Cultural Christians
I have recently come across something called ‘Cultural Christians’, never heard of it until someone claimed to be one as they say they do not believe in God. They used to but they read about a child being terribly abused and that destroyed their ‘faith’ in God they say, but they still call themselves Christian, that is, a ‘Cultural Christian’. So, what on earth is a ‘Cultural Christian’? I looked it up.
As I understand and believe, one can only be a Christian if one has repented of their sins and is now a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, believing that He is the only begotten Son of God and that of course definitely involves believing in GOD. These so-called ‘Cultural Christians’ are not Christians at all. Just because they follow some Christian traditions and values, does not make them Christian. To my mind it means that they have purloined the name ‘Christian’ and merely take advantage of the Christian way of life because they can see it is good. But you cannot take God out of Christianity and still call yourself any kind of Christian. There is no such thing as a ‘Cultural Christian’!
All the while we live in this fallen world there will be terrible things happening. God is not to blame, we are. All our sins and disobedience to God’s Law Word have consequences. [See Deuteronomy 28:15-68 for the consequences of disobedience to God.]
I don’t claim to understand everything about God, no one can ever do that, for He has said: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8- 9.
To quote Edward William Fudge: “Jesus did not come to satisfy our curiosity or to make us wise as God. He came to reveal God – and to call men to faith and obedience.”
Terrible things have happened to many Bible believing Christians as St. Paul tells us in Hebrews 11:35-38. Even Jesus as He approached His destiny as truly man said to The Father: … O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matthew 26:39.
He knew as a man, the pain, humiliation, and rejection He was going to have to go through: And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44. No one was more innocent than He was.
But as truly God also, He knew this was part of the Father’s plan and He had to go through it, saying to His disciples as He was being arrested: Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? Matthew 26:53, 54.
Jesus also said to His disciples: … In the world ye shall have tribulation… John 16:33.
Jesus never promised that being a Christian would be easy, man’s ways are at odds with God’s Way, there will always be conflicts and troubles of mind and body. This is the spiritual battle we all face as we grow in the FAITH ONCE DELIVERED TO THE SAINTS. [Jude 1:3] So, we must hold fast to that FAITH knowing that there is much that we as finite beings do not understand about our God. He has revealed only that which He has deemed necessary for our faith.
God is SPIRIT and the battle is a spiritual one and things are heating up as we reach the climax of this age. Satan knows his time is now very short and he is pulling out all the stops to try and defeat our Lord and His return. But Satan has already lost! Our Lord said, … I have overcome the world. John 16:33.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12.
When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they and the whole of creation fell from grace, and there has been a war going on ever since, a spiritual war and it is not over yet. Many terrible things have happened to people all down through the ages. In every war there are ‘innocent’ casualties, but God knows every one of those who are His and who have suffered in this life, and He will more than compensate them in the life to come.
Being a ‘Cultural Christian’ will not get one into the kingdom. There is only one way to get into the kingdom and have eternal life. As Paul and Silas were asked: … what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, … Acts 16:30,31.
Jesus is God: He is part of the Triune Godhead – The Almighty God, maker of the Heavens and the Earth and all things that are therein. In denying God the Father, one is denying the Son also and Jesus has said: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 10:33.
Jesus is God: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6
God cannot be divided from the Lord Jesus Christ, He along with the Father and Holy Spirit is GOD.
The Final word from Jesus Himself:
Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
