QUASI-CHRISTIANS

I Was Just Thinking About – QUASI-CHRISTIANS.

My original thought for this Blog pertained to the number of “Christians” who have allowed themselves to be numbered among the feckless of this world rather than with those who are being light and salt in a world of darkness. The feckless individual is one who is deemed to be ineffective, incompetent, indifferent, lazy, having no sense of responsibility and/or becoming worthless. The feckless word origin is from the 1590s when the Scottish created the word as an abbreviated form of “effect-less.” When used as an adjective, it has in view those who have become feeble, weak, ineffectual and irresponsible.

In an A. W. Tozer Devotional, Bowing To Christ’s Lordship, he wrote: “The quasi-Christians follow a quasi-Christ. They want His help but not his interference. They will flatter Him but never obey Him.” In a concluding Thought, he wrote: “To confess Christ as Lord without obeying Him reveals a shallow understanding of who He is. It is to live as the foolish builder (Luke 6:49) and ultimately experience complete destruction. Our obedience demonstrates our commitment to Christ’s Lordship.” The words of Luke 6:49 have Jesus asking a type of rhetorical question: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”

One would do well to spend quality time in study and prayer in two passages of God’s Word. First, Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT) addresses one’s knowing and doing the will of God. It’s not based upon what one thinks or says. Jesus stated that it is based upon what one does, namely, the will of God.  “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’  But I will reply: I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.”

The second passage, Matthew 25:31-46 (NKJV) describes the actual judgment scene and the separation of the sheep from the goats. Jesus gives this description of what it means to be a DOER of the word. To the goats (quasi-Christians), Jesus said (Verses 41-43): "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.”

For the Church in the contemporary culture, Jesus is indicating that the ones whom He favors are not those who say “Lord, Lord” but those who believe and follow through by active commitment that is evidenced by doing His will rather than merely saying I am a member of a particular Church; I have been baptized; I faithfully tithe; and I am kind toward people who pass my way.

Jesus is saying that those things may have merit IF ONLY they were accompanied by one’s concern – and action - toward those with basic needs and physical restrictions. Jesus is also indicating that it is one’s walk that matters most with Him – not one’s talk! James 1:21-23 (NKJV)  encapsulates and clarifies this distinction when he wrote:“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” 

Did you take note of the basic statement regarding the quasi-Christian? If one is a hearer only, with what does that equate? James states it clearly – “deceiving yourselves.”  If one deceives himself, he has made a choice to believe and practice a lie. The Bible is likened to a mirror. It reveals whether or not one is a quasi-Christian of a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. If you used the Holy Scriptures as your spiritual mirror, would it reveal that you are a spiritual sheep or a goat? Would you be categorized as a doer pf the Word or a mere hearer only?

Prayerfully – consider these things with me.