Christianoids

I just read this (undefined) term over at Pyromaniacs and liked it: "Christianoids". So I googled the word and clearly a lot of others had heard it and used it before. And it meant to them what it meant to me ... sort of.

You see, I've been trying to figure out (in my mind) how to classify the "ground" types in the Parable of the Sower. I get the first one. The "side of the road" ground was never a believer, never even inclined to it. I get that. And I get the last one. The "good ground" is the true believer, the one bearing fruit, the genuine. I get that. But there are two in between that somehow have evaded my classifications. They embrace the Word ... but not. They're not the true believers of the last category but also not the unbelievers of the first category. Oh, and they end up fizzling out. You know, like "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19). Yeah, exactly like that.

But what is a Christianoid? Well, like the term "humanoid" (we sci-fi fans like that term), it means that they may resemble the thing and may even call themselves the thing -- may even believe they are -- but they are not the thing. In this case, "the thing" is "Christian". How does a Christian differ from a Christianoid?

A Christian believes that God is love and, as a consequence, loves his neighbor. A Christianoid believes that God is love and, as a consequence, loves himself. "If God loves me, so should I!" He may do so by indulging his desires or his own worldview or his political beliefs or his quest for riches or power or whatever self-aggrandizement he may wish. But it is not a self-sacrificing love.

A Christian believes that God is good and, therefore, wishes to follow what a good God commands. "Whatever it takes, Lord." If she comments on others who fail to follow God's commands, it is because she is concerned about others missing out on God's goodness. A Christianoid believes that God is reasonably good but, when He crosses the line and suggests things contrary to her own wishes, should be marginalized. If God condemns an act that she wishes to indulge, then God is being "mythical" or "epic" or is using "an analogy" -- whatever it takes to evade it because it can't be genuine, not if it contradicts her position. Cross that idea and face the Christianoid's "righteous indignation".

A Christian believes that God is sovereign. As such, a Christian will hold fast in tough times, will experience peace in trials, will act with boldness even in the face of opposition if it's what Christ would have him do. A Christianoid believes that God is sovereign, meaning that God has sovereignly limited Himself to Man's Free Will. This means that it's wise to avoid the heat when times get tough, crazy to suggest "forgive others" when he's been wronged, or battle any opposition except, perhaps, that which comes from people claiming to be "Christians".

A Christian is, in Jesus's terms, a "sheep" following her "Shepherd". A key factor for this "sheep" is that she recognizes the voice of the Shepherd. So a Christian, recognizing the voice of Christ in the Scriptures, longs to follow that voice. It may take her to places that might seem uncomfortable or dangerous, but if that's where the Shepherd leads, she may be sure that He'll keep her safe and that's where she'll go. A Christianoid is a "wolf in sheep's clothing". They resemble sheep, but are certainly not going to go where the Shepherd leads just because the Shepherd says so. That whole "book" thing? Yeah, that's not even the Shepherd's voice. No, no, the Christianoids know much better than that and ridicule those who follow that voice for being ... sheep.

A Christian believes that Christ is the truth, that the truth shall set you free, and that the Holy Spirit is given to lead him into all truth. A Christianoid is confident that confidence is bad, that truth is personal, and that "you're certainly entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine" because truth is never a solid thing.

There are, of course, many more examples. There are many more facets. This is, by no means, a complete explanation or description. But you get the idea. This "Christianoid" category, then, would be the category between "unbeliever" and "believer", "non-Christian" and "Christian". The "Christianoid" will often resemble the "Christian", will likely even call itself "Christian". It will almost certainly belittle the Christian who questions its Christian-ness. The Christianoid is the shallow ground that sprouts up in delight at the gospel but can't take the heat. The Christianoid is the weedy soil that grows up into the gospel but finds itself choked out by the world. Instead of submitting to the Word, they succumb to their culture. They may last awhile or they may be a flash in the pan. Matthew 7 describes some that go to Judgment not knowing they were Christianoids rather than Christians. But there is a difference. The difference is real, important, and, when on the Christianoid side, tragic. As such, one other thing that differentiates a Christian from a Christianoid is that a Christian would have the compassion to try to warn the Christianoid.