Let me ask you a question. Are you putting your whole faith in God, but still living as if everything in your life was up to you? If you answered yes, this is a sign of Christian atheism. Now you may sit there this and think, how can someone be a Christian and an atheist, they contradict each other? Christian atheism is simply, believing in God, but living as if He does not exist. A Christian believes in God and believes he exist, an atheist simply denies the fact that God exists. So, you are proclaiming that you are a Christian, but your actions and lifestyle state otherwise. It was over a year ago, in my youth group that we studied through the series the Christian atheist. The series is based on Craig Groeschel's bestselling book, The Christian atheist. There were 12 characteristics of a Christian atheist, and each characteristic was broken down to help the reader better understand each topic. Here are the 12 characteristics of a Christian atheist:

1. Believing in God but you don't really know him.

Believing in God and knowing God are two completely different things. Anyone can say they believe in God, and they may believe he exists, but to know him you must accept him as your Lord and Savior. A lot of people have a religious experience and think they are saved because they believe in God. It doesn’t work that way. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life no man come to Father except through me” (John 14:6). So, if you had a religious experience and you don’t really know Jesus I urge you to come to know Him, He will change your life.

2. Believing in God, but you are ashamed of your past

Everyone has a past. We have all done things we are not proud of. You may have been an ex-convict or you may have been an alcoholic or addicted to drugs or pornography. No matter what you’ve done in your life, Christ loves you just the same. When we let our past dictate our present and our future we concentrate more than serving and living for God. Jesus’ death on the cross erased every sin you would ever commit, Jesus said in John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed”. He took the burden upon him so you wouldn’t have to bear the burden of sin. When you fall on your face and acknowledge that you are a sinner and become a newborn Christian, your past doesn’t matter. The only thing you need to focus on is furthering the Kingdom of God.

3. Believing in God, but aren't sure He loves you

Let me just tell you God loves you and He will never leave you or forsake you. Sometimes we feel like God is distant from us and that He just doesn’t care for us anymore. You feel he doesn’t love you because he took one of your parents from you or you didn’t get that dream job or your best friend got killed in a car wreck or anything horrible that can influence your life. We think God is far from us, but truly God does not move away from us, we move away from Him. No matter how hard you try you can never outrun God, He will always be on your mind and constantly be there in your midst. God loves you more than we will ever be able to comprehend and He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

4. Believing in God, but not in prayer

People ask their selves all the time, why do I have to pray? Prayer is essential in a Christians life because it is our way of communicating with God. Many people think they aren’t good at praying or they are incapable of praying. Many Christian atheists excuse to not pray is that they don’t want to bother God with their small requests. If your request is big or small, God wants to hear from you. He desires for you to speak to him. Of course, we ask God for what we want, but He knows what you need. No praying for needs is one thing, but the key to prayer is taking the time to thank God for your life, and more importantly His Sons life that was freely given for you. Thank God for your health, job, home, family, etc. Most importantly thank God for saving you and being the God who he is.

5. Believing in God but don't think He is fair

Everyone at one time or another has wondered, why do bad things happen to good people? People then draw the conclusion that God isn’t fair. When you don’t get a certain job that you prayed for and someone else who may or may not be a Christian does get it, you then say, God that’s not fair!! We cry out in anger when we don’t get our way and blame God and begin to say He isn’t fair. Well honestly you are right, God isn’t fair. Let me explain. We sin, and the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). We deserve death for our sins. God sent his son to take our place. It would have been fair for God to punish us and never send His Son, but He was unfair by sending His Son to take our punishment and provide a way to eternal life. So, I’m glad He was unfair.

6. Believing in God but you won't forgive

I know everyone has trouble with this one. You hear all the time, “But she did this to me or I can never forgive him because of what he said.” When someone does something wrong to hurt you, you don’t want to forgive them. You become bitter towards the other person, and eventually bitterness leads to anger. Think about this though, if you don’t forgive others, why should Christ forgive you? The thing is you and that person have one very big thing in common, you’re both sinners. Christ forgave both of you from your sins. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. So just simply forgive as you have been forgiven. Even though they may not deserve it just remember neither did you.

