QTM 201Am I Actually a Christian?

Am I Actually a Christian?

To the church-goer, the "good person," and the cultural observer:

Am I actually a Christian? This paper is for the person who checks "Christian" on a form but has not really looked at whether that is true in years.

Maybe you grew up in the pews. You know the words to the hymns. You are a good citizen, you pay your taxes, and you believe in God. You assume that because your parents were Christians, or because you were baptized as a baby, you are "safe."

But there is a big difference between a label and actually being something. Putting a "Ferrari" sticker on a Ford Focus does not change the engine. Wearing a jersey does not make you a player on the team.

1. Who Makes the Rules?

Before we can say if you are a Christian, we have to be clear about the ground rules. The main question is not "Do you believe God exists?" The main question is "Who is in charge?"

Many people treat God like an advisor. They are open to His advice as long as it matches what they already want to do. But the moment He suggests something they do not like, they ignore Him.

1.1 The Student's Honest Rebellion

I recently had a conversation with a brilliant student. We debated the existence of God, and over time, they conceded that the logic points to a Creator. They accepted that God is likely real. But then we hit the wall.

This student looked at the moral rules of the Bible—specifically the restrictions on sexual behavior and personal autonomy—and they made a choice. They didn't reject God because of evidence; they rejected God because of preference.

They said to me, quite bluntly: "All I know is if it’s the Abrahamic God, then he can go f**k himself."

They followed this up with: "And this apparent all-loving God would have no problem sending me to hell, too."

1.2 Hell: Locked from the Inside

This student—and many cultural Christians—hold a fatal mistake: "A loving God wouldn't send me to Hell."

Here is the correction. God does not send you to Hell. You choose it.

God spends your whole life sending you messages, invites, and grace. He tries to have a relationship with you. If you spend decades saying no, turning Him away, and shutting Him out, then Hell is simply God finally respecting your choice. It is God saying, "Thy will be done."

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in Hell, choose it." — C.S. Lewis

1.3 The Bible Is Clear

The "student" rejected God out loud. The "cultural Christian" rejects God quietly—by ignoring the parts of the Bible that feel uncomfortable. But the Bible is not a document that changes with the times or with popular opinion. It is God's Word. And on the topic of sin, what it says is crystal clear.

The Sexual Standard:
Modern culture views sex as a recreational activity. The Bible views it as a sacred covenant strictly between a man and a woman in marriage. This isn't a debate; it is the written law.

• Hebrews 13:4 — "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 — "It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality."
• 1 Corinthians 6:18 — "Flee from sexual immorality... whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body."

1.4 The Great Equalizer (Pride, Greed, and Gossip)

Before the "moralist" gets arrogant, look at the rest of what the Bible says. God does not only care about sexual sin; He cares about rebellion in all forms.

• The Sin of Pride: "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 16:5)
• The Sin of Gossip: "A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends." (Proverbs 16:28)
• The Sin of Greed: "No greedy person... has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ." (Ephesians 5:5)

The verdict: If you are looking at this list and thinking, "Well, I am guilty of greed and gossip, but at least I am not doing the 'big sins,'" you are missing the point. We are all disqualified. The student is disqualified. The cultural Christian is disqualified. The moralist is disqualified. You need a complete fresh start from God.

2. The "Exclusive Club" Problem

If we are looking at your faith, we have to look at how you treat people "outside" the walls. There is a dangerous kind of "cultural Christian" that is hurting the church today. It is the theological bully.

2.1 The Pre-Seminary Problem

I have been a professor at a Christian University since 2006. Over the last two decades, I have mentored hundreds of students. While the number of students hasn't changed, the toxicity has.

I am hearing more and more reports of students suffering mental trauma because they were bullied by "Pre-Seminary" students—the very young men who are training to be the pastors of tomorrow. They treat Christianity like an Exclusive Club for the intellectually elite. They weaponize theology to look down on those who are "wrong."

The Warning: If you are a student preparing for ministry, hear this: Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Corinthians 8:1). If your theology makes you mean, your theology is wrong.

2.2 The "Cult" Aesthetic vs. The Hospital

When Christians act arrogant, the world looks at the Church and sees a Cult. The Cult says, "Join us or die." Christ says, "We are all dying patients; here is the Cure."

If you look down on people for being "sinners," you have forgotten the entire point of the Gospel. The Church is not a Museum for Saints; it is a Hospital for Sinners.

