Respect or Hypocrisy?

I was reading some of those thoughts that I referred to in my last post but didn’t want to link to because of the underlying attitude.  One of them was a topic along the lines of “Hypocriting” and I’ll paraphrase, but the basic thought was: If you are part of a group that has certain rules by which its members are expected to live by, you shouldn’t break the rules when you’re away from the group because that’s lying.  By living by the rules when you’re with the group and living by a different set of rules when you’re away from them, that’s living a double standard.  And if you don’t live/believe the rules, condemning others who don’t live by those rules is hypocritical.

To a certain extent, I think the statements above, summarizing the topic, have a certain amount of truth in them, particularly the last one.  I think if you’re verbally telling people that you believe the rules are what gets you into heaven, then turning around and breaking those rules and still claiming that you’re going to get into heaven, and at the same time condemning people who aren’t living those rules, then in essence, you ARE holding a double standard. 

HOWEVER, attending a church does not necessarily mean that you agree with everything that takes place or is taught. 

I can go to the store for milk.  The store also sells spam, that doesn’t mean I’m going to buy it.  Just because I shop at the store does not mean I’m putting my approval on everything they sell, even if every time I go in, they’re promoting spam.  But let’s say they make it a requirement for membership that you buy a can of spam every time you shop.  Just because I go to the store to get milk and come home with the milk and the required can of spam does not mean I’m going to eat it when I get home.  Does that make me a hypocrite?  Well, I could just shop at a different store, but that particular store has a certain variety that I haven’t been able to find somewhere else.  So you live with the differences, respect the store manager, and disagree in private.  Maybe not the perfect solution, but it’s workable until you run out of cabinet space for Spam.  Haha.

Maybe that’s a strange example but I think it gets the point across. 

Can I say I haven’t been looking for another place to shop?  Well…no, I can’t say that, but as long as I’m shopping there, while I’m there, I’ll follow the crazy rules.  :o)

The definition of respect: deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment

The definition of Hypocrisy: a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.

I think the difference is that we do not judge or condemn or even amen the “crazy rules” that we do not believe.  We don’t hide, but neither do we flaunt our disagreements.  Out of respect for others convictions, we do what we do.  Now the time may come when we are no longer shopping at that store, and at that time, if others convictions are no longer hindering us, we may live publicly a little differently, but that time is not here yet. 

I base this reasoning on Romans 14.  The entire chapter is good, but specifically these verses:

¹⁹Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
²⁰For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
²¹It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
²²Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
²³And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

In this commentary by John Darby on the 14th chapter, he says:

Many important principles are brought forward in these exhortations. Every one shall give account of himself to God. Everyone, in these cases, should be fully persuaded in his own mind, and should not judge another. If any one has faith that delivers him from traditional observances, and he sees them to be absolutely nothing-as indeed they are-let him have his faith for God, and not cause his brother to stumble.

I think that sums it up nicely.