How much is your life worth?
There are a lot of hypocrites in this world ... Christians who call themselves by that name, yet are no different than the world. Using profanity, dressing inappropriately, being rude, mean, watching the TV shows and movies, listening to the songs, all of which when you compare them side-by-side to the teachings of Jesus Christ, fall woefully short of what the Bible calls "holy" behavior.
Why? Why are so many Christians hypocrites?
Jesus Christ has a calling upon people's lives. His calling is an internal calling, and it is a calling toward holiness and action. That calling is not something that can be received by someone until they are honestly searching for the truth. For some this comes automatically, but for others they have to make a conscious decision to honestly and truly seek the truth regardless of what things they may have been taught in the past.
The truth is ... there are no hypocrites in the Kingdom of God, and Jesus doesn't call people forward to be hypocrites. He calls them forward to be disciples, and to receive His Holy message (called "holy" because it's distinct and separate from the ways of the world), and for the person who received this to actually live it in their life and to then go out and teach others.
God knows we are still here in this fallen world, and that we will make mistakes. We will stumble and fall down in our walk. We might say some remark, or even do some thing, which we must later repent of. But what He calls Christians to is an overall movement in this world toward increasing holiness, a lifelong process for every believer called "sanctification," whereby the former ways things were done, thought of, taught, and considered, are replaced with His teachings over time. Some of these are immediate, but others will be introduced over time.
----- If you are put off by hypocritical Christians and think that Jesus Christ is like that .... please know that He is not. He calls people into a true walk with Him, in holiness, in temperance, in love, in peace, and always teaching.
If you recognize that many Christians are hypocrites, then that is a good thing, because you're already half way there in realizing that the way so many people who profess to be Christians in this world are isn't really the way we're supposed to be.
What God is calling YOU to be is the PROPER kind of Christian, the one who is truly born again, changed from the inside out, and then lives the rest of their life from within that change. He promises this change will come with the forgiveness of sin and repentance, for all who seek Him honestly and truly. He visits the pure in heart:
Be the Christian Jesus Christ is calling you to be. Be it for real. Be it for Him. Be it for all of those around you who are perishing who, upon hearing the word of truth given rightly, might come out from the darkness and deception and into His marvelous light.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God in an unrepentant state. It is a wonderful thing to receive Jesus Christ, receive forgiveness, and to pass from death to life even while we yet live here in this world. Seek a closer relationship with the Lord, and watch Him work miracles in your life.
Best regards, Rick C. Hodgin