Are there more false Christians than we think?

[mpm163]

The Bible says in Matthew 7:13 that the path to God is narrow and far more people take the path to destruction. But US censuses say the US is over 70% Christian. If the Bible is true, that could mean there are more false Christians than we think. Don't take this the wrong way, I don't mean certain denominations are false. When I'm referring to this verse I mean the spirit of the average person when it comes to having a relationship with Christ. I just think more people just wander through their life when it comes to religion (at least in the US). Religion just isn't important to most people. They'll say they're Christian, they won't really know who Jesus was, not understand the message, and think they'll go to Heaven because they were a 'good person'. This is how all my grandparents are/were. This is how the people at my school are.

Now I could be all wrong and this verse was referring to Christianity globally but I still think this is something to consider and think about.

 

[SolomonVII]

The Bible says in Matthew 7:13 that the path to God is narrow and far more people take the path to destruction. But US censuses say the US is over 70% Christian. If the Bible is true, that could mean there are more false Christians than we think. Don't take this the wrong way, I don't mean certain denominations are false. When I'm referring to this verse I mean the spirit of the average person when it comes to having a relationship with Christ. I just think more people just wander through their life when it comes to religion (at least in the US). Religion just isn't important to most people. They'll say they're Christian, they won't really know who Jesus was, not understand the message, and think they'll go to Heaven because they were a 'good person'. This is how all my grandparents are/were. This is how the people at my school are.

Now I could be all wrong and this verse was referring to Christianity globally but I still think this is something to consider and think about.

Nietzsche posits that there was only one Christian and he died on a cross.

 

[ace of hearts]

The Bible says in Matthew 7:13 that the path to God is narrow and far more people take the path to destruction. But US censuses say the US is over 70% Christian. If the Bible is true, that could mean there are more false Christians than we think. Don't take this the wrong way, I don't mean certain denominations are false. When I'm referring to this verse I mean the spirit of the average person when it comes to having a relationship with Christ. I just think more people just wander through their life when it comes to religion (at least in the US). Religion just isn't important to most people. They'll say they're Christian, they won't really know who Jesus was, not understand the message, and think they'll go to Heaven because they were a 'good person'. This is how all my grandparents are/were. This is how the people at my school are.

Now I could be all wrong and this verse was referring to Christianity globally but I still think this is something to consider and think about.

To those who understand what a Christian is, no. For this forum anyone only has to say they're a Christian to be one. However my Bible says you'll know them by their fruits. That can even be very deceiving as those fruits are copied by the enemy for cover and deception.

 

[Sabertooth]

Are there more false Christians than we think?

God let the Wheat and Tares grow together, so yes, probably.

 

[Albion]

I think you are essentially correct about this, mpm. I would change the assessment only a bit to say that most of the people you are speaking of are sincere...but woefully wrong about important parts of the Christian Gospel. I am not referring to the famous areas of dispute such as polity, works vs faith, or the nature of the sacraments, but if you have a serious conversation with Mr. Average Christian it's amazing what goofy beliefs he will come forth with.

 

[Dansiph]

Luke 13:23-27 is similar to Matthew 7:13. I believe there are many fake/false Christians.

I am surprised that you say the US is like that. I (wrongly?) thought the USA was very Christian compared to other places

 

[Sabertooth]

I am surprised that you say the US is like that. I (wrongly?) thought the USA was very Christian compared to other places

According to the Jesus' parable of Wheat & Tares, wherever there are many Christians, you can expect to find many pretenders, too.

 

[Albion]

I am surprised that you say the US is like that. I (wrongly?) thought the USA was very Christian compared to other places

Compared to most other countries, it is. However....

 

[Sabertooth]

Here is the Biblical definition of a "tare,"

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
For men will be

• lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
• boasters, proud,
• blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
• unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers,
• without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
• traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
• having a form of godliness but denying its power.

And from such people turn away!" 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV

 

[Dave-W]

I heard Bishop Joseph Garlington (from Promise keepers) say that a woman in the church he grew up in taught that only about 7 or 8 people from all of time would actually be saved. So not all of the Apostles, not all of the Bible authors.

 

[Sanoy]

Jesus called the Pharisees lawless ones. They were the most lawful, but they lacked the law that mattered.

"For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you." Jeremiah 7:22-23

I think what was true of the Pharisees is true for the church. Many have lost the plot and are merely acting out the rituals. You can see it right here on the forums. How many here show the love of Christ in what they type and how many don't? How many people beat their brothers and sisters with the Word rather than seek to save them with it?

 

[Dansiph]

Compared to most other countries, it is. However....

However?

 

[Albion]

However?

What I wrote earlier about the unorthodox notions a lot of otherwise sincere Christians have picked up somewhere or other.

 

[Sabertooth]

Two-thirds of the angels were clear-headed enough to reject [Lucifer's] coup. Let's hope that Christian numbers are as good or better.

If you remember Jesus' parable of the Sower and the Seed, three-fourths of its subjects received the Word. Only one-fourth embraced it.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

and think they'll go to Heaven because they were a 'good person'.

It seems many are fooled by thinking they are good? For the Bible tells us that not one is good.

The Bad News tells me that I'm a sinner and I deserve hell.

The Good News tells me that with faith (in Christ) I will be saved.

Christ Alone

M-Bob

 

[1213]

The Bible says in Matthew 7:13 that the path to God is narrow and far more people take the path to destruction. But US censuses say the US is over 70% Christian. ...

Jesus didn’t actually promise eternal life for “Christian”, he promised it for righteous:

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

Anyone can claim to be a “Christian”, it would be more difficult to count those who are righteous. And probably those who know that Christian meant originally a disciple of Jesus are almost as rare.

 

[Dansiph]

Jesus didn’t actually promise eternal life for “Christian”, he promised it for righteous:

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Mat. 25:46

Anyone can claim to be a “Christian”, it would be more difficult to count those who are righteous. And probably those who know that Christian meant originally a disciple of Jesus are almost as rare.

But he did? He said if you follow him you will be saved? Multiple times as far as I know.

A Christian is a follower of Jesus ins't it? A disciple is a follower. We are only righteous because of Jesus. According to Romans 3:10 there is none righteous.

 

[com7fy8]

US censuses say the US is over 70% Christian. If the Bible is true, that could mean there are more false Christians than we think.

Of America's about three hundred million citizens, then, may be at least a million are false Christians. If you were to try to count these one by one, it might take longer than your lifespan to do this, saying the counted number for each one.

So, I think we would not be able to actually get to know every one who is false; certainly we would not have the time to find out how in detail every false one is not for real. Instead, most of all, we need our attention to be to how we ourselves need . . . real . . . correction . . . how God does this in each of us > Hebrews 12:4-14.

This is a measure of who is a true child of God > God corrects His children.

 

[com7fy8]

Religion just isn't important to most people.

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27)

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

quotes of Leonard Ravenhill.

I doubt if 5% of professing Christians in America are born again--and that's true of England!

Here's the world with millions, millions, millions dying. They were dying while you were sleeping last night, while you were fooling around somewhere! God is saying, "Who will go for Us?"

Can you remember the last time you didn't go to bed because people were dying without Christ?

I think one of the serious breakdowns in modern evangelism is this: it has offered too much for too little. What we do mostly is offer forgiveness. We need cleansing! There is no true conversion until a man takes up his cross.

There's one thing that life does where ever it goes--it begets life.