Almost is an interesting word that we tend to use with a fair degree of versatility. We sometimes use it when we are delaying something, when we are not quite ready to commit. For example, maybe you are at a restaurant and the server comes to your table and asks if you’re ready to order. You reply, “Well, almost.” We also tend to couple this word with procrastination. When a husband and wife are preparing to leave the house, the husband asks, “Are you ready yet?” and she answers, “Almost.” In other words, she’ll be ready in an hour.
But there are certain words that can’t be used with almost, like almost pregnant. That doesn’t really work. A woman is either pregnant or she is not. And one thing I have learned is never to ask a woman when she is due unless she has a sign hanging around her neck that says, “I am pregnant.” Far too many times, I have asked this question when, in fact, the woman wasn’t pregnant at all.
The word almost doesn’t work when it comes to sports either. A football team cannot claim that they almost won a bowl game. It doesn’t matter if the opposing team won by one point or two points. The winner is the winner. So a team can’t almost win. They are either the winners or the losers.
Another word that doesn’t fit with almost is Christian. Either you are a Christian, or you are not a Christian. You may be well on your way to becoming a Christian. You may be looking into the claims of Christ and investigating them. But that doesn’t make you a Christian. Either you are or are not a believer.
The Bible talks about a man that I like to call the Almost Christian, because as the apostle Paul presented the Gospel to him, he said, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28 NKJV). Almost. He was close, but not close enough. Apparently, Herod Agrippa was moved by Paul’s powerful and persuasive presentation of the Gospel. But then, he turned and walked away from it. He was close, but not close enough. He was the Almost Christian.
I think there are a lot of people like Herod Agrippa in our country today – Almost Christians. Despite a rash of books by avowed atheists that have sold quite well of late, it is not really true that there are a lot of atheists in the United States, even though they make a lot of noise. The fact is that most Americans believe in God. A recent survey revealed that 80 percent of Americans say they believe in God, and 73 percent believe in heaven. In addition, 71 percent of Americans say that Jesus is the Son of God, and 70 percent believe that Jesus rose from the dead.
But then a recent poll by The Barna Group revealed that half of Americans who call themselves Christians don’t really believe that Satan exists. Fully one-third are confident that Jesus sinned while he was on Earth, and 25 percent dismiss the idea that the Bible is accurate in all the principles it teaches.
But Christianity is a package deal, offered to us by Jesus Christ. We don’t just walk up to the salad bar of faith and order á la carte: “Let’s see. I will have a little forgiveness and a little mercy, but I am going to pass on the conviction and the guilt. I am on a guilt-free diet.” Christianity doesn’t work that way. Nor does majority rule, unless that majority is God. God decides. He sets up the rules. You either buy in or you don’t. It is as simple as that.
So, what distinguishes a Christian from a non-Christian or a pseudo-Christian? Our initial thought would be that what you believe determines whether or not you are a Christian. And there is truth to that. But did you know that you can believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that the Bible is the Word of God and not necessarily be a Christian? The Bible says, “Even the demons believe – and tremble!” (James 2:19 NKJV). Just because I believe the Bible is true and just because I believe Jesus is the Son of God doesn’t mean I am a Christian. Intellectual assent isn’t all there is. It includes that, but there is more.
It also might surprise you to know that you can pray, keep the Ten Commandments to the best of your ability, attend church on a regular basis, and be baptized and not necessarily be a Christian. If you are a Christian, you ought to do those things. But you can do those things and not necessarily be a Christian. You might be an Almost Christian.
Then what does a person need to do to be a Christian? First, we must have our eyes opened spiritually. The Bible teaches that that prior to becoming a Christian, every person is spiritually blind: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV).
The next step is to turn from darkness to light. Only God can open our eyes. But only we can turn from darkness to light. Only God can make us aware of our need for Christ. Only we can put our faith in Christ. God won’t do it for you. He has given you a free will. It is up to you to respond and decide. You have to turn from darkness to light. The Bible tells us, “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12 NIV).
The problem is there are a lot of people who are trying to live in two worlds. They know what is true. They effectively believe it is true. But they have not turned from darkness to light. And they are Almost Christians.
A person can become a Christian in a flash. It is not a long, drawn-out process. It can happen so fast it probably cannot even be measure by human time. Yet some people mistakenly believe they are in the process of converting to Christianity. Either a Christian or you are not. You are either converted or you are not.
You cannot live in two worlds. You need to have your eyes opened. But then you need to turn from darkness to light. Make sure you know with certainty where you stand with God. Don’t be an Almost Christian.
