I’ve spent some time traveling through secularized Western Europe, spending time with friends, family, and acquaintances who don’t follow the Christian faith.
Many will say things like,
“We don’t need church. We already know we’re supposed to love our neighbor. That’s just common sense. We’re good people, and we fight for inclusivity—for women’s rights, minorities, the marginalized.”
But then I sit and listen to the conversations.
And what I often hear is something else entirely.
The same people who claim love and inclusivity will turn right around and mock others, tear people down, or speak with complete disrespect for those they disagree with.
See, here’s what’s missing:
The Church doesn’t just teach “love your neighbor.”
It also teaches us that we fail to love our neighbor.
It shows us that we’re sinners, in need of grace, and in need of growth.
People say the Church is full of hypocrites.
And it’s true—the Church is full of hypocrites.
Or at least, it should be—because it’s a place for people who admit their hypocrisy, and who are learning, by God’s grace, to live better.
Without God—without Christ—what’s your moral framework? Where do your standards for dignity and respect come from?
If there’s no higher authority, your standard shifts with your feelings, your culture, your moment in time.
But Scripture gives us something steady.
It calls us to respect every person as an image-bearer of God.
It calls us to love, even when we disagree.
So as Christians, even when we don’t agree with someone’s beliefs, lifestyle, or choices, we’re still called to treat them with dignity.
Not because we feel like it, but because God has told us to.
That’s the difference