What About the Atrocities Christians Have Committed?

Aug 23, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Wolves in Grandma’s Clothing: Recognizing Deception

The enemy often disguises lies as familiar truths, just as the wolf pretended to be a grandmother. Scripture warns that Satan masquerades as an angel of light, twisting good intentions to lead people away from Christ. Discerning deception requires attentiveness to God’s Word and a heart anchored in His character. Like Little Red Riding Hood, believers must learn to spot inconsistencies between appearances and reality. True safety lies not in human cleverness but in relying on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Pray for wisdom to recognize distortions of truth in culture, relationships, and even religious spaces. [40:16]

“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NIV)

Reflection: What “grandma’s nightgown” disguises have you encountered—subtle lies that mimic truth? How might regularly immersing yourself in Scripture sharpen your discernment?

Day 2: Hospitals for Sinners, Not Museums for Saints

The church exists for the spiritually sick, not the morally perfect. Just as hospitals treat broken bodies, Christ’s community welcomes broken souls. Scripture never hides believers’ flaws—Noah’s drunkenness, David’s adultery, Peter’s denial—to emphasize our shared need for grace. When critics attack Christianity for its hypocrites, they unknowingly affirm its core message: all require rescue. The solution isn’t pretending to have it all together but pointing others to the Great Physician who heals. [53:58]

“On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” (Matthew 9:12–13, NIV)

Reflection: When have you hesitated to engage with the church because of others’ imperfections—or your own? How might embracing our identity as a “hospital” change your approach to community?

Day 3: The Bible’s Unflinching Honesty About Failure

Scripture refuses to airbrush its heroes. Jacob deceives, Moses disobeys, and Paul persecutes—yet God uses them. This raw transparency dismantles the myth that Christianity depends on human goodness. The Bible’s candor about sin isn’t a liability but evidence of divine authorship. Only a God secure in His power would record His people’s worst moments to highlight His relentless grace. Our faith rests not on flawless followers but a flawless Savior. [50:57]

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23–24, NIV)

Reflection: Which biblical character’s failure resonates most with your struggles? How does their story point you to dependence on Christ rather than self-improvement?

Day 4: Fruits of True Faith vs. Counterfeit Claims

Jesus warned that not all who say “Lord, Lord” truly know Him. Genuine faith produces tangible love—hospitals built, orphans cared for, enemies forgiven. While atrocities committed in Christ’s name grab headlines, quiet acts of sacrificial service better reflect His heart. Evaluating Christianity by its worst examples is like judging medicine by quack doctors. The gospel’s validity is measured by Christ’s commands, not our compliance. [55:47]

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35, NIV)

Reflection: When have you seen authentic Christlike love transform a situation? How could focusing on obeying His commands guard you from judging others’ authenticity?

Day 5: Judging Jesus by His Own Words, Not Our Failures

The faith’s credibility rests on Christ’s resurrection, not believers’ behavior. To dismiss Jesus because of Judas’ betrayal or crusaders’ violence is to judge a founder by corrupt franchisees. His teachings—love enemies, serve the poor, embrace humility—remain the standard. The solution to bad Christianity isn’t less Christianity but truer Christianity. Let His words in the Gospels, not human failures, define your view of Him. [01:10:40]

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” (John 5:39, NIV)

Reflection: What aspect of Jesus’ life or teaching most challenges your assumptions? How might focusing on His character quiet doubts stirred by others’ shortcomings?

Sermon Summary

The wolf dressed up like grandma gives a plain picture of the devil’s lies. The warning is simple: the enemy does not always look dangerous at first, but he tells lies to pull people away from Jesus. The objection about atrocities committed by Christians throughout history is a hard one because some people who claimed the name of Christ really did terrible things. The truth should not be denied, excused, minimized, or dodged.

The distinction that has to be made is between sinful people who misrepresent Jesus and Jesus himself. The examples of religious wars, crusades, inquisitions, slavery, abuse, and corruption are grievous, but those actions do not line up with the life and commands of Christ. Christianity is not disproved because some so-called believers acted wickedly. Instead, those failures actually confirm what the Bible has said all along: every human being is a sinner in desperate need of grace, forgiveness, and restoration.

The Bible never hides the sins of God’s people. Scripture says Noah got drunk, Abraham lied, Jacob deceived, Moses disobeyed, Samson was driven by lust and pride, David committed adultery and murder, Peter denied Jesus, and Paul persecuted Christians before his conversion. God’s word tells the whole truth because it is not finally about the deeds of good people. It is God’s story about a perfect Savior rescuing sinful people.

