Jump to content


Photo

The Casual Christian


  • Please log in to reply
22 replies to this topic

#21 Meema

Meema

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 181 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • I am a Layperson

  • I attend a non-Alliance church
  • family home church

Posted 05 March 2014 - 11:58 AM

We will spend eternity somewhere!  As I understand this  situation(and I`m getting pretty deep for an old doctor way out in the country), there is a first death and then there could be a second death...which none would desire.  The physical death of the body is the first death?  And a second death would be separation from God? The first one we all will taste, but the second one is to be avoided, and can be with a loving relationship with the Father producing salvation from Him. 

 

 

 

That's how I understand it. 

 

I, too, enjoy talking with like-minded people about the simple gospel - you know, not the 'new' thing but the 'original' thing.  ;)

For Him,

Meema


  • Thinker likes this

#22 ADVRider

ADVRider

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 229 posts
  • Location:Heaven and Earth
  • Interests:Outdoors; exploring; friends.
  • Gender:Male
  • I am a Layperson

  • I attend a non-Alliance church
  • Boulder Street

Posted 05 March 2014 - 01:11 PM

He or she usually shows up on Sunday at his or her local church. Sometimes, they are not too concerned about being late. They visit. They take care of responsibilities. They settle in to their pew and half-heartedly participate. When the service ends, they head home or perhaps to friends; maybe to a restaurant. How much of Sunday afternoon does God receive from them? Will they come out Sunday night? What about prayer meeting? How much does God figure into their weekly activities? What kind and what quality of time is spent in the Word and prayer? Do they have a ministry or other type of service? How these and other similar questions are answered will give a profile of a casual Christian or a committed Christian. We are responsible for our profile. God grant that it will be that of a committed Christian! Jesus had His own way of putting it. Of the casual Christian, He said, "I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of My mouth." (From Revelation 3:15-16). Selah! A Christianity that is not lived out may fail us when we face death.      Thinker  (Ron)

 

I do not doubt at all there are casual Christians out there who either do not take their faith seriously, or who really do not have a real understanding of the gospel. But I would like to take a slightly different tack. What about all the "casual" churches that produce them? We cannot entirely blame all the believers for the state the body of Christ is in today. I am not saying people have an excuse to be lukewarm or liberal in their views if they are; not saying that at all. Mainly trying to point out that some of the "symptoms" listed above indicating a casual Christian may have nothing to do with whether a person is lukewarm in their faith. A lot of people have said over the years that a person's life should center around the local church. I think it should center around Jesus. I'm simply saying you cannot judge someone's walk because they do not attend the Wednesday evening Bible study, as an example. Participate in the service? Yes, but actually, a pew is a pretty passive position already. They have been known to induce sleep; "no reflection on your sermon, pastor." :D  I am being a bit facetious, but seriously, we have to have a deeper measure of our relationship than what might be seen as simply outward behavior. I know it seems traditionally that these things are what we go by, and that maybe some "casual" Christians do exhibit these habits, so we tend to think these "measures" apply across the board and we'd like to say, "they're just not serious." My personal view is, it is better, though more difficult and messy, to actually get to know the people and find out how they think. Yes, we may find out they are still not as committed as we think they should be. And we are also going to find out there are believers that are not committed to "the church" as much as we think they should be, but are still committed to the Lord. Here's a question: Are they one and the same? I've included the link below from an earlier thread, written by a pastor. He is the one that later includes the video by Skye Jethani (also a pastor) on why people aren't sticking around today. It's worth considering. So to wrap, not saying there are not casual, uncommitted Christians, because we know there are. I just would not look to sort them out only or mainly by certain behaviors that may, or may not, indicate anything of their heart condition.

 

http://ecommunity.cm...urches/?p=15425

 

Video if you haven't seen it.

 

http://vimeo.com/37904290


  • Charles Miles and Kenny like this

#23 Thinker

Thinker

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 219 posts
  • Location:Maine
  • Interests:Humor, Writing, Counseling, Bible Study,Discipling and Revival
  • Gender:Male
  • I am a Pastor

  • I attend a non-Alliance church
  • Webbs Mills Free Baptist Church

Posted 05 March 2014 - 04:01 PM

As to eternal life, I John 5 tells us, it is in His Son. We are also told that he that hath the Son hath life. We inherited spiritual death from Adam. We were disconnected from the life of God. At the new birth, Jesus, in His resurrected life, in the person of the Holy Spirit, enters us bringing spiritual, eternal life thereby reconnecting us to the life of God. Hope this helps!  Thinker   (Ron) 


  • Kenny likes this