Nominal Christians

[gerard16]

Do nominal christians who do not practice the faith but believe go to Hell ? Were there nominal christians in the Early Church?

 

[makingwisethesimple]

It's not the church's responsibility to pass judgements on who is, or is not, going to be saved. Salvation belongs to God and God alone, not us and our opinions.

 

[GojuBrian]

Yeah, I sure can't tell you who will or will not go to hell, but we can learn from the bibles teachings.

I look at what the bible says to do and what not to do. Do the do and don't do the don't do, that's what we should do! :D

 

[reigningfish]

Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)

While I realize that is talking about stronger and weaker Christians... there are some parallels.

 

[stovebolts]

Respectfully reigningfish,
Romans 14 is set within the context of how Gentile (Roman) Christians are to view their Jewish Christian Brethren as well as Jews as the Jews are allowed to move back into Rome after being banished by Claudius in 49ad. It's about how two totally different worlds come into contact, yet are to remain united through Christ while trying to apply a lessons learned from the church in Galacia.

Instead of asking the question, "Do nominal christians go to hell", why not ask, "What are nominal christians bringing to earth? heaven or hell."

 

[reigningfish]

Romans 14 is set within the context of how Gentile (Roman) Christians are to view their Jewish Christian Brethren as well as Jews as the Jews are allowed to move back into Rome after being banished by Claudius in 49ad. It's about how two totally different worlds come into contact, yet are to remain united through Christ while trying to apply a lessons learned from the church in Galacia.

Point well taken. Nevertheless, I think the concept remains. It is a bit self-righteous to label a person who carries Christ's name nominal and question their salvation. For all we know, they may be very beloved to God, and we don't know His plans for that person. That is (as I think somebody said earlier) God's call.

I think a good question might be: How can we have an impact on nominal Christians. They already are not averse to identifying with Christ on some level. It's not unthinkable that they may come towards Christ if given proper opportunity.

In fact, I'm less fearful of nominal Christians than I am those would would consider themselves exemplary enough to call another Christian nominal.

 

[GodspromisesRyes]

Do nominal christians who do not practice the faith but believe go to Hell ? Were there nominal christians in the Early Church?

Maybe a good question is, can you be a nominal christian and believe? Because believing entails alot more than saying " Jesus came died for sins and rose again". Even demons do that they know its true, they saw it. But we are called to walk in faith. That means that our lives are to be led by faith in His word. We have to know Him, that means to obey him. If a person says they believe, but they live like the world then they do not really walk in faith, their faith is dead being alone.- Jesus showed the seed falls on differnt ground. Some ground recieves the seed shallowly and springs up fast but when the heat of the day comes it withers up.- Now nominal christians, who say they believe, when they are persecuted and hated for His name sake will they forsake him to remain nominal? Very likely, If they do not forsake him, just events will cause them to finally stop being nominal. Other seed falls amoung thorns and it springs up but then the cares of this world choak it out. Do nominal christians have many cares of this world that come in the way of Christ in their lives? If they are nominal that means this has prob already happened to them.

The church of laodeciea was warned to be either hot or cold and if they stayed lukewarm He would spew them out of his mouth.- That means they are vomited out of the body of Christ. But one who is nominal today can repent and become HOT! AMEN

 

[stovebolts]

Point well taken. Nevertheless, I think the concept remains.

Hi Again.
When I look at the word "nominal", I see the definition of "In name only".
I can call myself an engineer or even an indy race car driver, but that does not make me an engineer or an indy race car driver until I actually start to engineer something, or sit behind the seat of an indy car and take it for a couple laps. At that point, I could call myself either. I may not be very good at either, but I could take on the label.

You know, the more I think about the term, "Nominal Christian", the more I'm seeing it as an oxymoron.

In Romans 14, it's about two different societies each praising and giving thanks to God but in different ways. The common tie however, is that both groups do it fully convinced in their own minds that they are doing God's will. One considers a day Holy, and sets that day aside as 'special' to the Lord, while the other group considers every day special. The point about Romans 14 is that if your offering praise to the Lord, then don't judge your brother who offers praises in a different manner than you because both forms of praise are offered up to the Lord.

Please bear with me as I don't want to confuse "Nominal Christian" with a Christian that is weak in the faith, or has not matured, which I think is more to your point, which brings us to your question.

I think a good question might be: How can we have an impact on nominal Christians. They already are not averse to identifying with Christ on some level. It's not unthinkable that they may come towards Christ if given proper opportunity.

I think this is a great questions! I think we need to be patient with them and admonish them gently by explaining, and letting them see the joys, even in times of sorrow that we share in Christ Jesus. In the first part of Ezekiel 16, there is this beautiful picture of what the Church is to look like and it's attractive for a reason. When Jesus is living in us, people can see his beauty, and they are drawn to the light. Paul put it this way,
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

We can encourage our brothers and Sisters in Christ through love and patience with a large measure of grace as an example to them. I think this means that we accept where people are, find out where their strength is, and bring that strength out in them. It's like taking a light that shines within them already, and giving them encouragement where it shines even brighter. Before you know it, they are full of light :yes

 

[VertigoAge]

I think we can generally, objectively say that many nominal Christians will not be saved according to Matthew 7:

Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. 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. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

We cannot tell whether a person is or isn't "nominal", luke-warm, or whatever term you prefer. However, it is probably the most important cause in my (individual and very limited) ministry. Many people are out there evangelizing to non-believers, but it's so important to educate - without passing judgment - those who are content in their pseudo-Christianity. It is very dangerous for the Christian church to have so many people who "believe in God and try to be a good person", but it ends there. I say dangerous for two reasons: 1. they may represent Christians in what they approve of and how they act, and 2. they aren't making a conscious choice to reject God... they genuinely think they are on the right path.

 

[VertigoAge]

I know that passage is more about false prophets than nominal Christians, but I think the "I never knew you" statement applies here too. In a way, I guess nominal Christians may be false prophets. A better quote might be Revelation 3:

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.