The Checkbox Christian

Back in 1996, when I became interested in becoming a Christian, I checked all the obvious but unbiblical boxes on the list before jumping into the waters of Christianity. In my mind, there were things I had to be doing to get "right in the sight of the LORD." Little did I know what TRUTH was until much later - 24 years to be exact! Here's the list that I thought grounded me as a "new" believer (in order):

1. Listen to Christian music - check.

2. Listen to radio sermons on long commutes - check.

3. Read all the Left Behind books - check.

4. Engage in theological lectures (at Biola University) - check.

5. Make Christian friends - check.

6. Attend an Easter service at a random local church - check

7. Get baptized at a mega-church (famous pastor included) - check.

8. Jump into a Bible study - check.

9. Pray when prompted - check.

10. Acquire a Bible - check.

The numerical sequence is particularly telling as the foundation of Christianity is the Bible. I treated it as a footnote in my own so-called faith. It was never truly read the way it was intended nor did I have any spiritual "eyes to see and ears to hear" to fully comprehend it anyway. My first Bible study was the book of Isaiah with a group of Christian women near my home. But, I was of course lost and ill-equipped to fully comprehend the gravity of such a major prophet of Scripture.

Back then, I truly believed to be on the road to salvation without reading one single book of the Gospels. One of the most essential components to salvation, interwoven in each of the four Gospels, is repentance. I had no idea what true repentance was all about because of my lack of Biblical understanding.

8 Signs of True Repentance by Jennifer Greenberg:

1. A repentant person is appalled by sin.

2. A repentant person makes amends.

3. A repentant person accepts consequences.

4. A repentant person doesn't demand or expect forgiveness.

5. A repentant person feels the depths of the pain they've caused.

6. A repentant person changes his/her behavior.

7. A repentant person grants space to heal.

8. A repentant person is awestruck by forgiveness.

I didn't have an ounce of "fruit" from true repentance as listed above. I was a "whitewashed tomb" directly lifted from Matthew 23:27 in which Jesus states, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness." From the outside, I was a spiffed-up Christian, from the inside (which is the heart), a whitewashed tomb but convinced I had done the checklist just right!

The road was initially filled with flesh-based works, then an "invitation" for Jesus to come into my heart, and finally, a baptismal experience that was more like a spectacle than a profession of faith. After baptism, there was no one to disciple and lead me to actually read the Bible (not that I even knew it was necessary). This was tragic because the words of God are meant to do this: "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12. If I had read even the first three chapters, in the Gospel of John for example, I would have come across the very beginning of what it truly means to be born-again. "Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'" John 3:5.

One of the most loving acts a believer can do to both a new believer and even an unbeliever is to lead them to the Bible and encourage them to stay there - always! There is no actual "arrival" of fully understanding it in its entirety nor can a Christian fully understand God's will without hearing His voice through this magnificent book!

Many Christians claim to hear God's voice but never pick up the Bible to "test the spirits" for example. There are influences in the spirit realm not always meant for our good thus God tells us to test them in 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." We are warned in Scripture, "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14. So how is a believer guided in this life without the Bible? Simply stated, THEY ARE NOT!

The Bible has supernatural power, and there is no book that comes close to the life-changing power behind it. God is emphatic that we, as believers, take this seriously and utilize all the wisdom and direction needed to be victorious in this tumultuous life. 2 Timothy 3:16 states, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness..." . Also, Matthew 4:4 states, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” And in Romans 10:17 we read, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."

The dangers of remaining ignorant of God's Word create a composite Jesus that's an amalgamation of "Progressive Christian" theology, cultural norms or both so that everyone can be comfortable and steady on the wide road. The Bible states, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14.

Finally, loved ones: "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" 2 Corinthians 13:5.

Years later, after immersing myself in Scripture, I found myself faced with the devastating fact that I was no Christian. To simply declare, "I'm a Christian!" with no evidence of ever being linked to the Bible, the Gospel, and its life-giving teachings is very dangerous and delusional. Only godly love will point this out to a "facsimile Christian." It's very deceiving to make declarations of salvation over unsaved people so they'll feel better. Be prepared and equipped to share the Gospel with love and compassion!

Examine your own checklist to determine whether you're truly in the faith and on the narrow road. There's only one life that God has given us, and it's meant to glorify, praise, and honor the ONE TRUE VINE - Jesus Christ.