Not Everyone Who Attends Church Is A Christian

The latest census from the country of Australia shows that people who claim to be followers of Christ are declining. 

The report stated that the 2021 census data released shows that,

“…for the first time, a majority of Australians do not identify as Christians. This continues a trend of steep drops in Christian identification at the census — from 74 per cent in 1991, to 61 per cent in 2011, to 52 per cent in 2016, to 44 per cent now.”

I have a big problem with the statistics we churn out in favour of who a Christian is and who is not. Our indicators are limited to people who say they are Christians without further demonstration of true fruit bearing in their lives as regenerated people.

According to the same report, 

“There has always been a large gap between Christian identification and Christian practice in Australia.”

This is where the real problem is: people identify as being Christians by what they say and not necessarily how they live as clearly laid out in the Bible. Being a Christian is not on our own terms but that of what God has revealed in His word.

Here are my few thoughts about why these people have left what they call Christianity:

#1. Not Everyone Who Says Lord Lord Is A Christian

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said that not everyone who says Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of God. But rather those who do the will of God.

The fact that someone says he is a Christian doesn’t mean Christ knows them and they know Him. Being a Christian is not only about saying you are a Christian. It must be seen in your life.

#2. Christian Identification Is Not Being A Christian

The fact that someone identifies himself or herself as a Christian doesn’t mean he is one. It is clear that in Australia, people identify as Christians and later ‘de-identify’ as such.

Being a Christian is not like the dress we wear today and then take it off tomorrow. If you have eternal life, you cannot undo it because you didn’t bestow it on yourself. In Matthew 15:8, Jesus said of the religious people that they draw near to Him with their mouth but their heart.

#3. Not Everyone Who Listens To Sermons Is A Christian

Another important point to note is that not everyone who listens to all the numerous sermons on YouTube and even gives fat offerings is a Christian.

In Jesus’ ministry, there were people who followed Him and heard what He said but didn’t do it. Thus, He declared to them that those who heard what He said and did not do will be likened to a foolish man who built His house on sand. It was greatly affected by the wind and storms of life (Matthew 7:24-27). A Christian bears fruit with what they hear.

#4. Being Born Into A Christian Home Does Not Make Someone A Christian

The last point is that being born into a Christian home or being raised by priests, doesn’t mean you are a Christian. Being a Christian is not by blood relation or association but by repenting of your sins and trusting in Christ for eternal life.

The only advantage of being born in a Christian home is that you might gain moral values and possibly hear the gospel to help you turn your heart to Christ. The big deal is to trust in Christ for salvation. Your birth has no effect on your salvation.

Acts 4:12 (NKJV) says,

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””

Australians who say they were Christians before should probably crosscheck with the above factors.

Who Is A Christian?

Our big question then is: who is a Christian? The Apostle John gives distinctions between false and true converts who may be found in churches. 1 John gives evidence for who is a Christian and who is not. You do not need to live 100 years to figure that out. He gives us verifiable evidence to always examine ourselves whether we are in the faith or not.

I John 2:19 (NKJV) says that,

“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”

Here are few take away from the Scripture above:

#1. False Converts

‘They went out from us, but they were not of us…’

We can say of a truth that anyone who is a false believer will not remain forever. Like Judas, on the surface, we might see many claiming to be Christians but soon leave the community of faith. False converts don’t abide but are rather cut off and thrown into fire.

The false converts are people who come close to the faith and show on the surface that they are believers but are not. On the outside, they attend church, give offerings, hold their Bible, pray, and do some of the things believers do but are still not born again. They eventually leave the close range faith they possess and go to where they belong – the world. You might count them as being part of the assembly of the saints but are not.

Judas (Jesus’ disciple) and Demas (Paul’s associate) were all very close as if they were of the saints but later left. Below are what we can read of these two people who left.

After Judas had left to betray Him, Jesus said in John 15:1-2 that,

“1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”

Paul reported of Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10 that,

“for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia.”

False converts, as many as they may be, will leave at a point when they are tired of being where they are not supposed to be. They leave because they are not of the saints.

#2. True Converts 

‘…for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.’

The second group of people whom John identifies is the true converts of Christ Jesus. These are people who are truly converted into the Christian community and persevere until Christ comes. They sometimes struggle with sin, doubt their faith but grace abounds towards them to press on. 

In Philippians 1:6, Paul said that, 

“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” 

Christ is always working in the believer to produce the work of righteousness. True converts continue in the faith. They work out their own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). A believer can sometimes behave badly as unbelievers but ask for forgiveness and retrace his steps and continue with the faith journey.

Here is the conclusion of who a true believer is according to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. He stated in John 15:5 that,

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Let not our hearts be troubled. The devil cannot snatch us from Christ’s hands. He keeps us from falling (Jude 1:24). In heaven, we will not miss anyone who was meant to be there. All who are chosen in Him to be there will show up as planned. No one will be missing in action. Our job as believers is to continue making true disciples of the nations as commanded by our Lord and Saviour in Matthew 28:18-20.

May the Lord lead us to make true converts and not false converts who will leave the faith.

What do you have to say about this? Share your views.