Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Cultural Christianity vs. The "Real Deal"

Pastor David Holt (with input from Dr. Rich Suplita and Jarrett Fletcher)

Recently I saw someone’s Facebook post that said, “Converted to Cultural Christianity in 2011, but truly surrendered my life to Christ in 2014.”  This got me thinking.  There is a big difference in becoming a “Cultural Christian” and a true follower of Jesus. What is the difference?

1.     A cultural Christian logically believes in God and Jesus, but a true follower of Jesus is wholeheartedly trusting in Christ alone for salvation.  “You believe God is one? You do well. The demons also believe and shudder” (James 2:19).
2.     A cultural Christian gives lip service to being a Christian, but a true follower of Jesus repents of his sin and surrenders control of his life to Christ.  “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father” (Mt. 7:21).
3.     A cultural Christian goes to church and agrees with most of what is said, but a true follower of Jesus attends church to worship God in Spirit and in Truth.  “You honor Me with your lips but your heart is far from Me” (Mk. 7:6)
4.     A cultural Christian talks only of trivial things with others, but a true follower of Jesus engages in genuine fellowship with others in the body. “Let us consider how we might spur one another on to love and good deeds, not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together” (Hebr. 10:24).
5.     A cultural Christian may devote a few activities to God each week, but a true follower of Jesus seeks to live everyday for God.  “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lu. 9:23).
6.     A cultural Christian avoids the big sins for fear of embarrassment, but a true follower of Jesus is genuinely seeking to live a holy life in word and deed. “You shall be holy for I am holy” (1 Pe. 1:16).
7.     A cultural Christian enjoys his sin more than God, but a true disciple of Jesus repents of his sin and wants to obey God. “For I have the desire to do what is right” (Rom. 7:18).
8.     A cultural Christian strays from God but does not feel convicted, but if a true disciple strays from God he comes under loving discipline.  “The Lord disciplines those whom He loves …. And if you are without discipline, you are an illegitimate child and not a true son” (Hebr. 12:6-8).
9.     A cultural Christian is religious and does religious activities, but a true follower of Jesus has a real and growing relationship with God.  “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean” (Mt. 23:27).
10. A cultural Christian stencils Bible verses on their walls (or Facebook) so that they might impress their church-going friends, but a true disciple hides the Word of God in his heart so that he might not sin against His Savior.  “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Ps. 119:11).
11. A cultural Christian seeks God for the things he wants, but a genuine Christian seeks God for the things He wants. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Mt. 6:33).
12. A cultural Christian focuses only on the attributes of God he likes, but a true Christ-follower worships God for all of His attributes, even the ones he is uncomfortable with.  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son … whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already” (Jn. 3:16-18).
13. A cultural Christian prays before meals, or in times of need, but a true disciple seeks God daily in prayer as a necessary aspect of his communion with His Creator. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).
14. A cultural Christian asks, "How can Christianity make my life better?" but a true disciple asks, "How can I die to myself that Christ may live in and through me?"  “That I may know Him, the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death” (Phil. 3:10).
15. A cultural Christian will give a nod of affirmation to the Gospel going forth in socially-acceptable, non-offensive ways, but a true disciple will get behind the Gospel going forth even when it offends the world and personally costs him. “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16).
16. A cultural Christian will routinely spend hours in front of Netflix, shopping, or watching a sports’ event, but cannot tell you when the last time he spent more than an hour earnestly seeking God in the Word and prayer.  “Faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:26).

This list is by no means exhaustive, but perhaps in it you recognize that you may be a cultural Christian but not have a genuine relationship with Christ.  If that is the case, or if you have any doubt as to your true salvation, take time to allow God to search your heart.  Consider the following questions as you search your heart:
a.     Do you admit that you sin and do things that displease God?
b.     Do you believe in your heart that Jesus died and rose again for your sin?
c.      Are you willing to turn your sin over to God and allow Him to change you from the inside out?
d.     Do you want Jesus to be your Savior and Lord?
e.     Are you willing to pray and invite Him to come into your life and take control of your life?

If you answered “yes” to each of these, here is a suggested prayer to pray:
“Lord God, I admit that I have sinned against you.  I have been living more for me than for You.  I believe that Jesus died and rose again for my sin.  I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9).  I turn from my sin and receive Jesus into my life.  Take control of my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit.  Empower me to live for You.  Thank you for doing this.  Amen.”


If you truly prayed that from your heart, please let me know by emailing me at davidholt08@gmail.com.  The next thing to do is be baptized, as this will seal that commitment you have made.  Let me know if I can help you in any way, or if you have any questions.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Are You Going DEEPER?


Are you growing in your walk with God?  Are you going deeper with the Lord?  Are you progressing from a child to a young man to a father (see 1 John 2:12-14)?

God wants all of us to be going deeper.  We are to move from just drinking milk to eating meat (Hebrews 5).  We are to “grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ” (2 Pe. 3:18).  As we “behold the glory of God” the Spirit will transform us from “one degree of glory to another” (1 Pe. 3:18).  Are you experiencing this?

So many Christians are either stagnant in their walk, or just plain lazy when it comes to doing what is needed to grow.  I actually think that if someone is not growing, and doesn’t desire to grow, they may not be saved.  If the Spirit of God is truly living in someone, He will be working “both to will and to do for God’s good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).  Furthermore, if a supposed Christian is living in sin, and not repenting, or being disciplined for that sin, they also may not be truly saved because Hebrews 12 says that God disciplines those who are His children, and if someone is not disciplined then they are an illegitimate child and not a true son.  Ouch.  Better consider that carefully if it applies to you.

One of the ways we grow is through suffering.  This is not fun, and we all wish it were not so, but it is.  Therefore, when hard times come, we need to press in to God.  For it is in those hard times that we often grow the most, because “in our weakness is His power made perfect” (2 Cor. 12).

To learn more about God’s call for us to go deeper in Him, the stages of growth, and how suffering produces Godly character, check out my 3 sermons on “DEEPER” at

http://www.livinghopeathens.org/category/sermons/.  Ask God to give you a greater hunger to go deeper with Him.