when christians fail
“God is love.” That’s what the Bible says. So why do some Christians act in ways that seem anything but loving?
It’s one of the biggest barriers to faith: the gap between what Jesus taught and how His followers sometimes live. And it’s nothing new. The Bible is full of people who claimed to follow God but didn’t always get it right.
when words and actions don’t match
From the Israelites in the Old Testament to the early church in the New Testament, people have always struggled to live out what they believe. The prophet Isaiah recorded God saying, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Even Jesus confronted religious leaders for saying one thing and doing another. The word He used was “hypocrite,” which literally means “actor.” It’s a warning to all of us: faith isn’t about performance; it’s about the heart.
god’s response to failure
When God’s people disobeyed in the Old Testament, He didn’t abandon them. He corrected, forgave, and gave them another chance. Think of the cycle: they wandered, repented, were restored, and wandered again. Sound familiar?
We do the same today. We fall short, realize it, and come back. The good news is that God keeps meeting us with patience and grace. He doesn’t condone hypocrisy, but He also doesn’t cancel us for it.
real christianity looks like growth
Being a Christian doesn’t mean being perfect. It means being in a lifelong process of becoming more like Jesus. Just like an athlete practices to improve, faith grows through time spent with God - reading, praying, listening, and applying what we learn.
When we actually live what we say we believe, people notice. Love becomes visible. Grace becomes tangible. The world begins to see glimpses of Jesus again.
don’t let hypocrisy have the last word
If you’ve been hurt by hypocrisy, please hear this: that’s not the real picture of who God is. He sees your frustration and understands your disappointment. But don’t let someone else’s failure define your view of Him.
Where people fall short, God remains faithful. And His invitation still stands - to know Him personally, not through the mistakes of others, but through the truth of His Word and the example of His Son.
take this with you
“by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:35
The world doesn’t need perfect Christians, it needs honest ones who reflect the love of Jesus.
questions for reflection
Have you ever been discouraged by someone who claimed to follow God but didn’t act like it?
How can you tell the difference between hypocrisy and genuine imperfection?
What’s one small way you could reflect Jesus’ love more clearly this week?
Paige Peacock Vanosky brings a deeply personal and communal approach to biblical teaching, influenced by her formative years under the mentorship of Dr. Buckner Fanning at Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio.
Her foundational principle - drawing circles instead of lines - has shaped her ministry and led to the creation of a Bible study that embraces diverse religious perspectives. This study laid the groundwork for The 30-Minute Bible, designed to provide an objective and approachable exploration of the Bible's narratives, making the text accessible to seekers and believers from all walks of life.