The hospital picture makes the point clear. A hospital is not condemned because sick people are inside it. The church exists because sinners need a Savior. Christians are not the Savior, but Christians are supposed to represent the One who is.

Jesus’ own commands expose the contradiction in these atrocities. Jesus said to love enemies, pray for persecutors, forgive others, serve the poor, turn the other cheek, and love one another as he has loved. John 13 says that love is how the world will know who belongs to him. When someone claims Christ while ignoring Christ’s commands, the problem is not Christianity. The problem is sin and disobedience.

Matthew 7 gives a sober warning that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” truly belongs to Jesus. The New Testament warns about wolves in sheep’s clothing, false teachers, false converts, and religious hypocrisy. Counterfeit Christians should not surprise anyone who reads the Bible. Judas walked close to Jesus on the outside while being far from him on the inside.

True Christianity produces a different kind of life. Genuine followers of Jesus have founded hospitals, cared for plague victims, built schools, served the poor, adopted children, and proclaimed the gospel at great cost. These works do not prove Christianity true by themselves, but they show what happens when people actually follow Jesus. The answer to Christian failure is not to run from Christ. The answer is to run to him.

Key Takeaways

1. Sin confirms the gospel’s diagnosis. Sinful actions done in Christ’s name are not small things to explain away. They reveal the very sickness Scripture has always named: all people, even religious people, fall short of God’s glory. The horror of sin does not make Jesus unnecessary; it shows why forgiveness, restoration, and a new heart are needed so badly. [50:12]
2. Jesus must define Christianity. The life and commands of Jesus stand over every claim made in his name. Love for enemies, prayer for persecutors, forgiveness, mercy, and neighbor love are not side issues; they are marks of belonging to him. When a person rejects those commands while wearing Christian language, that person is exposing disobedience, not disproving Christ. [54:36]
3. Counterfeits should not surprise believers. Jesus himself warned that false believers would use his name without truly knowing him. Wolves in sheep’s clothing can fool people for a while, but they do not fool the Lord. That warning should create humility, self-examination, and deeper dependence on Christ rather than smug judgment of others. [57:24]
4. Failure should lead to repentance. Christianity does not call sin by a softer name when Christians commit it. God’s word repeatedly calls his people to confession, repentance, and restoration, not denial or excuse-making. The most faithful response to failure is honest sorrow before God and a desire to make things right wherever possible. [65:27]
5. Run to Jesus, not away. The failures of imperfect people can wound deeply, especially when those people claimed to represent Christ. Yet Jesus is not judged rightly by those who disobeyed him, but by his own life, cross, empty tomb, and lordship. The perfect Savior should not be rejected because sinful people failed to reflect him.

## [69:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:25] - Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf
[40:16] - The Devil’s Lies and Deception
[42:37] - A Common Objection to Christianity
[43:29] - Admitting Christian Atrocities Honestly
[49:00] - Responding With Truth and Humility
[50:12] - All People Need God’s Grace
[52:52] - A Perfect Savior Rescues Sinners
[53:33] - The Church as a Hospital
[54:36] - Atrocities Contradict Jesus’ Commands
[57:24] - Jesus Warned About False Believers
[60:09] - True Christianity Produces New Life
[63:10] - Judgment Day and Human Sin
[65:27] - Repentance Instead of Denial
[69:38] - Judge Jesus by Jesus Himself

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” [57:45]

John 13:34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” [55:29]

Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” [50:57]

Observation questions

In John 13:34-35, what does Jesus say will show the world who truly belongs to him? [55:29]
According to Matthew 7:21-23, what kinds of people will still hear Jesus say, “I never knew you”? [57:45]
What examples from Scripture show that the Bible does not hide the sins of God’s people? [51:17]
What picture helps explain why the church is full of sinners, and what point does that picture make? [53:40]

Interpretation questions

Romans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. How does that help explain why terrible sins can be committed even by people who claim the name of Christ? [50:57]
Jesus says in John 13 that his disciples are known by love. If someone uses Christian language but lives in cruelty, hatred, or abuse, what does that reveal about their relationship to Jesus? [56:10]
Matthew 7:21-23 shows that a person can say the right words about Jesus and still not belong to him. Why is that warning so important for the church to hear honestly? [58:49]
The church is like a hospital full of sick people. How does that image protect a group from both pride on one side and despair on the other? [54:16]

