Christians, do you think this verse describes many people in churches today?

Question

Matthew 15:7-9
"Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
But in VAIN they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Have people taken this religion and twisted it to convey their OWN message?
I think people take the Bible and interpret it to say what THEY want it to say.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
No "canned" answer please!

MY SOURCE: (Matthew Chapter 5)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=15&version=9&context=chapter

Answer 1

Unfortunately Christianity has fragmented into thousands of squabbling tribes--all because they each have a different take on the Bible---I'm sure Jesus wouldn't be too pleased to witness the mess that has been created in his name!!

Answer 2

Yes. I am a Christian & when I see some of the answers here, I'm shocked how some Christians behave.

They practice their religion in front of man, but do as they please behind closed doors.

But, hypocrites can be found everywhere. Not just Christianity.


Matthew 5:18-20
But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.

Answer 3

There have always been people of various religions who give "lip-service" and go to church but still regularly break commandments. They are called hypocrites.

To really be a Christian, you must love the God with all your heart, honor him with your life, and live by his guidelines.

Once in awhile, people will take one verse and make it their "platform", twisting it out of context with the rest of the Bible. The Bible is not meant as an instrument of anger or warfare, yet sometimes its used this way. Do you think Jesus wanted people to be killing other people in his or Gods name? No! He was a very very peaceful man. He wasn't an angry teacher, he was a very peaceful teacher.

Here He was, basically starting a new religion, but not with swords and wars, but with love in his heart FOR ALL HIS FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN. He spent his preaching time not in a temple, but going to where the people needed him. He spent time with lepers, whom others feared; yet never did he say that they got that way because they weren't good people. (Compare that to the way AIDS patients are treated by many of the hypocritical churches today.) He led by example.

The reason we have so many different religions, and so many variants of Protestant churches, is because they each think one thing is more important than the rest, and that is what their basis is. Really, if you study side by side all the major monotheistic (One God) religions of all time, we are really not that far apart. I am sure the majority of all religious people really do feel they are on the right path. But if we all listened to the 10 Commandments, there would be no war, because it says very plainly, "Thou shall not kill".

Even if you spent a lifetime reading the Bible, it would be very hard to truly live a perfectly balanced life. We all make mistakes at times, and we are learning throughout our lives. What seems to be of most importance now is really more political than Bible based. For example, there is a ban on men lying with men (homosexuality), but there is also a common theme throughout the Bible that we should live our own lives as well as we can, and it is not up to us to judge. That is Gods ultimate job, not us. For many people, religion and politics get intertwined and very twisted, and hatred of fellow man is the result.

There are radicals in every religion. But the majority of the Christians, the Jews, the Muslims, the Buddists and the Hindus are not in that category. All of these religions preach peace, kindness to fellow man, love for God and living a life of good behaviours. So I wonder, why are all these wars going on?

Answer 4

I agree in that many people take things and just twist it into what they want to hear or do ,but true christianity is based on faith. No one person is right about everything you need to read the bible have a relationship by praying and follow your own personal convictions if it isnt clearly stated in the bible what to do or not to do.People that put their own personal views as law are hypocrits. We are only human and we just like to think we know it all but some things are left up to personal convictions for a reason in my belief.

Answer 5

I have worked in the "church" for several years and I can attest that indeed that verse speaks to contemporary people in the church today as it did ten years ago, 30 years ago, 1500 years ago, every year there has been an organized church. The problem has been from the beginning. Humanity refuses to take God's life changing grace(because they hate change) so they start to reverse the process by creating God in their own image instead of being created in God's own image. Hence, you have people as gentle as the little old ladies in the church twisting the scriptures to say what they want it to say as well as having people like Jim Jones and David Koresh twist it to say what they want it to say. Same goes for some modern day 'new age' type 'churches' called 'unity' churches. The last thing Jesus ever wanted for us to do was to become religious.

Answer 6

Not everyone who claims to be a Christian is truly a Christian. Perhaps many or most of the famous hypocrites among Christians were in fact pretenders and deceivers. Prominent Christian leaders have fallen into terrible sins. Financial and sexual scandals sometimes seem to plague the Christian community. However, instead of taking the actions of a few, and using them to denigrate the whole community of Christians – perhaps it needs to be re-evaluated whether those who claim to be Christians, yet prove themselves to be hypocrites, are truly Christians.

Answer 7

Quella B, I vote you as best answer. Very well said. Listen up people, its not what you eat, house you live in, car you drive. Its all about your character (integretity) and the pure love that comes out of your heart and mouths that count. Read the Bible for yourselves and get your own revelation, for surely God will tell you what He wants you to know. Don't rely on someone else, because who says that their revelation is for you. Seek your God with your whole heart, and strength and God will be there for you.

Answer 8

I believe that most people in the church do try the best they can to live according to the Scripture. Hypocrite comes from the greek for "actor." It doesnt matter what it is Religion, polotics or whatever you are going to have those who "act" as though they are one thing but in reality are something different. Those who are the most vocal get the most attention. For every hypocrite there are hundreds trying to live as best they can. For every "preacher" distorting the word of God there are hundreds of ministers following God as close as they can. We do not lump others into a certain catagory why should we do this to Christians.

Answer 9

Of course, there are more and more churches that draw people away from the truth of the Bible in order to get their own point across. Sadly, there are college courses that even teach them how to do it. Christmas is not scriptural. Hell fire and eternal torment are not scriptural. The trinity is not scriptural. They are blind leading the blind and they will soon fall into the pit.

Answer 10

It certainly describes the televangelists and their neo-con buddies.

Of course, the Bible is so vague in so many places that anyone can successfully interpet it to mean literally ANYTHING. Hence the problem of sorting through not just the hypocrites but the more than 30,000 sects and sub-sects as well.

Answer 11

Here's one for you:

"Who are you to criticize someone else's servant? His own Lord will determine whether he stands or falls. And stand he will, because God is able to make him stand." (Romans 14:4)

Now, let's be honest. If you enter PetsMart, do you become a pet? Neither does one walking into a church become a Christian.

We are told that in the last days, many people will come to church, but will not be regenerate. As it is written: "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Mark 18:8)

Another passage says this: "For the time will come when people will not put up with healthy doctrine but with itching ears will surround themselves with teachers who cater to their own needs. They will refuse to listen to the truth and will turn to myths." (II Timothy 4:3-4)

But, everywhere God goes, He leaves a true remnant behind. Within the pews of the churches, God's called people exist. The rest are pretenders. But we are not the ones who get to decide who is who.