It is far too easy to be considered a “Christian” today. If one claims no ties to any other major or minor religion, nor professes to be an atheist, they therefore must be a Christian, correct?

Far too many “Christians” have no biblical understanding of what it means to be an authentic follower of Christ. As a result, those who do not claim Christ get a purified amalgam of incorrect signals, examples, and experiences to overcome on their journey of spiritual questions.

Most people alive today, who claim to be Christians, live like practical atheists. God and godliness is neither their goal nor their pursuit, unless there is some major chaos on the horizon. Prayer, bible study, fellowship with other believers, accountability, and the practice of holiness are not normally encountered in the daily routine of these lip servers. There is no sacrifice, no hospitality to strangers or the less fortunate, no service for the kingdom and no desire to help the spiritually lost find hope and salvation in Christ.

In fact, of all those who claim the name of Christ, very few are actually reborn, regenerated, and renewed through to grace, mercy, and love of the Father through the sacrifice of the Son. Most have chosen to live according to some of the principles and tenets of Christianity without surrendering to a relationship with Christ himself nor to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

These non-believing “believers” cannot help anyone find a truly life changing relationship or eternal salvation, because they have never experienced the life change themselves. They are not motivated to take a stand against the evil in the world, because there is still evil residing in their own hearts and minds.

Jesus spoke of lip service Christians in Matthew 15:8, when he said, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.”

If you were to confront yourself as someone else looking for answers to their spiritual questions, and seeking to understand what it means to be an authentic follower of Christ, could you help yourself? If not, how can you help someone else find hope and salvation in Christ? Do you even care?

Romans 10:9 and following says that, ” If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”

Neither of these activities is reactive. On the contrary, the are proactive and ongoing. To truly believe is to do more than give mental assent to a concept, but to wholly embrace Jesus Christ. Declaring your faith is more than just parroting words. It is owning the value and meaning of the fact that Christ has forgiven you through his grace and offered you a new chance at eternity through his salvation.

It’s easy to move your mouth, but much harder to humble yourself and surrender to God’s plan for your life. It is only by doing the latter that you can experience to true salvation and hope of Christianity. Only then will you be enabled to live a victorious, abundant life that will point others toward Christ.

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