By Theron Steinke, Fair Fight Founder
20 years ago, if you had asked me to describe Christianity in one word, I would have reveled in the opportunity, seething the word 'hypocrisy' from between my teeth.
This stigma is unfortunately (and sometimes fairly) accurate. Christians are often viewed as those who stand on a high moral pedestal in the public eye, throwing rocks in their glass house of worship.
Here's what I have learned since becoming a Christian. We suck sometimes. The perception that Christians have it all figured out is far from the truth. We lie, cheat, steal, covet, and swear, and then take an about-face once a week in between the pews. I can certainly understand how hypocritical it must seem from a non-believer's perspective. I know that from my own experience, nothing irritated me more than to see the "so-called Christian" worshiping God in church 24 hours removed from acting in a very non-Christian-like manner.
However, here's another thing that I've learned over time. Church is not just a weekly, saving face routine. It's a time of asking for forgiveness. That so called Christian I used to criticize wasn't saying, "look at me, look at me"... he was saying "I'm sorry".
When I first became a Christian, I thought life was going to be much easier. It was certainly better, but by no means was it easier. We are constantly attacked and tempted by the enemy and persecuted across the world. We play a daily balancing act of being accepting and loving while keeping our convictions to Jesus. This, unfortunately, has left Christianity to become synonymous with bigotry.
Here's the good news. We are not the victims. We are the victors. It clearly states in the Bible that Christians have been and will continue to be persecuted globally. You would think that such scripture would be very discouraging to us. Yet, ironically, the fact that God said it would happen...and it is happening... only grows our faith.
Do you have doubts about Christianity? Check out this video from former Atheist turned believer, Lee Strobel:
