Lately I've been thinking about repentance and its necessity in the life of a Christ follower.

Around most people I'm pretty quiet, but on paper, I have kind of a big mouth. Anyone can sound like a big shot by throwing around terms like sanctification and relevant. Vintage this and vintage that. Look at me, I have a serious looking thumbnail photo!

But the truth is, the only thing I can really say for sure about myself is that I have one side of me that wants to do three things: hate people, fornicate, and own the world.

Even after becoming a Christian, the flesh is not obliterated. It's simple math really. If I feed that side of me, it grows. I then commit selfish acts against my neighbor, whether indirectly or directly. Mostly indirectly. I think that's the worst kind of sin because no one ever calls you on it. You can get away with murder if you slowly drive someone to suicide.

Then I have another side of me that wants to please my Father.

Two sides. They are always at war. I am at war with myself.

Paul was too, though. In fact, if you are not at war with yourself, how can you call yourself a saint? Those who are being saved have the Holy Spirit, and it is the Spirit that challenges us to change. The Spirit points out our hypocrisy. If that doesn't cause some inward turmoil, you are either Jesus Christ or someone who has committed the unforgivable sin. Stephen accused his murders of "always resisting the Holy Spirit."

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So here's the religious act of the week: Avoiding evidence of hypocrisy.

You know you are religious if you find people that will not point out your obvious sins and ask them how you can be more pious. Perhaps they commit the same sin or maybe they fear you, but the people you hang out will probably never make you feel conviction because you've been very selective when choosing them.

It's not just your friends though, it's every situation that causes you to confront your sin. You avoid it like Egypt avoids sick pigs.

I have to mention this too. It is extremely easy to do this when other people have already tied their faith to you. Christians love to promote people (and give them a gold name tag) that aren't ready. I first hand knowledge of this. So on you go up the ranks, ignoring every chance to slow down and look in the mirror. You feel important not because God loved you first, but because some PERSON says you are worthy. Some PERSON gives you your self-confidence. Then comes the power addiction. We're taught to trust in what important religious PEOPLE say about us rather than what our Creator says about us. What a crock.

I'm praying just as much for my friends that are going to Christian colleges as I am for those who are going to secular schools. False teachers are everywhere.

And people that get inflated... pop.

Speaking of which, I decided to go ahead and make these thoughts an article because I came to Panera Bread to work on some marketing homework, and I ended up sitting next to five obese religious women who have been talking about food for the entire hour it took me to write this.

Where's Ehud when you need him?