One of the biggest objections to Christianity is hypocrisy in the Church. The stereotype of a Christian, and it is sadly true for many Christians, is that of an arrogant, judgemental, nosy gossip, quick to point out everyone else's flaws, but slow to acknowledge their own. For obvious reasons, no one likes this kind of person. This kind of "holier than thou" hypocrisy is repugnant to the human race.
But it's not the only kind of hypocrisy out there. In truth, hypocrisy is an affliction with which all human beings are cursed. You're a hypocrite. I'm a hypocrite. We're all hypocrites. So it's not enough to just say "you're a hypocrite". We must ask, what kind of hypocrite are you?
Ultimately, the Bible tells us we, as Christians, will remain in a constant state of hypocrisy for as long as we live in "this body of death" (Romans 7:24). Paul complained "For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me."
For the Christian, this is the lifelong struggle. We hate sin, but we still sin. We love Holiness, yet fail to be Holy. This is hypocrisy. We are, in effect, devils trying to be angels. But the unusual thing about this hypocrisy is we admit it. We don't claim we are better than anyone else. When we preach about Heaven, we don't act as if we deserve to go, we preach about how Jesus died to bring us there. When we preach about Hell, we don't claim we're somehow above it, we rely on our Savior to free us from it, and urge you to do the same.
And that is what makes the stereotypical Christian hypocrite so evil. They do act like they deserve Heaven instead of Hell. A Christian hypocrite is condemned by his own confession, yet relies on Jesus to overturn that condemnation. We are filthy rags admitting we are filthy rags, yet asking Christ to wash us clean. But the stereotype is a filthy rag claiming to be clean.
Jesus actually spoke very clearly against this kind of hypocrite. Observe the parable in Luke 18:9-14: "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”"
Does it look like God is thrilled with the kind of hypocrite who trusts in his own non-existent righteousness? No, this man brags about how good he is, even looking down on a fellow sinner, but Jesus says "he exalts himself, he will be humbled". How? Well, in Matthew 7:21-23, we see that it is through rejection. Ask Jesus to judge you by your works, He will.
By contrast, look at the tax collector. He's still a hypocrite. He acknowledges God's goodness, calling himself a sinner, knowing full well he is not worthy of mercy. Yet he approaches God for mercy anyway. His sin breaks his heart! He doesn't look up to Heaven, he beats his chest, he knows he's in the wrong. That's hypocrisy. Yet he is humble enough to admit it. He goes down to his house justified because he thinks highly enough of God, not enough to stop sinning (yet), but enough to want to.
In the parable, we see two hypocrites, but here's the thing: These are the only kinds of hypocrites there are. And you do not have to be a Christian, or even a Theist, to display the first kind. Those who complain about hypocrisy are also hypocrites. The first kind. The self-righteous kind. The kind that looks down on other people's flaws while failing to acknowledge their own. The kind who will actually use other people's hypocrisy to justify themselves.
Imagine a plane falling from the sky. Three men stand by the door, each with an available parachute. One man puts on his parachute, and urges the others to do the same. The second man pipes up "oh, so I suppose you can fly?" The third puts on the parachute, but looks down on the other two, mocking their inability to fly. All three jump. The first activates his parachute. The second flails around aimlessly with no plan B. The third flaps his arms and sings "I believe I can fly". Who survives?
The plane in this analogy represents life. The fact that it is crashing represents the inevitability of death. The door through which the men jump represents death itself. The parachute, of course, represents Jesus. It is the only hope of survival these men have. Because there are 3 of them, there is enough for a 100% survival rate, but only if 100% of men rely on it.
This, the first man does. He does not, as the second man scoffs, believe he can fly. Rather, he believes in the ability of the parachute to save him and the other two. Thus, he puts it on, and urges them to do the same. This, of course, represents a Christian. A man who knows he is doomed without Jesus, but trusts in His power to save.
The second man does not focus on his inevitable demise, scoffing at the first man as if somehow "you can't fly" is the same as "I don't need that parachute". But what is his plan for survival? Of course he's going to die. This represents those who reject Jesus. His mockery of the first man represents the reasoning being hypocrisy. As the other men's inability to fly did not diminish his need for the parachute, so also do Christian sins not erase unbelieving sins. Rejecting Jesus just guarantees those sins will be accounted for.
The third gives enough acknowledgement to the parachute to put it on, but doesn't care enough to activate it. He relies on his non-existent power of flight, of course finding out just how non-existent that is. This, of course, represents self-righteousness. His wearing of the parachute represents the appearance of faith. Yet it is not Jesus these people trust in, but themselves. Scripture, however, tells us that because of sin, even our righteousness is filthy (Isaiah 64:6).
Only the first man "makes it", because he is the only one who trusted in the only thing that can help him make it. Take away the parachute, only the power of flight remains. Yet men cannot fly. Similarly, take away Jesus, only our righteousness remains. Yet men are not righteous.
So, what kind of hypocrite are you? Are you the kind who acknowledges your own hypocrisy, wanting to be righteous, but being unable to achieve it? Or are you the kind of hypocrite who doesn't care? In your imperfect state, you are "good enough" for you? But my friend, you are not good enough for God! You won't survive judgement day any more than the most righteous of Christians would. The only distinction between those who go to Heaven and those who go to Hell is not hypocrisy, nor is it sin, but whether or not they confessed Jesus, the sinless hypocrite, as Lord, and believed in their heart God raised Him from the dead.