How to Answer Accusations of Hypocrisy Against Christians

Forgive.

If you have been falsely accused of something that you did not do, forgive the accuser. Drop the offense. Refuse to be personally offended by personal remarks. If you are emotionally hurting or angry, you may not be listening, you may not be able to identify the hypocrisy that has been exposed (because exposing hypocrisy is a good thing), you may be tempted to respond in kind (to attack the person that attacked you)

Proverbs 19:11. Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

It is not necessary to say aloud to your accuser that you forgive them unless you hope to prolong a meaningless argument.

Agree.

Tell the accuser that they are right. The behavior was sinful and “unChristlike.”

Apologize.

If the accusation of hypocrisy is true about you, apologize for disobeying Jesus and for

misrepresenting the true message of Christ. Then go, and sin no more.

If the accusation of hypocrisy is about someone else, apologize on behalf of the other person. Tell the accuser that Jesus has been misrepresented. You will not be apologizing for Jesus or for behavior approved by Jesus. You will be apologizing on behalf of a person that claimed to be a Christian while they behaved in a way that was contrary to the teachings of Jesus.

Do not make excuses for disobedience to Jesus. Just admit that it was wrong and should never have been done by a follower of Jesus.

Thank.

Thank the accuser for their help to identify bad behavior by Christians. The greater picture will show that this will help reduce hypocrisy and Jesus will be glorified in better ways.

It makes no difference if your accuser was trying to harm you or help you, if the accusation is true, sin was called out, and Christlike behavior was encouraged. The goal of life is to live like Jesus.

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