’t let that stop you. There’s always room for one more.”

There were once two brothers who were both notorious crooks. Everyone knew they were evil to the core. When one of the brothers died; the surviving brother wanted to send his brother off with a funeral fit for a king. He said to the minister, “I’ll give you $10,000 to put that new roof on the church if, in eulogizing my brother, you call him a saint. The minister agreed.

The whole town turned out for the funeral, curious if the minister would be a hypocrite for money. The minister said, “The man you see in the coffin was a vile and debauched individual. He was a liar, a thief, a deceiver, a manipulator, a reprobate, and a hedonist. He destroyed the fortunes, careers, and lives of countless people in this city, some of whom are here today. But compared to his brother, he was a saint.”

So, is there any way out of our hypocritical ways? I really don’t think so, but we can grow in two areas that will help in our lives and in the lives of those around us. First, be more forgiving. Jesus teaches, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’” (Matthew 18:21-22). Jesus’s words really mean that unless we are willing to keep count, we are to learn to forgive all the time. Whenever I have trouble forgiving someone I think about the sacrifice Jesus has made for ALL of my sins. If Jesus can forgive all our sins, He has every right to expect His followers to forgive all sins as well. It would be hypocritical for us to do otherwise.

Second, be more loving. Jesus declares, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Loving God with our whole selves is not information to be learned, but a life-long adventure into who God is, and how the power of love changes everything. If God is love, as written in I John 4:8, then we will never fully grasp the many divine facets of the power of love. So, I say, let the life-long adventure begin! The reward is deeper and more meaningful relationships with family, friends, acquaintances, and most importantly our loving heavenly Father. Since life is all about relationships, then this is a reward given to us by God through His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What hypocrisy do you see in yourself? If you can’t think of any then I recommend you speak to a trusted friend. A spouse, son, or daughter often have insights they have held to themselves for years. Do you struggle with forgiveness for anyone? And I do mean anyone? Life is too short! Begin praying for God to “Set a table before you in the presence of your enemies” (Psalm 23:4). Do you love God with your whole self, or do you hold back parts of your life from Him? When we learn to love God with greater maturity, our lives are more available to Him to be used to His glory, and that is what the meaning of life is all about. (To learn more about Al Earley or read previous articles, see www.lagrangepres.org. You can purchase my book, My Faith Journal, at Amazon.com, a compilation of 366 articles as a daily devotional. Check out my podcast on YouTube, called “My Faith Journey”).