As a pastor for many years, one thing I've come to realize is how easy it is to wear the label of "Christian" while missing the heart of what it truly means to follow Christ. The word "Christian" itself, as we know, comes from "Christ," meaning we are to follow, imitate, and embody Him in our daily lives. But if we look closely at the life of Jesus, we see a man who laid down His power, who served the broken, who even forgave those who nailed Him to the cross. Jesus didn’t come to conquer His enemies; He came to die for them.
Yet today, many who claim to follow Jesus seem to fall into a different pattern: Christians would rather complain, criticize, and condemn. Now, don't get me wrong, I’m not saying we’re all hypocrites, but it’s a trap that's all too easy to fall into. So, let’s take a look at this together, not with a spirit of judgment, but with a humble heart, seeking to understand where we may have gone wrong.
Christ’s Example: A Life of Servanthood and Love
First, we need to return to the example of Jesus. If we are to claim His name, then must live in the way He lived, love in the way He loved, and serve in the way He served. One of the clearest pictures of this is found in the Gospel of John, chapter 13. There, we see the Lord of all creation kneeling down to wash the feet of His disciples. It was a task so low that even the servants of the day would hesitate to do it. Yet Jesus, our Savior, did not hesitate. He wasn’t just teaching them how to serve; He was showing them the essence of His kingdom—a kingdom where the greatest among us must become the least, where power is found in humility, and where love is shown in servanthood.
If Jesus—the Son of God—can humble Himself in this way, what right do we have to stand over others in judgment? He came, not to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45). That’s what it means to follow Christ: to humble ourselves, to serve others, and to love without expecting anything in return. And if you need any further proof of His heart, look at the cross. As He hung there, beaten and bloodied, with nails through His hands, He looked down at His executioners and said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Now, if there was ever a time to condemn, surely it was then. But instead, Jesus chose forgiveness.
How many of us can say that we live like that? How many of us would rather forgive those who hurt us than get even or cast blame? Yet, this is what it means to be Christian. This is the Christ we are supposed to imitate.
The Temptation to Complain, Criticize, and Condemn
But here’s the problem—and it’s one I’ve seen all too often, not just in others but in myself as well. It’s far easier to complain than to serve, isn’t it? Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, urges us to do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14). That’s a tall order! We’re so quick to grumble when things don’t go our way, when life gets hard, or when the world seems unjust. But in complaining, we take our eyes off of Christ and place them on ourselves.
And then there’s the matter of criticism. Oh, how easy it is to point out the flaws in others, isn’t it? Yet, Jesus had strong words for those who criticize. In Matthew 7, He said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged.” And then He painted the picture of the man with the plank in his eye, trying to remove the speck from his brother’s eye (Matthew 7:1-5). It’s such a vivid image, isn’t it? We’re quick to criticize the small failings of others, while ignoring the much larger issues in our own hearts.
Lastly, and perhaps most dangerously, we are tempted to condemn. It’s a word that carries the weight of judgment and finality. And yet, this is the very thing that Jesus warned us against. Romans 2:1 says, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.” How often do we condemn others for the very sins that we ourselves struggle with? It’s as though we forget that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We forget that the grace we’ve been shown is meant to be extended to others.
The Pharisee’s Trap: When Religion Becomes Self-Righteousness
We’ve seen this trap before. It’s not a new one. The Pharisees, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, were experts at complaining, criticizing, and condemning. They had all the outward signs of righteousness but lacked the heart of God’s love. They knew the law inside and out, yet they missed the very thing the law was pointing to—Jesus Himself.
In Luke 18, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee stood before God, listing off all the things he had done right, while the tax collector could barely lift his eyes to heaven, simply asking for mercy. Jesus tells us that it was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified before God (Luke 18:9-14). Why? Because God is not interested in our self-righteousness. He is interested in a humble heart that knows its need for mercy.
Religious hypocrisy is an easy trap to fall into. We can become so concerned with being “right” that we forget to be loving. We can become so focused on following the rules that we forget the heart behind them. Jesus Himself said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23).
The Call to True Christ-Likeness: Humility, Grace, and Love
So, what does it mean to return to true Christ-likeness? First and foremost, it means laying aside our pride. It means embracing humility in the same way that Christ did. It means being quick to forgive and slow to criticize. It means choosing love over judgment, mercy over condemnation.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Our world is desperate for mercy, isn’t it? People are hurting, broken, and in need of grace. And if we, as Christians, can’t offer that grace, then who will?
In John 8, we see Jesus confronted with a woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders were ready to stone her, quoting the law and condemning her to death. But Jesus, with the simplicity and wisdom that only He possesses, bent down and wrote in the dirt. Then He stood and said, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). One by one, her accusers left. And Jesus, the only one without sin, the only one who could have condemned her, chose not to. He offered her mercy instead.
Conclusion: A Call to Self-Examination
Friends, if we claim the name of Christ, we must be willing to walk in His footsteps. And that means laying down our complaints, our criticisms, and our condemnations. It means picking up the towel and washing feet. It means loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). It means forgiving as we have been forgiven.
The world will always give us reasons to complain. Our neighbors will always give us reasons to criticize. And our enemies will always give us reasons to condemn. But Jesus calls us to a higher standard—one of mercy, grace, and love.
May we never forget that we are all sinners in need of a Savior. And may we extend to others the same grace that has been extended to us.
Amen.
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