"You who forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: 'God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you'” (Rom. 2:23-24).
There's always been folks willing to preach one thing and turn right around to do the opposite. "Many a man proclaims his loving devotion, but who can find a trustworthy man?" (Pro. 20:6). How many people have completely dismissed the Bible and ignored Christ because of the evil conduct of men claiming to follow Him?
If my hypocrisy causes the Name of God to be blasphemed, I will certainly be judged for it, BUT, does my hypocrisy justify the scoffer's rejection of Truth? Is he no longer accountable to God because he happened to run into a hypocrite and (rightfully) be offended?
Of course not. Does my sin justify someone else's? That's really the question isn't it? Maybe you're reading this and you're someone who's disgusted by all the phonies. Maybe you're fed up up with all the glad-hand, glib-tongued "preachers" with shiny teeth who care nothing for Truth. OK. Me too. So what? You have enough sense to know what faith ISN'T, but do you have enough sense to find out what it IS? Do you have enough courage and honesty to investigate the Truth for yourself? Or are you content to just wave your arms and point at the hypocrite and say, "Well, at least I'm not like that!"?
If ever arrogance and desperation coexisted that's what it would look like--the man hoping to justify himself by someone else's failure. Short men do not grow taller by cutting the legs off of tall men.
We make no excuses for lights that have gone out, or salt that has lost its savor. I say again, Scripture clearly teaches they will be judged (Heb. 10:28). This fact never gives any one the right to ignore Gods Word. The inevitability of sin in the world, does not excuse your sin: "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!" (Matt. 18:7).
According to Jesus, most people will not find the gate that leads to life (Matt. 7:14). Since the majority will fail (many of them due to hypocrisy), does that mean you should not seek forgiveness in Christ? Be angry at hypocrites, sure, but don't mistake your lack of hypocrisy for salvation. Don't confuse your "good, moral life" with genuine faith in Christ. Is it possible the very reason you look down your nose at hypocrites is because you're trusting in your own goodness to save you? "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on another. For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things" (Rom. 2:1).
The same God who condemns hypocrisy also condemns every other sin, including those in your life. Relative righteousness finds satisfaction in being better than someone else even though I am less than what God wants me to be.
One has not come to know Christ until he or she is willing to admit their need for His cure, and their continual need for it--"If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us..." (1 Jn. 1:8-10).
We do not find forgiveness or justification in acknowledging that there are hypocrites among Christians.
You can say “There are hypocrites in the church,” and you'd be right, but should we pretend the world has none? How is it that you're able to see the hypocrisy in others, but be blinded to it in yourself? (Matt. 7:1-5)
Don't fall for the trap of comparative religion or relative righteousness (2 Cor. 10:12) Folks often measure their standing with God in much the same way, justifying themselves by some other standard rather examine themselves by the Word of God.
If I would have salvation in Christ, then I must cease magnifying the faults of others and finally acknowledge my own before God. Humble myself before Him, repent of my sins (Lk. 13:3), confess Him with my mouth (Rom. 10:9-10), and be baptized for the forgiveness of my sins (Acts 2:38).
When you're willing submit to Him on His terms, without caveats or excuses, then you can begin to let God deal with your sin.
Good as always