Biblically Speaking

What's In A Name?
 
By Joe Graber
 
Abraham Kuyper wrote and excellent little book called The Implications of Public Confession (I think this is out of print).  The book isn't about confession of sins, but it is rather about how a person who confesses Christ and claims to be a Christian ought to live their lives. 
 
I have couple after couple stop at our church and ask to be married by us.  I limit them to two simple questions:  Are you Christians?  Why do you want to be married in a Christian church? 
 
I have never had anyone tell me that they are not Christians.  The answer to number one is always "yes." 
 
Then I ask whether they, as Christians, believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible word of God.  They always answer "yes."
 
The next question is why don't you have a church that you attend?  They usually say something to the effect that they don't believe in all that "church" stuff or that they aren't really big into "practicing" the faith.
 
I then ask what the inspired and infallible word of God says about that.  Does the Bible tell us not to forsake the gathering of ourselves together?  Does the Bible tell us that it isn't what we say that shows our true convictions but what we do? 
 
A non-practicing Christian is like me.  I'm a great football star...non-practicing, of course, but if I wanted I could take the ball down the field...sure I could!  Kuyper points out, just as James does, that when we confess Christ we subject ourselves willingly to His rules.  There was a time in Christendom when men stood up and proclaimed what it really meant to be a Christian (especially in the neo-platonic era), but this is the post-modern era when "Christian" means whatever you or I want it to mean.  We can all worship different Gods and still use the term...especially since all roads lead to God.
 
The point is that "Christian" means something, and we can use it inappropriately and deceive our own hearts.  We don't necessarily have the name just because we use the name.  Without Christianity meaning something and without Christians living as peculiar people we end up with a world filled with heathen who have deceived their hearts as they think themselves to be Christians.  Perhaps in Hell they will mill about speaking of how wonderful heaven is....