Christian In Name Only

 

Christian in Name Only (abbreviated XINO), also called a cultural Christian, nominal Christian, or more often, a liberal Christian, is someone who professes to be a Christian in public but has a considerable lack of knowledge about the basic tenets of one's professed faith, often "knowing" it only from what is half-remembered from Sunday school or from pop-cultural osmosis. To put it another way, a Christian in name only is someone who "would call himself a Christian, or be so regarded by others, but who has no authentic commitment to Christ based on personal faith. 

This includes ignorance of the contents of the Bible in general and may specifically include not being able to name the Four Gospels, the Ten Commandments, or even the fact that Jesus Christ gave the Sermon on the Mount. They may hold beliefs contrary to the teachings of Jesus, including considering abortion, special rights for homosexuals, social justice, gun control, adultery, and cohabitation between unmarried people to be morally acceptable and following situational ethics rather than the absolute morality of the Bible. 

They also might believe in other ways to attain salvation rather than accepting Jesus as one's Lord and Savior or otherwise dismiss core Christian doctrines regarding salvation, such as the need for forgiveness. They may themselves live according to lifestyle choices condemned by Scripture or hold up others who do so as good Christian role models, thereby rendering their Christian witness worthless or even damaging. When challenged on their views with quotations from Scripture, Christians in name only, if they believe in God at all, often respond with unsupported assertions as to what God really wants or with Bible passages that are "interpreted" beyond recognition. 

Christians in name only, especially those motivated by liberal politics, have proved to be such an embarrassment that committed Christians are now seeking new terminology to replace the terminology that Christians in name only have appropriated and thereby distinguish themselves from Christians in name only. 

 

Don't be fooled by false preachers. Don't let the way they dress, good communication skills, charisma, books they have written, popularity, sweet talk, and their acceptance of "cultural christianity" deceive you. If their preaching is 

not in line with God's Word, then they are either deceived or they are deceivers.

An example of cultural churchanity... https://www.bitchute.com/video/kfC5IpWosGEt

 

Christians in name only are common in liberal politics. Sometimes, they may attempt to justify their liberal political views through loose paraphrases of the Bible and leaps of logic (e.g., going from the Christian communities described in Acts to a call for a welfare state). 

 

They may at other times abandon any pretense that the Bible has anything to do with their views, in some cases explicitly denying that it does, and identify as "Christian" solely for advancement in liberal political circles or for identification with a side in the Culture War. They also often attempt to turn Christianity into a purely or predominantly secular political movement, emphasizing social justice and other notions that are completely un-moored from Bible-based Christianity.

 

Just as Satan tempted Jesus by quoting Scripture out of context, XINO's try to use Romans 13:1-7 to justify blind obedience to man's "law" of legal and illegal while ignoring God's Law of Right and Wrong.

Recorded in both the Old Testament and New Testament are numerous examples of "civil disobedience"... from Moses to the Apostles.

As it is written: "You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him." ~Deuteronomy 13:4

A short List of people who are not Christians, or give the appearance of being XINOs. Note: This list is in no way judgemental (that's God's sole prerogative). However, we are allowed to be "fruit inspectors."

 

Let’s be clear:

*People who do not believe that the Bible is God’s Holy Word are not Christians.

*People who do not believe that Jesus was born of a virgin are not Christians.

*People who do not believe that Jesus lived a sinless life are not Christians.

*People who do not believe that Jesus died on the Cross for the sins of the whole world are not Christians.

*People who do not believe that Jesus rose bodily from the grave are not Christians.

*People who do not believe that Jesus is God in flesh —man’s Creator and Redeemer— are not Christians.

*People who do not believe that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ are not Christians.

*People who do not believe in obeying God's laws, calling it works, are not Christians.

If you are not hearing the above truths in the “church” you attend, GET OUT! You are listening to a false prophet.

 

Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 7:24... “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

Doers—Not Hearers Only

"Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

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. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit (look out for) orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." ~James 1: 21-27

Jesus Instructs His Followers

“If you love Me, keep My commandments." ~John 14:15

The Narrow Way

“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 7:12-14

“Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh God,That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But a famine of hearing the words of Yahweh." ~ Amos 8:11

Why would God send such a famine of the word? You would think that God wants His words read and known.

The apostle Paul writing to Timothy gives us the answer.

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. ~ 2 Timothy 4:2-4

These two Scriptures reveal why organized denominational Churchanity exists today. Very few pastors teach the whole counsel of God, and rightly divide the Word of Truth. Instead they are hirelings who do not care about the Sheep. ~ John 10:12-13

Sad to say Christians in Name Only don't really want to learn Bible Truth. They just want to be constantly reassured that what they "feel" and their denomination teaches is true. 

If you're concerned that you may have fallen into the XINO trap, you're cordially invited to Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group on Facebook or Gab Social

 

The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.