“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:21-23 that many self-proclaimed “believers” won’t be welcomed into heaven. The terrifying reality is that they may genuinely think they’re Christians, only to hear the chilling command, “Depart from Me.” There are numerous Americans today who proclaim to be Christian, but they have a false sense of security. Groups like the so-called “Chreasters” (church attendees only on Christmas and Easter) trust in their occasional religious rituals to grant them access into heaven. They say, “I believe,” but according to James 2:19, “Even the demons believe — and tremble!”

In the United States, our traditions, holidays, architecture, art, calendar, and even the way we speak, are largely rooted in Christianity. Commonly touted phrases like “In God We Trust” and “One Nation under God” are ingrained into our vernacular. Being a “Christian” seems as American as apple pie! So, isn’t that influence positive and likely to guide more people toward the gospel?

The answer to that depends on whether we adopt cultural Christianity without Christ. David Closson, the director of the Center for Biblical Worldview at Family Research Council, told The Washington Stand, “Cultural Christianity has been good for America, but bad for the church.” Cultural Christianity is beneficial in that it did cause Americans to form a moral consensus, he explained. “For several generations in the United States, the basic beliefs and convictions of Christianity have been adhered to and followed by a large percentage of the American public,” Closson noted. However, he believes that this phenomenon hurts the church and its ability to share the gospel. “That was bad for the church, which tried to articulate a unique gospel that the majority of people thought they believed.”

Many Americans identify as Christian because of their religious affiliation or practices — but they aren’t true disciples of Jesus Christ. Reverend Billy Graham warned, “Christian living presupposes Christian conviction. But unfortunately, it is possible to have beliefs that do not find expression in conduct. This belief of the head is often confused with real faith. The simple truth is, one really believes only that which one acts upon.” Intellectually, most Americans may recognize Christianity as true or subscribe to the moral teachings found in the Bible, but without “real faith,” it’s meaningless. According to a 2025 Pew Research study, 62% of Americans identify as Christians, and yet few can describe their alleged faith in Christ.

You’re not a Christian based on heritage, traditions, or where you’re born. The very word “Christian” means “little Christ,” which comes from Acts 11:26. As important as attending church on Easter, praying before dinner, or owning a Bible may be, it does not make you a disciple of Jesus Christ. William Booth said, “The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and Heaven without Hell.”

Perhaps the greatest culprit in creating a society of cultural Christians is nostalgia. Americans may be fond of going to church on Sundays, saying a “blessing” before a meal, and putting up a Nativity scene during the Christmas season. Those things, although positive, have been integrated so deeply into our culture that they’ve lost their meaning. They’ve become traditions that Americans do from time to time instead of sacred acts of devotion toward God.

There’s also a group identity that creates a false sense of security. For example, you’re not a Christian because you’re a Republican or voted for Donald Trump. Many in this camp can even recite Scripture to prove their point or claim to have God on their side on some controversial issue. Yet without a commitment to Christ and a transformed life, your voting record means nothing in the grand scheme of eternity. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Paul writes nothing regarding your preferred candidates or your societal customs. Those things are clearly important, but when done out of obligation or to pay your penance to God, they mean nothing to guarantee your eternity.

One of the greatest threats to Christianity in America is an elementary understanding of Christ and what it means to be a Christian. Our culture, by design, is infused with biblical references, Christian undertones, and even holidays purposed to honor the God of the Bible. The danger is whether Americans become defined by their culture rather than their relationship with their creator. Americans should heed the command in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified.”

Zachary Gohl serves as an intern at Family Research Council.