Practice What You Preach

​Romans 2:17 - 24
 
The Gentiles are seeing that the Jews were not practicing what they were preaching to the world and they resented this.  They looked to the Jews to point them to God but what they saw were sinful practices that were very similar to the gentiles and this caused them to blaspheme God.  The Jews that lived in accordance to the law should have been drawn to living holy lives but instead their supposed righteousness produced an arrogant, prideful, and egotistical race of people.  Gentiles were saying, “Why would we want to serve a God whose law just produces hypocrisy?”
 
I think it is sad but Christianity can be just as guilty.  God has given His Word to us believers and we have the joyful responsibility of representing Christ to the world.  When we proclaim the name of Jesus as savior of the world we have a responsibility to uphold His Word and teachings.  This reminds me of phrase that I have heard often, “You may be the only Bible some people may ever read.”  That is a HUGE statement and it is one that comes with a lot of responsibility.
 
It is unfortunate that so many Christians have become like the religious moralizing Jews.  They have become so familiar with Christianity, its language and the human imposed rules and regulations of God that their actions are turning others from Jesus Christ.  Sometimes people think the evidence of their righteousness is in outspoken morality and rule following; yet they forget their righteousness and salvation comes through the grace of God and His promises.  Not in what WE DO.
 
It is sad to see how Christians can be judgmental towards others and they do impose their man made morals on others, all the while not practicing what they preach.
Let us be mindful that our actions and words DO matter.  I believe this is a question we all need to ask ourselves, “Are my actions and words pointing people to Jesus or pushing them away?”