"Mom, Dad, I have a confession to make: I've decided that I'm no longer a Christian."


A numbing silence filled the immense room. The air was thick with a flurry of unspoken thoughts and competing emotions as the final words rolled off my tongue like a bowling ball onto the tile floor.  My parents looked confused and hurt as if searching for what to say next only to be silenced by the weight of my revelation.


The deafening hush of disappointment broke as I replied, "But don't worry.  I still love Jesus.  In fact, I'm more in love with Him now than I ever have been.  You see, it's not that I don't love and trust Jesus-- He's everything to me-- it's that I not longer wish to be associated with Christians."


And there it was: the truth about me that I didn't want them to know is that I had a growing disdain for Christians... and they were Christians.


For me, this wasn't a sensationalist proclamation- though it was provoking and my communication methodology was intentional.  No, it was a declaration of a truth that had been growing within me for a very long time.  When I study Scripture and when I observe Christian behavior, there appeared to be a gross dichotomy of pragmatism that made me mad.


The conclusion I came to is this: Christians are hypocrites.  


But so are all religious people.  It's impossible to uphold a standard of laws, commands, and disciplines that's beyond human capacity.  Instead, all our religious acts-- the rules, laws, dos-and-don'ts, even some traditions-- reveal our need for something much greater.  Isn't this exactly what Scripture tells us?

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.  Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Rom 3:19-20, NIV)

What had me all riled and in a particularly provocative mood this day was the religiosity that has become so attached to the Gospel of grace and freedom-- that is, Christ.  Christians bear the name of the One that they seem forget to emulate.  It is as if they see their own reflection and walk away forgetting who they are.  If only we were a people mistaken for Jesus...


Sadly, this is as much a confession as it is a conviction.  Hypocrite, yeah, that was me too.


But here's reality and this is who we really are: Jesus' representatives in this world and we have been given the sole responsibility as agents of His Kingdom to bring about reconciliation and healing to a conflicted and wounded world with the good news that God has made peace on earth and goodwill toward men.


But where is this?  I've seldom experienced it.  How come?  Shouldn't the people that bear the name of Christ be the most alluring group of people on the planet?  Fully human and fully alive as wounded healers living lives of unashamed transparency as the Gospel works itself throughout every fiber of their being!  


A people who are... 
more giving, 
more trustworthy, 
more loving, 
more merciful, 
more gracious, 
more joyful, 
more patient, 
more peaceful, 
more self controlled, 
more gentle, 
more kind
...for they have been redeemed, set apart, made holy, filled with the Spirit of the Living God with His glory to awaken the slumbering souls of our world who are trapped by the twilight of lies and slaves to their own narcissism.


Rise up, people of God, and wake up! Break free of your religiosity and embrace your true Identity-- sons and daughters of the Living God as co-heirs with Christ!!!