If God is perfect, why are his followers often so messed up?

Ezekiel 34:2-4“What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty.”

Matthew 23:1-5Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything they do is for show.”

Matthew 24:45-51“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. . . . But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites.”

Mark 7:6-7, 13Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’ . . . you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition.”

God’s Word is a powerful influence in believers’ lives—but wherever there is power to be found, some people try to hijack that power for themselves. From Old Testament times, to New Testament times, to today, selfish “shepherds” have mishandled God’s Word, wielding it like a club to force their flocks into line. Yet these same “shepherds” who claim authority with God’s Word ignore its authority over their own lives. The Bible is full of warnings against such behavior, and God promises judgment on those who abuse his flock.

Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.”

1 Timothy 6:5These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy.

2 Timothy 4:3-4A time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

2 Peter 2:1-3There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

It’s easy to gravitate toward what we want to hear. Just as in Bible times, there are people today who try to put God’s stamp of approval on whatever we desire: the pursuit of wealth, the pursuit of a sinful lifestyle, even justifying hatred of people we perceive as enemies. When these things seem to come with “God’s approval,” it leads many people away from Christ. Not only does following this kind of twisted gospel destroy our personal relationship with Christ, it also destroys our witness to the world. Many unbelievers will see the selfishness in such a faith and think, “If that’s Jesus, I want nothing to do with him.”

Ezekiel 34:17-22“And as for you, my flock, this is what the Sovereign Lord says to his people: I will judge between one animal of the flock and another, separating the sheep from the goats. Isn’t it enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves? Must you also trample down the rest? Isn’t it enough for you to drink clear water for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Why must my flock eat what you have trampled down and drink water you have fouled? Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely judge between the fat sheep and the scrawny sheep. For you fat sheep pushed and butted and crowded my sick and hungry flock until you scattered them to distant lands. So I will rescue my flock, and they will no longer be abused. I will judge between one animal of the flock and another.”

Matthew 25:33-45“He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. . . . Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’”

The prophet Ezekiel and Jesus both described leaders of God’s flock who were living selfishly at the expense of others. Abuse, bullying, and neglect happen, even in the community of believers—the church. God gives very serious warnings to those who participate in this sort of destructive behavior.

John 15:5“Yes, I [Jesus] am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

1 Corinthians 9:27I [the apostle Paul] discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

1 Corinthians 10:12If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

1 Timothy 3:6-7A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

It is painfully common to see a news story about yet another prominent Christian leader’s secret life of sin. With power comes the temptation of pride, and with pride can come a whole host of other sins. Christians must take care—no amount of charisma, popularity, or knowledge can substitute for a rooted relationship with Christ.

Matthew 24:12“The love of many will grow cold.”

Revelation 2:2-5“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!”

Revelation 3:1-3“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again.”

Revelation 3:15-19“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. . . . I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”

In the book of Revelation, God speaks warnings to seven churches. While those churches were literal local churches at the time of writing, the warnings God gave to those churches are just as relevant for churches today, including warnings against pride, apathy, and a lack of love. Yet amidst these warnings, the tenderness of God’s love for his church is also evident. The church may lose its way at times, but God still believes his church is worth saving.

Ecclesiastes 4:10-12If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. . . . A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Hebrews 10:25Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

After a traumatic experience with a local church, it can be hard to trust again and seek a new church home. Instead of attending church, many Christians seek biblical teaching online, away from the messiness of personal relationships. While there are many helpful online resources for deepening our faith (such as Bible apps), personal study is no replacement for healthy, faithful Christian community. When we try to “go it alone” in our walk with Christ, we lack both accountability and encouragement, and we become far more susceptible to Satan’s attacks.

Matthew 5:14-16“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

1 Corinthians 12:26-27If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

Revelation 3:1-2“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead.”

Revelation 3:15-17“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, “I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!” And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”

Sometimes, a local church is simply going through the motions. Maybe it’s a rote routine of tradition or an apathy toward biblical truth. Maybe it’s a lack of compassion for the poor or a disinterest in evangelism. Maybe it’s a desire for wealth and comfort rather than humility and service. There are times when such behavior rightly requires us to leave our church. At other times, we choose to stay and try to inspire change. Through prayer and service in our churches, we can be part of the solution—a spark to once again light the lamp of a church.

Romans 12:4-5Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

Ephesians 4:2-3Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Ephesians 5:29-30No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body.

The church is deeply loved by Christ—and is even called his bride. How can we claim to love Christ wholeheartedly, yet refuse to love his bride? Christ loves his church, despite its flaws, and in order for the church to become a healthy reflection of all it was made to be, it takes each part of Christ’s body working together—and that includes you.