7. Believing in God but you don't think you can change

Many people believe the lie that they can never change. They believe if they are addicted to a certain thing, or have an annoying habit, that they will just always be stuck with it. The reason many people believe that they can’t change is because they never admit to having a problem in the first place. You don’t have to lose hope, God can help you change. The bible says, “With man this is impossible, but not with God, all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). So, you can change, when you become a child of God you become a new creature. So, if it’s time for you to change then cut the ties with whatever is holding you back, and fully surrender to God, and I promise you will change.

8. Believing in God but you still worry all the time

This is a tough one for all of us. We all worry, whether it be at our job or a big test we have or a family member that is dying. Worry can begin to control your life if you allow it to. The goal of satan is to make you worry so much about everything, that you don’t do anything to further the kingdom of God. When you worry that means you aren’t trusting God to provide or come thru for you. So, worry equals not fully trusting God. The bible says, “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34). If you have any worry give it to God. God bears our burdens, and delivers peace to us that is unexplainable. Time to stop worrying and time to start praying.

9. Believing in God but you pursue happiness at all cost

Essential point, when you become a Christian the things you did in the past that made you happy that were sinful, it’s time to remove those things from your life. We as Christians are called to be set apart from the world. How can you proclaim to be a Christian if you still like the rest of the world? We find our joy in living for Christ. Psalm 97:12 states, “May all who are godly be happy in the Lord and praise his holy name! If you seek happiness in the things of the Lord you will find true happiness. If you seek the things of this world for happiness you will never find it. The world's happiness is temporary, but the joy found is Jesus is eternal.

10. Believing in God but trusting money more

Money is an asset in everyone’s our lives. It buys our food, clothes, cars, medicine, textbooks, etc. Money is a good thing we all agree on that; but money can’t buy your happiness. Even the bible says in 1^st Timothy 6:10, “For money is the root of all kinds of evil.” “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Also, don’t be stingy with your money in your tithing. All God ask is that we give back 10% to him of your income. If you begin the practice of tithing, you will see how much God will bless you. God loves a cheerful giver. When it comes to you job don’t trust your job to provide you income, trust God to provide you the income.

11. Believing in God but not sharing your faith

Many of you may not like to speak in front of people and I can relate, but one thing is for sure this world needs to hear the love of Jesus Christ. What if you had the opportunity to share Jesus with someone, but you weren’t comfortable in speaking to them, and they died the next day lost and went to hell for eternity. How would you feel? How could you live with yourself? When you become a Christian, Satan has lost your soul, the only thing he can do is try and prevent you from telling others about Christ. Jesus commanded us to go and teach all nations, not just one or two, but all nations about Him. Just remember that person who sits by their self at lunch or a poor girl on your block or a drug user sitting outside your local grocery store, you could be the only exposure to Jesus they ever have. You can change their life forever. Coming from me it feels good to share the gospel with someone.

12. Believing in God but not in His church

If you profess to be a born-again follower of Jesus Christ, you should be involved in church. Many people say, “Church isn’t for me” or “church is boring.” How are you going to grow in your faith if you never go to church? We as Christians need church because it helps us grow in our faith, and gives us the opportunity to worship in the presence of God and other believers. The most important thing about the church is we are the bride of Christ. When Jesus returns to earth, He will be coming to rapture His church. The church as a body of unified believers can do amazing things in the name of Jesus to further God’s kingdom.

So, if you find even one of these twelve characteristics in your daily life, I pray that you come to the realization that you don’t have to continue living in Christian atheism. My prayer is that you trust God with your whole heart, and leave any doubt behind. God can do amazing things through you, and He wants to use you to further his kingdom. So, I urge you brothers and sister in Christ, leave Christian atheism behind, and step into True Christianity.