Laela
Sidestepping the "lynch mob"
This thread is to address the "Christians are so hypocritical" mantra I've been seeing lately.
There are three types of Man - Carnal Man/ Natural Man / Spiritual Man, and as such, those are the types of Christians.
The Carnal Christian has accepted Christ at some point but they are the ones who won't do what is required of them according to the Word. IOW, they live how they want to live and nobody can tell them how to live their lives, because they are saved. They are focused on SELF and are driven by physical desires and emotional needs. They'll use the Word to justify their actions. For example, a Carnal Christian would walk away from the teller at the bank and realize they got too much money back. But rather than turn around and do the right thing, like the Spiritual Christian, he'd justify his keeping the money by quoting Prov 13:22, "the wealth of the wicked is transferred to the hands of the righteous." LOL
The Natural Christian is also driven by emotional needs but they CAN think of others and deny themselves. They won't, however, hit the PAUSE button, like the Spiritual Christian would, before they make a decision because they rely on the Senses. They are whom Paul talks about in Corin 2:14:
‘Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.”
How a Natural Christian feels at any given time would trump what the Word says. For example, they would struggle with giving the money back -- knowing Scripture -- but would ultimately decide not to do the right thing. They respond to their feelings/emotions and not to the Spirit.
The Spiritual Christians live their live strictly by The Word and biblical principles. They are the Mature Christians Jesus is referring to when he says he who has ears to hear and eyes to see, let him hear and see. Some traits: They can accept being rebuked/corrected by their brothers and sisters and be thankful for it; they don't get offended; they can function without praise, are good listeners and can connect or relate to others well; they have a balanced view of others and won't put anyone on a pedestal nor do they require others to be perfect. They will listen to the Holy Spirit and act accordingly, despite how they feel. If they believe God says it, they believe it and that settles it for them. They also are able to know the Voice of the Shepherd and will not follow the voice of a Stranger.
There are two very powerful passages in the Bible that support why Christians in general can appear hypocritical to the world:
The Parable of the Sower: In Mark 4, Jesus' own words suggests the different aspects of human nature:
And he began to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was beside the sea on the land.
And he taught them many things by parables, and he said unto them in his doctrine,
Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything secret, but that it should come abroad.
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how,
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
Another great passage is Luke 6:46-49
Building a house upon a rock and not on sand. We all know the story... in this passage, God is referring to the differing principles Christians use to live their lives.
I would hope that being a Mature Christian, Christ-like, is what all Christians strive for. They aren't "more Christian" or "more Saved"...just on a different level with God. The Fruits of the Spirit are evidence of this maturity.
That said, a person can run into all three types and ultimately lump all Christians in the same boat. But doing that evokes the perception of "inconsistencies." Some of us know better..
I will always be glad to say I'm a Christian.
God Bless
There are three types of Man - Carnal Man/ Natural Man / Spiritual Man, and as such, those are the types of Christians.
The Carnal Christian has accepted Christ at some point but they are the ones who won't do what is required of them according to the Word. IOW, they live how they want to live and nobody can tell them how to live their lives, because they are saved. They are focused on SELF and are driven by physical desires and emotional needs. They'll use the Word to justify their actions. For example, a Carnal Christian would walk away from the teller at the bank and realize they got too much money back. But rather than turn around and do the right thing, like the Spiritual Christian, he'd justify his keeping the money by quoting Prov 13:22, "the wealth of the wicked is transferred to the hands of the righteous." LOL
The Natural Christian is also driven by emotional needs but they CAN think of others and deny themselves. They won't, however, hit the PAUSE button, like the Spiritual Christian would, before they make a decision because they rely on the Senses. They are whom Paul talks about in Corin 2:14:
‘Now the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.”
How a Natural Christian feels at any given time would trump what the Word says. For example, they would struggle with giving the money back -- knowing Scripture -- but would ultimately decide not to do the right thing. They respond to their feelings/emotions and not to the Spirit.
The Spiritual Christians live their live strictly by The Word and biblical principles. They are the Mature Christians Jesus is referring to when he says he who has ears to hear and eyes to see, let him hear and see. Some traits: They can accept being rebuked/corrected by their brothers and sisters and be thankful for it; they don't get offended; they can function without praise, are good listeners and can connect or relate to others well; they have a balanced view of others and won't put anyone on a pedestal nor do they require others to be perfect. They will listen to the Holy Spirit and act accordingly, despite how they feel. If they believe God says it, they believe it and that settles it for them. They also are able to know the Voice of the Shepherd and will not follow the voice of a Stranger.
There are two very powerful passages in the Bible that support why Christians in general can appear hypocritical to the world:
The Parable of the Sower: In Mark 4, Jesus' own words suggests the different aspects of human nature:
And he began to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was beside the sea on the land.
And he taught them many things by parables, and he said unto them in his doctrine,
Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
The sower soweth the word.
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word immediately receive it with gladness;
And have no root in themselves, and so endure for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything secret, but that it should come abroad.
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how,
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
Another great passage is Luke 6:46-49
Building a house upon a rock and not on sand. We all know the story... in this passage, God is referring to the differing principles Christians use to live their lives.
I would hope that being a Mature Christian, Christ-like, is what all Christians strive for. They aren't "more Christian" or "more Saved"...just on a different level with God. The Fruits of the Spirit are evidence of this maturity.
That said, a person can run into all three types and ultimately lump all Christians in the same boat. But doing that evokes the perception of "inconsistencies." Some of us know better..
I will always be glad to say I'm a Christian.
God Bless
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for such an awesoome word to share. 
I agree
