Every believer is a work in progress. Christ remains the perfect standard.
If a musician plays Beethoven poorly, we don’t blame Beethoven.
We don’t conclude that Beethoven was a poor composer because someone failed to interpret his music well. We understand that there is a difference between the perfection of a composition and the performance of the musician.
Now, consider Christianity.
When a Christian behaves dishonestly, treats people cruelly, or lives contrary to the teachings of Jesus, people often question Christ Himself. Some lose confidence in the faith. Others conclude that Christianity is nothing more than hypocrisy.
But should the failure of a Christian become the verdict on Christ?
The failure of a Christian does not prove the failure of Christ.
Christ Is the Standard
Jesus is not merely the founder of Christianity. He is its perfect standard.
Hebrews 4:15 presents Him as One who was tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. He is the One we are called to become like.
Romans 8:29 tells us that God’s purpose is for us to be conformed to the image of His Son.
Christianity, therefore, is not about defending everything Christians do. It is about becoming more like Christ.
A Christian’s dishonesty does not make Christ dishonest. A believer’s hypocrisy does not make Jesus a hypocrite. The standard has not changed because someone failed to meet it.
Grace Is Not an Excuse
However, there is a danger in this argument.
We can become so eager to defend Christ that we forget our responsibility to represent Him well.
Jesus said:
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, KJV).
Our lives are meant to point people to God. And when our conduct contradicts our confession, we can bring dishonour to the very name we claim to represent. Paul acknowledged this painful reality in Romans 2:24.
Yes, every believer is a work in progress. But being a work in progress is not permission to remain unchanged.
Grace gives us room to grow, not an excuse to stop growing. When we fail, we must be willing to repent, receive correction, and keep yielding to the transforming work of God’s Word and Spirit.
The goal is not to become better at defending our failures. It is to become more faithful in following Jesus.
We Are the Musicians
A musician who struggles to play a masterpiece must return to the music, practise, and grow. The answer is neither to condemn the composer nor to pretend the poor performance is acceptable.
Likewise, we must keep returning to Christ, studying His Word, obeying His teachings, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us.
Second Corinthians 3:18 describes this ongoing transformation into the image of the Lord.
We may not have arrived, but we must keep moving towards Christlikeness.
And when we fail, humility and repentance should be part of our testimony too.
The Final Thought
Christ remains perfect, regardless of how poorly He is represented. His truth does not become false because His followers behave inconsistently with it.
But we carry His name. We profess Him as Lord. We claim to follow Him.
That matters.
We are imperfect representations of a perfect Christ. Let us never use our imperfections as an excuse to misrepresent Him.
Every believer is a work in progress. Christ remains the perfect standard.