One of the biggest reasons people claim to reject Christianity has nothing to do with historical or “rational” arguments, but rather it has to do with Christians themselves. To a degree, this is understandable. Christians claim certain moral standards that even they themselves fail to live up to.

To many this makes them hypocrites. And I get it- there are those (pretty much the only “Christians” who we hear about on the news) who really are quite judgmental and hateful. However, of the many Christians I know, I know an exceptionally small few who actually fall into this category.

Because of this, I have always had an issue with this idea that Christians are hypocrites because most people, in my experience, who make this statement fundamentally misunderstand what it means to be a Christian. I have also seen non-Christians who have a Christian friend or two who really are loving and they assume that these Christians are really just an exception and not like “most Christians.” But I would argue that they are quite similar to most genuine believers.

So how can Christians not be hypocrites when they fail to live up to the moral standard they claim to believe in? The reason is that the heart of Christianity is that people are sinners incapable of saving themselves, and we need a perfect savior to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

Followers of Jesus should have a high standard of morality and strive to live lives that honor Christ. But even in this pursuit, as sinful human beings, Christians are still as capable of sinning as anyone else. To be a hypocrite would mean Christians say one thing but do another. But to be a Christians means you acknowledge that you need help and that you have and will continue to fail.

A hypocritical Christian is somewhat of an oxymoron. For to be a Christian is to admit you are deeply flawed and need a savior, not that you are perfect.

Let me be clear, it is hypocritical to condemn others for their sin if you yourself claim to be perfect. But to be a Christian means you know you are anything but perfect.