I'm a Sinner

One of my biggest hang-ups lately has been phony Christians. As I have said before, I am not a fan of organized religion. This may seem like a contradiction because I go to church, attend Bible study and don't swear or drink. However, "religion" is not the reason I make these choices. It is because of my faith in Jesus Christ.

Recently, I have tried to submerse myself in God's Word to look for answers about what I am really created to do on this earth. I am also in the process of reading Francis Chan's Crazy Love and Erwin McManus's Barbarian Way. These books, along with what I have found in the Bible, have struck a chord inside me. True Biblical Christianity is not about a set of rules and rituals. It is about asking the tough questions of God and struggling and wrestling with the difference between our own self-indulged will and God's perfect will. It is about being real and authentic.

I have been involved in churches, Christian organizations and bible studies that I believe do as much harm for the advancement of the name and fame of Jesus Christ as they have done good. There are far too many legalistic and phony-baloney sensationalists in the church today who are afraid to get out of their safe environment and experience God for who He truly is. They operate under a set of guidelines that are fake and are not willing to accept people for who they really are - sinful. We are all sinners and are broken and torn apart from our Savior. I'm a sinner, you're a sinner and the squeaky clean church goer is a sinner.

God never intended us to live in an environment that is safe and free from persecution. He wants us to be in the battle. He wants us to struggle with becoming more like Him. He wants us to ask the questions that are really on our hearts and not be afraid if we offend others.

John Acuff wrote about "dorky Christians" in his blog. These type of religious Christians have really gotten under my skin because they're not real. He wrote, "but think about it, no one ever says, 'you know who is cheesy? Muslims.' Rarely will you hear someone proclaim, 'The Hindus are all uptight.' And when Buddhists are stereotyped they're labeled as being 'relaxed and peaceful.' Christians though have a lockdown on dork status."

I think Christians appear cheesy, dorky, fake, phony, etc. because they are afraid of what is really true. They're afraid to admit that they are sinners just like the prostitute.

Imagine what the church would like today if they embraced the words of Melissa Etheridge, "I run for hope, I run to feel, I run for the truth, For all that is real." Is it possible for a lesbian rock-n-roll star to be closer to God than the church-going goody goody that I sit next to in church? I believe Jesus would say "yes."

For me, it comes down to Luke 7:36-50. We are all the prostitute. It is clear that Jesus rejected the Pharisee in this passage. The Pharisees re-wrote the law to fit their needs. The prostitute recognized her need for a savior. We are all the prostitute.