5 Kinds of Christians

Today I have been meditating on the cross and the resurrection. As I prepare for the Easter season my mind enters into the Passion of Jesus Christ. Not the movie, but the actual struggle that Jesus experienced as he approached the cross. Picturing not only his struggle, but his unswerving commitment to us (by "us" I mean all of us who were lost in our sin).

As I contemplated this fact, I was doing some reading and came across an interesting article about five kinds of Christians that are found in the world today.

As believers we all live a different sort of commitment to the One who sacrificed his own life for us. Jesus loves us so much he was willing to suffer the most gruesome death ever for our sake. I have often heard it said that "If Jesus was willing to die for us, the least we can do is live for him."

Well, those of us who believe do live for him, but in several different ways. Let me share with you these five kinds of Christians.

Knowledge Networks research has identified these 5 distinctive segments among the U.S. Christian population. Here is how they compare:

Active Christians-19%. Believe salvation comes through Christ. Committed churchgoers. Bible readers. Accept leadership positions. Invest in personal faith development through the church. Feel obligated to share faith; 79% do so.

Professing Christians-20%. Believe salvation comes through Christ. Focus on personal relationship with God and Jesus. Similar beliefs to Active Christians, different actions. Less involved in attending and serving in church. Less committed to Bible reading or sharing faith.

Liturgical Christians-16%. Mostly Catholic and Lutheran. Regular churchgoers. High level of spiritual activity, mostly by serving in church and/or community. Recognize authority of the church.

Private Christians-24%. Largest and youngest segment. Believe in God and doing good. Own a Bible, but don't read it. Spiritual interest, but not within church context. Only 1 in 3 attend church at all. Not church leaders.

Cultural Christians-21%. Little outward religious behavior or attitudes. God- aware, but little personal involvement with God. Jesus not viewed as essential to salvation. Affirm many ways to God. Favor universality theology. Leadershipjournal.net Fall '07

Jesus said in Luke 9:23-24, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."

Admittedly it would appear that Jesus is calling us to a deeper commitment than some are willing to live. The Apostle Paul encourages us in 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ's presence and power more and more within you? Or are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren't at all?" (this translation is taken from The Living Bible).

No, it is not for us to judge our brother or sister as to what kind of Christian they are, but it is up to each and everyone of us to evaluate ourselves, to examine ourselves to see if we pass the test as true believers in Christ. The Bible warns us over and over again, "do not deceive yourselves" (James 1:22-23).

May God bless you today with a sure faith in Christ.