One and the Same?

I just read a newsworthy article about a couple that was caught defrauding over 10,000 people of more than 20 million dollars through a T.V. program they had that sold fine art pieces. They stole art, forged art, faked art, inflated bids, created false appraisals and certificates of authenticity, etc.

I wonder how long the program ran and how long they were able to keep up the façade. I marvel at how folks are able not to just live a life of lies but to do it publicly and on T.V. I speculate about whether they did it with a straight face or if they were secretly laughing on the inside.

My first ‘religious and righteous response’ is to be questioning these things and more. But then I am quickly put into check by the Spirit of God in me that reminds me it is not just the folks of the world that do this. Unfortunately, too many Christians are living this life of lies also.

There are Christians on T.V. that are defrauding people with false claims, cheap promises and lots of tales supposedly in the name of Christ. There are fake claims, healings, miracles, churches, pastors and documentation. The one thing that seems real in both of these instances is the money that was bilked from the unsuspecting people.

I would like to say that is why there are so many folks that do not like ‘Christians’ or things pertaining to Christianity except that these type of folks don’t really need an excuse to be against God. I heard a saying that went like this: I like God; I just don’t like his fans. How true. I don’t particularly like a lot of them either. We are a bunch of religious freaks that take things out of context trying to please ourselves… all in the name of Christ. It is sad but true. No, not everyone. You that are truly righteous can sit back down. I am talking about the rest of us sinners that may be washed in the blood but still have real every day struggles with sin and life.

Why is it that many times folks cannot differentiate between Christians and the regular folk? Why are we blending with the ways of this world so easily? What I really want to know is: why it does not seem to matter, to enough ‘Christians’ that they are too much like the world?