Application questions

Has the sin or failure of someone claiming to follow Jesus ever made it harder to trust Christ himself? What helped, or what still needs to happen, so that Jesus is judged by Jesus and not by those who misrepresented him? [01:09:38]
Jesus says his people are known by love. In what relationship right now is love for an enemy, forgiveness, patience, or mercy especially needed? What would obedience to Jesus look like there this week? [55:10]
Counterfeit faith should lead to humility and self-examination. Is there any area where a person might look Christian on the outside while resisting Jesus on the inside? [59:00]
When sin is exposed, the right response is not denial but confession, repentance, and trying to make things right. Is there any wrong that needs to be honestly named before God or before another person? [01:05:27]
The church exists because sinners need a Savior. Is it easier in this season to pretend to be strong or to admit need? What would it look like to come to Jesus more honestly instead of hiding weakness? [54:18]
True Christianity produces a different kind of life. Where is there evidence of Christ changing desires, words, habits, or how people are treated? Where is more transformation still needed? [01:00:24]
The answer to human failure is not to run away from Jesus but to run to him. What would “running to Jesus” look like in a practical way this week—in prayer, repentance, Scripture, worship, or asking for help? [01:09:55]

Sermon Clips

42s

#JesusBeyondHypocrisy

“Maybe you're here this morning and you have been hurt. You've been hurt by someone who claimed to be a Christian. Maybe hypocrisy has made you skeptical of the gospel. I'll tell you that Jesus understands hypocrisy better than anyone. He repeatedly confronted the religious leaders of his day because they honored God with their lips while their hearts were far from him. So I say to you, do not allow the failures of imperfect people to keep you from the perfect savior.”

58s

#GodsStoryNotHeroes

“So I would say that the Bible is remarkably honest about the failures of its people. Unlike many other religious texts that falsely portray their heroes as being flawless, this book openly records both the triumphs and the failures of the people it presents. So why is that? Why not just focus on the good stuff, on the accomplishments, and leave out the negative stuff? Why not just omit all the failures? Because God's word isn't ultimately about the deeds of good people. this is God's story. This is about a perfect savior rescuing sinful people.”

53s

#RunToJesusNotAway

“And the answer to this problem is not for the world to abandon Christ and everything associated with him like Christianity. The answer is not to run away from Jesus because sinful imperfect people have failed him or misrepresented him. The answer is quite the opposite. People need Jesus. They need not run from him but run to him. We imperfect people need to come to Christ. We need to seek him out. We need to draw closer to Jesus. The Christian faith does not stand or fall on the behavior of every person who has claimed the name of Jesus. Our faith stands on the life, on the teaching and example, on the death and resurrection, and on the lordship of Jesus Christ.”

59s

#ChurchIsAHospital

“Imagine in your mind a hospital if you will, a hospital that's filled with sick people. Would anyone criticize that hospital simply because there are sick people inside? Of course not. That's that's ridiculous. Right? And it misses the point of being a hospital. The purpose of a hospital, the reason it exists is because people are sick. People are injured. People are hurting, and they are in need of care. Likewise, the church exists because people are sinners in need of a savior. We aren't that savior, but we're supposed to represent the one who is.”

63s

#SinIsUniversalJesusIsHope

“The issue is not that one group has sinners and another group does not. That's not the issue. The issue when we get right down to it is that all humanity struggles with sin. It's just that Christianity uniquely explains why this is true. Sin is not merely a flaw in society, It's a problem in every single human heart. Across every culture and every belief structure. And like it or not, believe it or not, accept it or not, Jesus Christ is the only solution to this problem of sin. He alone offers the forgiveness, the transformation, the restoration, and the eternal hope that all people need to one day enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

31s

#JesusSavesSinners

“Jesus didn't come to create a religion filled with flawless people. He came to save sinners. So if you'll repent from your sins and place your faith in him alone, he promises forgiveness. He promises a new life. He promises eternal rescue from the consequences, the eternal consequences of your sin. And he will never fail you even when other people do.”

45s

#WeAllNeedGodsGrace

“What's interesting about this is that it actually proves one of the central teachings of Christianity. I'm talking about the fact that every last one of us, every human being is a sinner. One who's in desperate need of God's grace and his forgiveness and his restoration. A lot of Christians seem to have forgotten this truth. We want it, but we're not always willing to extend it to the people around us, especially when they've hurt us or offended us.”

45s

#JudasRevealsHiddenHearts

“Now I'll remind you of this fact. One of the Lord's own disciples, a man who walked closely with Jesus, betrayed him. Yet the other 11 didn't come to the conclusion that Jesus was a fake, that Jesus was some kind of false prophet just because Judas was unfaithful. His example revealed the tragedy of a heart that was outwardly close to Jesus but inwardly far from him. Every culture, every generation has had its Judases.”

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