Romans 2:17-24

Romans 2:17-24 NIV
¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; ¹⁸ if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Here Paul is speaking to the Jews about saying one thing and doing another.  In verse 24 he admonishes them that their hypocrisy is causing God to be blasphemed.

Let's apply this to the church today.  I ask these questions of myself as well.  How many of us professing to be Christians hurt the cause of Christ by our action or inaction?  How many nonbelievers refuse to even listen to the gospel because of an experience they had with a "Christian" in there past?  Has so much of the world crept into your life that the only difference is you have to get up on Sunday's to go to church?

We will never be perfect.  We will make mistakes.  I have found that admitting and confessing those mistakes to my unsaved friends when I screw up in front of the them helps.  They invariably say, "No big deal."  Then I get the opportunity to explain my relationship with Christ.  Without exception my friends listen because I don't come across as "holier than thou".

God Bless.