I am shocked by George Barna’s latest statistic that 66% of the adult population in the U.S. today are what he calls “Casual Christians.” He describes them as “minimally active born again Christians and moderately active but theologically nominal Christians.” I wonder about both the cause and cure to such a frightening state of spirituality in our country. If only all these people understood the precarious position their presumption of salvation puts them in.
The same week I heard Barna’s statistics, my son Daniel read to me from Jonathan Edwards’ Religious Affections. Edwards was dealing with similar spiritual lethargy in the Puritan church and was making a case for basing the assurance of salvation on the affections the Holy Spirit always works in the hearts of true believers. Edward’s included a quote from another pastor in his day that got me thinking about a possible cause of rampant spiritual presumption.
“When may a Christian take a promise without presumption, as spoken to him? The rule is very sweet but certain; when he takes all the Scripture and embraces it as spoken unto him, he may take any particular promise boldly.” Thomas Shepard, 1853
Too many Americans have been convinced that they can claim the promise of salvation but ignore all the other promises in Scripture. If Shepard was right, those who claim to be Christians based only on the fact that they have received the gift of salvation are presumptuous in claiming that promise. It is true that the gift of eternal life is given to those who believe, but if that is the only gift we are interested in receiving, we presume too much to think we have truly believed.
One of the reasons I am excited about my new study, Making Disciples in Your Community, is that it leads Christians into exploring, embracing, and practicing critical gifts that God promises to give us in community. Jesus did not say to go into all the world and make believers. He told us to make disciples. Merely having the right answers to important questions about going to heaven does not make a disciple. It creates a huge population of nominal Christians who have been assured that if they believe, they are saved.
The loss of the importance of community in the church has furthered the false assurance because it removes the vitality and accountability of body life. If Christianity is experienced merely as a personal and private relationship with God, there are many promises of important gifts that are being overlooked.
Those of us who truly know Christ need to blow our trumpets and try to warn those who think they are safe because they have claimed a promise or two. There are many more promises offered in Scripture. A true believer cannot say to God, “I will accept some of the gifts you offer, but you may keep the ones that don’t interest me.” We can’t say we’ll take eternal life, but not want the gift of the Holy Spirit. We can’t accept “all we need for life” but refuse “all we need for godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). We might like grace and peace but have no desire for meekness or hunger for righteousness—but that is not the message of the gospel.
15 Jun
