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Cultural vs. Committed Christians!
August 9, 2008
Dear Editor:
In the campaign for the presidency of the United States, the race card was recently played and since I have already spoken to the race issue I thought that I would address the religious issue that was raised some time ago. Many are asking, “Is Senator Obama a Christian or a Moslem?” and also “What does Senator McCain believe?” I think that it is important to realize that we have two groups that would call themselves Christians in our country. There are those that I would call Cultural Christians and those that I would call Committed Christians.
A Cultural Christian attends church services infrequently to make social and business contacts. A Committed Christian normally attends primarily to worship God and to grow in their faith. A Cultural Christian will lead a basically moral life. A Committed Christian lives a moral life and when he falls into sin he confesses it and receives forgiveness and cleansing as soon as possible. A Cultural Christian believes that by doing good deeds he can earn a place in Heaven. A Committed Christian knows that he doesn’t deserve Heaven and believes that by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone he will be accepted into Heaven. A Cultural Christian believes that there are many roads to Heaven. A Committed Christian believes that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. Cultural Christians may identify themselves as Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics or perhaps some other group that is called Christian. A Committed Christian will make sure that whatever denomination he identifies with, is one that takes the Bible as its final authority and seeks to live in obedience to its instructions. A Committed Christian is pro-life, and supports heterosexual marriage. He is concerned about the environment; seeks to address the problems of poverty, AIDS, and injustice without taking the responsibility away from the individual.
I am afraid that there is a minority of Committed Christians in our country. I hope that the candidate that wins the next Presidential election will be a Committed Christian and will give strong leadership. I hope that he will lead our nation back to a dependence upon God and moral living.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dr. Tony Gibson, Pastor
Calvary Baptist Church
988 Post Road
Darien, CT 06820
203 655-0318
"In the heart of Darien, with a heart for Darien"
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