Consider the following quote from J. C. Ryle: “There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have enough – a cheap Christianity which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice – which costs nothing, and is worth nothing.” What’s remarkable is Bishop Ryle died in 1900, yet his observation over a hundred years ago is as relevant today as it was then.
A quick survey of modern churches reveals a group of pastors, elders, and lay people who are bending over backward to accommodate and avoid offending any and everyone. It’s never been easier to attend a church and not have it cost you a thing, especially in the West. In most places, you can slip in and out and no one will even notice you were there. This is beyond cheap Christianity!
What do I mean by cheap Christianity? It’s a superficial form of Christianity (thus, I would argue not Christianity at all) that lacks both depth and substance while demanding no sacrifice at all. Paul warned Timothy to avoid these types of people, saying they appear to be godly but deny the saving power of Christ (2 Timothy 3:1-5). When we love the things of this world, we do not love God (1 John 2:15-17). To love things that are not eternal is to mock our eternal King. Christ died so we could live life to the full (John 10:10), not so we could give lip service to His extraordinary sacrifice. If Jesus is our Lord, we will gladly surrender every area of our lives to Him. We will exist to serve and bring honor to His Name.
There is great danger in practicing cheap Christianity. Let’s entertain the possibility that I’m mistaken and someone who practices this shallow, superficial form of faith can truly attain salvation. How effective will they be? Their complacency and lack of growth will render them useless in impacting the world for Christ. If your commitment doesn’t cost you anything, what will motivate you to share the gospel? What will you say to Jesus when He asks for an account of your life (Romans 14:12)? Worse yet, what if you discover–too late!–He doesn’t even know you (Matthew 7:21-23)? There should be no surprise when He spits you out of His mouth (Revelation 3:15-17).
To avoid a cheap Christianity, you must have genuine faith revealed by your sacrifice, obedience, and devotion to Jesus. He said the world would know His followers by the fruit of their lives (Matthew 7:15-20). How is your fruit? The Word of God urges us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice marked by holiness (Romans 12:1). If your faith is the genuine article, you must surrender everything to Christ. Nothing else can mean anything to you. If we want to follow Jesus, He requires you to take up our cross every day. We’ve got to lose our identity so we can find it in Christ (Matthew 16:24-26). It’s what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Don’t settle for cheap Christianity. Surrender everything and discover you’re left with far more than you ever had!