Resolution against Nominal Christianity

A new year brings with it desires to make changes, to start fresh, to break old habits. Have you made your new year's resolution yet? I must admit that in years past I have thought about it and even attempted to make resolutions, but in the end like most of you I have broken them rather quickly. What kind of resolutions do you make; lose weight, save money, spend more time with your family? May I propose a different sort of resolution?

What about resolving to not accept the status quo? What do I mean by that? Simply this: Why should we continue to accept the status of Christianity in our society today? Before I confuse you let me explain myself. When I speak of the status of Christianity I do not mean how it is perceived by others, nor do I mean how it is accepted by others. What I am referring to is the danger of nominal Christianity. What is nominal Christianity you ask; it is a Christianity that is a religion instead of a relationship.

Many years ago, one of my favorite Christian music groups called dc Talk released a CD entitled "Jesus Freak." One of the tracks was a voice recording of the following quote: "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and then walk out the door and deny him by their lifestyle. That, is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." That quote changed my life, for it was about the time of that CD's release that God was working in my life. God used that CD to help me understand Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship.

How many professing Christians does that quote describe; does it describe you? Has it crossed your mind that the reason our world, our nation, our society, our families, and even our churches are in the state they are in is because too many people acknowledge Jesus with their lips without it changing them? Has it crossed your mind that someone might have turned away from Jesus because of your lifestyle? Nominal Christianity cheapens grace, the grace God extends to all who would accept the offer of his son. Nominal Christianity says you can say a short prayer, perhaps walk an aisle, attempt to be better and everything will work out in the end. Nominal Christianity is a religion of self-betterment so that I can think well of myself. Nominal Christianity says that the bloody death of a cross really isn't all that important.

It is that type of Christianity that prevails in our churches, because we tend to want the cheap and easy way rather than the hard and difficult. As Americans we like things cheap and easy; we quiver at the idea of hard work; if not why do we spend so much money on things that make our life easier quicker? As Christians we love to proclaim that Jesus came to give us abundant life (without stopping to really mediate on what that means) but we want to ignore his call for us to pick up our cross and follow. From my study of the Christian Scriptures I find that true Christianity is a relationship lived out in the presence of Father God by means of the Son. True Christianity is being conformed to the image of the Son. True Christianity is following the example of the Son.

The danger of Nominal Christianity is that we believe we're okay as long as we do just enough. That perhaps is the greatest lie ever told by Satan, and unfortunately our churches are full of deceived people. And because of this untold numbers, inside and outside the church, will continue to walk away from a life-changing relationship with their Creator.

My question for you is simply, in this time of fresh starts will you commit to a relationship with your Creator brought to you by the Savior of humanity? Will you live in such a way that others run to God instead of away from? Will you resolve not to accept the status quo but rather attempt to bring change, the type of change that is eternal?