Part Ten: How Do We Warn “Cultural Christians” They May Not Be Saved?

In last week’s blog article, I discussed the third evangelistic technique available when engaging the closed minded: law. I also identified the kinds of unbeliever to whom the use of law will be most effective: people who believe they are Christians when sadly they are not. The issue at hand is how do we warn these people that they may not be saved—but do so in a way they will understand and accept? In this week’s blog, I’ll explain step-by-step the process of applying law when engaging cultural Christians—and why it is crucial that we add law as a third avenue of evangelism.

The first step of applying law is to point out from Scripture that everyone is a sinner. Everyone falls short of God’s requirements for an obedient life, one worthy of entry into heaven. No one can live a perfect, sin-free life (Romans 3:10-18; 23).

Unbelievers need to understand that sin is not just bad deeds. In fact, people commit sins they are not even aware of, or realize are sins. For example, private, unexpressed thoughts can be sin (see Matt. 5:27-28). Not doing something when we know we should can also be a sin (see James 4:17).

NOTE: I need to make a comment here. Even in our morally relativistic society, few people will argue that they never sin; most people intuitively know they do. Moreover, as explained in the previous blog article, people who need law generally accept biblical truth, so you shouldn’t need apologetics and you shouldn’t have to defend the Bible.

Second, we explain that even one sin is equivalent to breaking all the law and causes one to fall under God’s judgment (James 2:10). A holy God cannot tolerate sin. He would not be holy if He did.

Third, the penalty of sin (breaking God’s moral law) is spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God (2 Thess. 1:9).

Fourth, the good news is we can be forgiven for any and all sins through Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:1).

These four steps may seem like Christianity 101—the fundamentals all Christians should know. But that’s the point. Cultural Christians don’t understand this. It needs to be explained to them. Furthermore, I’m not so presumptuous as to declare that all people who claim to be Christians but don’t act like it are unsaved. There are carnal Christians (back-slidden Christians living sinful lives; see 1 Cor. 3:15; 5:1-5). But I am saying something cultural Christians need to hear.

I don’t see how anyone can be certain of his or her salvation—even if they are saved—unless they have experienced the life transforming power of God. If so-called cultural Christians are saved (and only God knows that for certain), we still need to encourage them to make Jesus the Lord of their lives.

I’m certain there are many thousands of people in this country today (even in the church) who are confident they are destined for salvation when in fact they are not. They believe they are Christians when nothing in their lives demonstrates it. If someone were to ask them the question, “What is there about your life that would compel me to believe you are a Christian,” they would have nothing to point to. Even if they claim to have made a personal commitment to Jesus, they have never changed in terms of a transformed life since the day they first believed. They are more secular in their lifestyle than Christian. They’re may not be saved.

Isn’t this borne out in Scripture? In Matthew 7:21 Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” I’m also reminded of the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18:9-14. The Pharisee boasted of his good works and the money he gave to the temple. But the tax collector, who would not even look up to heaven, beat his breast and cried out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Jesus concluded the parable by saying, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.” People who are not justified before God do not go to heaven.

I firmly believe that cultural Christians need to be evangelized every bit as much as the person who knows he’s a miserable sinner. The odds are they aren’t saved. They adhere, like the Pharisees, to a work-righteous concept of salvation, where one can earn entrance into heaven. One can be good enough to be saved independent of the work of Christ. Probably everyone has a family member, a friend, or perhaps knows someone attending church that fits this description.

I know this is not easy to do, but if we want to take evangelism seriously we must engage these people. We do this through the avenue of proclaiming law. We help them to understand that sin is more than bad deeds. In fact even good deeds do not provide a free pass to heaven. We point out the consequences of ignoring a true relationship with Jesus Christ and trying to gain heaven on their own terms.

Next week’s blog will tie all eleven articles in this series together, as well as the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelistic encounters—whether we share the gospel, use apologetics, or apply law. ©