Christianity in Crisis: Is There a Solution?

In this book we have sought to reveal how social conditioning and misplaced identity have resulted in empty religion that keeps us from living in the fullness God intended for us. We’ve concluded that the only way to this fullness is to receive and live in God’s unconditional love which begins and ends at the cross of Christ. It is at the cross that we identify with His death and resurrection. At the cross we must give up our rights to ourselves, our reputations, our hopes, and our dreams. In identifying with Him only, we lose our false identities. As we walk in love, carrying the cross, we receive the mind of Christ. In Christ, we see and understand as He does rather than as we were conditioned to see, think and believe.We have explored ways in which the conditioning and attitude of our heart has led many of us to adopt paradigms in certain areas that are in stark contrast to God’s view of the same. Some of us have determined who we are according to these errant ways of looking at religion, church, God’s nature, and other areas of our lives in which we’ve placed our identity. Ethnic and cultural, citizenship, social and economic status, occupation, and even our physical appearance are other areas in which one may place one’s identity. The consequences of this identity crisis are serious in that they become a hindrance to our emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth.We have focused primarily on the spiritual aspect of misplaced identity as this writing is particularly concerned with those who consider their relationship with God to be of utmost importance. Yet identity issues also may affect every area of our lives. So, this begs the question; how do we change the way we view God, ourselves, and others and adopt the view of the One who created us?Throughout this writing we have sought to bring into contrast religion’s view and God’s view of many aspects of our lives, in most cases referring to our relationship with Him and with others belonging to His church. It is this writer’s hope that the need for renewed minds of many who profess Christianity is illustrated clearly enough in these pages to initiate a response from readers who agree with the need.