Nominally Christian?

I want to make something clear up front: I believe that as Christians we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ. It's such a blessing for me, a high achiever, to know that I can't and don't have to earn my way to salvation. That being said, we can't go too far in the other direction and neglect our responsibilities as believers. We have mandates in the Bible for how we are supposed to live as Christians to imitate Christ and glorify him.

A passage in James has been on repeat in my head as I've been wrestling with a lot of anger and impatience in pregnancy.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

James 1:19-20 NIV

It takes intentionality to truly listen to people. Take note: how often are you planning in your mind the next thing you want to say instead of truly hearing the other person. Being quick to listen and slow to speak requires a true humility that says to the other person "you are more important than my agenda" and "I care about what you have to say." James talks here about human anger. He means the kind of anger that is equivalent to murder in the heart (see Matthew 5:22). This anger "simply defends or promotes our own agenda." 1 We are called to live in a way that seeks the will of God, which is in His word!

Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

James 1:22-25 NIV

I've been there. I've read through my morning devotional and then an hour later, I'm speeding down the freeway, chugging coffee and yelling at the slow-driving lady in the left lane for making me late for work. I'm not proud of it, but I am often the most ungodly when I am behind the wheel of a car (oftentimes listening to worship music, ironically). But read James 1:22-25 again! We are called to live radically different lives. We shouldn't just read the word, because it is worthless if you don't actually take it with you. We need to memorize it, write it on our hearts, and live according to what we know to be true.

To be nominally Christian is to be a Christian in name only. That's not true salvation. Maybe you're something close to that and you're Christian only in your own heart but when you go out into the world, no one can tell the difference between you and the rest of the world. Let's live in the fullness of who God made us to be and live our lives set apart from the world, following him in all we say, think, and do.

This week I want to focus on my own anger on the road. Maybe you have a sin struggle that you want to get rid of this week. Let's memorize James 1:19-20 together and recall it in times of frustration when we're tempted to act out in sin. Write these words on your heart so you can't help but recall them when it really counts!

Lord, I ask that you help us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry this week. Remind us of your word when we need to fight temptations and provide us a way out so we can glorify you in how we live. Thank you for your word and for giving us these lives that are set apart for you. I love you.

Amen

1 Enduring word bible commentary James Chapter 1. Enduring Word. (2025a, April 7). https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/james-1/