Comfortable Lies

For years The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde was one of my prized possessions. As an English major, I spent my uni years devouring the classics.

Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of Dorian, a wealthy young gentleman in Victorian England. When an artist paints his portrait, a wish creates a unique situation: the painting becomes his soul, and he will forever look like his perfect portrait.

But the trade soon becomes a horror story. As Dorian’s actions become more and more corrupt, the portrait reflects the depth of his depraved soul. No longer fit for viewing, the portrait is hidden.

To everyone around him, Dorian looks the part, but the hidden world of the picture tells a very different tale, and when the portrait’s creator asks to see the truth, Dorian resorts to murder.

Dorian was living a very comfortable lie, and would go to any length to protect it; and I can’t help but see his story reflected in a certain type of Christianity. You know, the type that will go to any length to protect its image over revealing the truth.

Today, we are surrounded by testimony after testimony of church corruption, system wide abuse, and coverups. There seems to be a new one every day, and no denomination is exempt. It never seems to end. Again and again, the victims are treated like the problem. Perpetrators are repeatedly left in positions of power and simply move on to the next victim. Meanwhile, the truth-tellers who speak up are labelled as divisive and bitter.

It seems many churches would rather hide their portrait in the attic than admit it exists.

THE HYPOCRISY

Hypocrisy is defined as the pretence of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles that one does not really possess. In Koine Greek, the word hypocrite actually means a stage actor, someone who plays a part, or pretends.

Hypocrites are a lot like Dorian Gray. They trade a polished outward appearance for reality, presenting a virtuous image of themselves when the truth is very, very different.

They tell themselves comfortable lies. Pretending that what they hear in their echo chambers is the truth, all whilst ignoring the ugly portrait hidden upstairs.

THE COMFORT

Did you know humanity actually naturally prefers comfort over the truth? People will “keep the peace” at almost any cost rather than feel uncomfortable. It is a well documented psychological phenomenon.

We offer excuses instead of accountability. Remorse over repentance. Sorries over restitution.

But it is a slippery slope to be on, because when comfort trumps the truth, we are no longer beholding Christ, who is the truth, we are beholden to an idol of our own making.

We trade the Bible for traditions, spirit-led living for man-made cages, voluntary giving for mandatory tithing, freedom for legalism, the New Covenant for the Old one, and grace for a performance.

We’ve swapped God’s church for an institution that will “keep the peace” at any cost–even when that cost is living, breathing people.

THE TRUTH-TELLER

And then there’s Jesus.

The ultimate truth-teller.

Jesus who protected the vulnerable, defended women (John 8:1-11), favoured children (Mark 10:13-16) and called out abuse (Matthew 23:14).

Jesus who exposed the truth, and brought evil deeds into the light (Matthew 21:12-13).

Jesus who condemned hypocrites (Matthew 23:13-28).

Jesus, the creator, who asked humanity to reveal its soul and was murdered for it (John 1:10-11, John 15:22-24).

Hypocrites are like actors in a performance; so blinded by the bright stage lights, they have lost sight of who is in the audience. But let’s face it, sometimes those lights are also quite intentional. Placed there to stop you from seeing the reality.

The reality of who is really in the audience.

THE AUDIENCE OF ONE

All the world’s a stage, playing to an audience of one,

Sometimes on stage alone or with the chorus,

Sometimes a comedy and sometimes a tragedy,

But the audience is only ever one.

One lone critic in the theatre of life. But He is also

The writer, director, prompter, stage setter and choreographer,

And He already knows you’ll forget your lines,

That you’ll trip on stage, and you’ll ruin the scene.

But it’s ok, because this critic is also a doting Father,

The kind watching His toddler try. She’s out of time,

She forgets the steps, she forgets to smile, she isn’t graceful,

But to her Father she’s the only one on stage and it’s perfect.

Because even when we inevitably fail, our Father,

Who is the audience, will see it as perfect:

He has another Son who already played the part,

And now instead of seeing our failures, He sees that Son.

THE PEACE

Jesus repeatedly challenged the hypocrites to trade their comfort for the truth (Matthew 23:25-26).

And the irony is, He then turned around and offered the ultimate comfort: peace with God (Ephesians 2:14).

Jesus isn’t just a peacekeeper. He’s a peacemaker (1 John 4:10).

A task He has also entrusted to us: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9).

Jesus never asks us to be peacekeepers who perpetuate comfortable lies. He asks us to be peacemakers: people who proclaim His ultimate peace (Ephesians 6:15). The peace He offers to everyone. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

And when you have peace with God, you don’t need to keep performing. You can safely put down the mask (3 John 1:4).

Dorian’s end comes when he tries to get rid of his portrait. Forgetting that it has become his soul, he tries to destroy it and dies as a result.

We also can’t fix the hidden portrait ourselves.

Only Christ’s sacrifice can do that:

Please child, stop acting,

Stop pretending, stop trying.

It’s time to leave the stage,

And come home.

Made for His glory,