Default Christians

…This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. –Mark 7:6

            I have identified many of today’s “Christians” as what I like to call default Christians. Basically, these would be people that have the mindset of, “Well, I believe in GOD, I’m not a Muslim or Atheist, I live in America, so thus my default…I must be a Christian.” Or something like that. Pick whatever cliché you want: going to church makes you a Christian as much as standing in a garage makes you a car, believing in God makes you a Christian, being a good person makes you a Christian, etc… They may even stick up for some of the hot topics of debate in today’s Church, but never set foot in a church themselves. None of these even come close to comparing to the sacrifice Jesus paid for us and what He asks in return.

            I cannot think of a single time during Jesus’ ministry where He gave us a free pass on following Him. Christianity is a conscious and willful decision to accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and to lay everything we have…our money, family, comfort, or even our life down before God to do with it as He sees fit. It is also with the understanding that we have no idea of what is in our own best interest; not the way God does. At least an atheist believes they are an atheist, but a complacent or misconstrued Christian is even more dangerous; because they represent a false sense of security that may endanger others in believing the same.

            This is where studying God’s Word through the Holy Spirit (who is given to us through Christ) and in its entirety is so crucial. The more we spend time in God’s presence and allow Him to work within us, the more we are able to spiritually see and discern for ourselves(1Cor 2:14). I don’t know where you find yourself in your walk today, but one thing is for sure: If we are not living, breathing, and modeling God’s will for our life correctly, then as James says, we delude ourselves. Comfort doesn’t necessarily mean correct. And the label of “Christian” can be quite different than the reality of “Christ-follower.”

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. -1Cor 1:25

If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord”, you will be saved. –Romans 10:9