On Perfectionism in the Church

I would Losartan dosage wager that 99% of you What is Allied powers What is clomid in ww1 reglan used for that attend a church on a fairly regular basis have experienced the following at some point or another.

You walk in to a room full of smiling people in nice clothes.  Everyone loves Jesus.  You wonder why it is that you are struggling so much and everyone else appears to be three levels above you on the spiritual scale.  So you act like you are too.

Shouldn’t Christians be the most real people?  Why does it seem that, many times, they aren’t?  Christians should be the ones that realize they are really messed up.  If we aren’t, as many posture, what was the point of Jesus coming, dying, and rising again?  Didn’t Jesus say that, as a physician, he came for the broken and the sick?  People who are well don’t need a physician.  So when we act as if we aren’t hopelessly lost we are essentially saying that we don’t need Christ.

Am I saying that we should all walk around with droopy mouths and down on ourselves all the time?  Nope.  If we have our hope in Christ then we will have immeasurable joy.  But that joy doesn’t come from our perfection, ‘cause we aren’t perfect.  Instead, it comes from the grace that is poured out on us from Christ.  When we were enemies with God he showed us great love by offering us a way to him through his Son.  There is nothing that we could do to merit this.  It is a free gift.  That is the source of our joy, not our fake perfection. Acting perfect doesn’t work.  So quit.  If you are struggling then please don’t act like you aren’t.  One of the greatest joys in the Christian life comes from supporting those in need.  If we can’t see when someone is in need we can’t gather around them to encourage them.

Churches should not be the place that perfect people gather.  Instead it should be a place that people who understand their brokenness gather and share the joys and sorrows of their walk toward Christ.  Don’t put on a mask.  Put on Christ and realize that the reason you must do this is your imperfection.

Brian