2.3 The "Join or Die" Fallacy

The bullies act as if God is looking for reasons to keep people out. But the Bible says the exact opposite. God wants all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11).

If you are standing in the doorway blocking them with your arrogance, you aren't working for God. You are working for the Opposition. Jesus saved His burning rage for the Religious Gatekeepers, warning that it would be better to have a millstone hung around their neck than to cause a little one to stumble (Matthew 18:6).

3. The "Fruit" Check: Is Your Faith Real?

Now that we have said that Jesus is the King and the Church is a hospital, we have to ask the hard question: Are you actually following Him?

3.1 The Lifeboat

If you look at the Church, you will see hypocrites and broken people. This confuses the "almost Christian." They ask, "I am a better person than that guy. Why does he get into Heaven?"

The answer: Because Heaven is not for "good people." It is for forgiven people.
Imagine the Titanic has sunk. The Christian is not someone who swam to shore because they were a "strong swimmer." The Christian is the person who realized they were drowning and let the lifeboat (Jesus) pull them out.

3.2 Evidence of Life: Fruit

However, if you were truly pulled out of the freezing ocean, you wouldn't just float there turning blue. You would react. You would serve. The Bible calls this "Fruit" (Matthew 7:16).

To the Arrogant Believer: If your life is characterized by Anger, Arrogance, and Bullying, you are producing the wrong fruit. Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35). If you don't have humility, you don't have Jesus.

To the "Almost Saved": Are you Perfect? Have you ever lied? lusted? hated? If God played a movie of your secret thoughts, would you be innocent? You are drowning. It is time to stop treading water and Get In.

4. Why Your Excuses Don't Work

When pressed on their standing, the "cultural Christian" usually falls back on a few defenses. These feel safe to them, but in reality they do not hold up.

4.1 The "Resume" Defense

The claim: "Oh, I am good. I went to Catholic school for 12 years. I was an altar boy."
The flaw: Being nearby is not enough. Saying "I was an altar boy 30 years ago" is like saying "I played high school football" to prove you are currently an NFL athlete. God is not checking your old report card. He cares about your relationship with Him now.

4.2 The "Prosperity" Defense

The claim: "Look at my house and my car! Clearly, the Man Upstairs likes me."
The flaw: Do not confuse God's generosity with God's approval. Jesus clearly warned that wealth can be an obstacle to knowing Him.

He said: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24). In the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12), God calls the successful man a "Fool" because he was rich in things but bankrupt in spirit.

4.3 The "One More Chance" Trap

I see this constantly with international grad students. They get caught cheating, beg for "one more chance," and cheat again. They believe the system owes them infinite chances.

The Reality Check: God is patient, but His patience has a deadline called Death. He has given you thousands of chances (every sunrise). God is not a pushover Professor who gives you an "A" just to get you out of His office. He is a Just Judge. Eventually, the grades are locked.

4.4 The Math: 80 Years vs. Eternity

Let’s do the math. You are trading your soul for what? A slightly better weekend?

• What you get: You get to be your own boss for 75–85 years on Earth.
• What it costs: You spend eternity—forever—separated from Light, Love, and Life.

We debated earlier if Hell is literal fire or spiritual darkness. Rather than guessing, look at what the Bible says. Here is how Scripture describes total separation:

• Matthew 13:42: "The blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
• Mark 9:48: "Where the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched."
• 2 Thessalonians 1:9: "Shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might."

5. The Verdict

One day, your heart will stop. Your time will be up. You will stand before the Judge. In that moment, your "church attendance record" will not be enough.

5.1 The Surprise Witness (Matthew 25)

Jesus describes the Final Judgment as a separation. The "Goats" (The Rejected) are stunned. They beg the King: "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty... and did not help you?" (Matthew 25:44).

They are saying, "God, if we had seen YOU, we would have helped!" But the King replies: "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." You didn't miss Jesus because He was hiding; you missed Him because you were too focused on yourself.

5.2 The Locked Door (Too Late)

Jesus warns in Luke 13 that many will try to enter the narrow door and fail. They will knock and say, "Sir, open the door for us. We ate and drank with you!" But He will answer, "I don't know you." Proximity is not Intimacy.

5.3 The Risk (Call to Action)

If you are reading this and you are not 100% sure that the King knows your name, you are taking a risk no sensible person should take.

Death is 100% certain. You do not know when your time is up. It could be tonight. The Bible says: "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." (James 4:14).