If we were completely honest with ourselves, most of us would admit that we like to be comfortable. We prefer life without conflict, trials, or difficult decisions. We enjoy peace, routine, and security. But the Christian life was never promised to be comfortable.
Jesus never said that following Him would be easy. In fact, He said in John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” As believers, we are called to stand apart from the world, not blend into it. That brings us to what I call the Comfortable Christian.
What Is a Comfortable Christian?
A Comfortable Christian is someone who enjoys the benefits of being called a Christian but avoids the cost of truly following Christ. They attend church faithfully, place money in the offering plate, volunteer in ministries, and may even teach a Sunday School class. Outwardly, they appear to be devoted followers of Christ. But appearances can be deceiving.
Many of us have heard the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.“ A person may pray before every meal and carry a Bible to church every Sunday yet live very differently the rest of the week.
They may laugh at ungodly jokes at work because they don’t want to be different. They may lose their temper with their spouse or children over the smallest inconvenience. They may spend hours filling their minds with television, movies, music, or internet content that dishonors God, while giving only a few minutes each week to reading His Word. Their Christianity is comfortable because it requires very little sacrifice.
The Fruit Reveals the Tree
Jesus gave us a simple way to recognize genuine faith. Matthew 7:16-17 says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”
Fruit always reveals the kind of tree. An apple tree doesn’t struggle to produce apples—it simply produces what it is. Likewise, a heart that truly belongs to Christ will naturally begin producing spiritual fruit. Notice that Jesus did not say we would know Christians by their church attendance, their Bible knowledge, or even their religious activities. He said we would know them by their fruit.
What Does Spiritual Fruit Look Like?
The Bible tells us exactly what that fruit is. Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” These qualities should become more evident as we walk with Christ.
Think about a man who owns a small business. A customer accidentally overpays him by one hundred dollars. No one else knows about it. The comfortable Christian may quietly keep the money, convincing himself it was the customer’s mistake. But a believer walking in the Spirit returns the money because honesty matters more than personal gain.
Or consider a woman whose elderly neighbor can no longer mow her lawn. She has a busy schedule and every reason to say she has no time. Yet she chooses to help because the love of Christ moves her to serve others. Those are examples of spiritual fruit.
Is There Fruit in Your Life?
That is a question every believer should ask. John 15:8 says, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” Notice that Jesus didn’t simply say to bear fruit. He said to bear much fruit.
Ask yourself honestly: Am I becoming more like Christ? Do others see Jesus in the way I speak? Do my family members see the same Christian at home that people see at church? If my co-workers never heard me say I was a Christian, would they know by watching my life? These are searching questions, but they are necessary.
Religion Is Not Enough
One of the saddest passages in all of Scripture is found in Matthew chapter seven. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Notice that these people were religious. They spoke about Jesus. They performed works in His name. Yet Jesus said, “I never knew you.“ The issue was never what they did. The issue was that they never truly belonged to Him. A person can sit in church for fifty years and still miss Heaven if they have never placed their faith in Jesus Christ.
God Looks at the Heart
People often judge us by appearances, but God sees much deeper. Jeremiah 17:10 tells us, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” God knows our motives. He knows whether we sing to impress people or to worship Him. He knows whether we serve because we love Him or because we want recognition. Nothing is hidden from His eyes.
Today Is the Day
If you have grown comfortable in your walk with God, today is the perfect day to return to Him. Perhaps you know Christ as your Saviour, but your heart has grown cold. Maybe your Bible has gathered more dust than fingerprints. Maybe prayer has become an occasional emergency call instead of a daily conversation with your Heavenly Father. God is ready to forgive.
1 John 1:9 (KJV) says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, today can be the day your life changes forever. Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Salvation is not earned through good works, church membership, baptism, or religious activity. It is received by grace through faith in Christ alone.
Don’t settle for being a comfortable Christian. Be a committed Christian. Be a fruitful Christian. Be the same person on Monday that you are on Sunday. Live in such a way that when people see your life, they see Jesus Christ.
May the Lord richly bless you as you seek to follow Him each day. If you would like me to pray with you or answer questions from the Bible, you are welcome to contact me at Bob.L@magnificentPromises.com.
May God bless you and keep you.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I don’t claim to be an expert or connected to any religious organization. My only affiliation is with my Lord Jesus Christ. What I’ve shared here is just one man’s opinion and observation. I hope it’s given you something to think about. I believe there’s one place where we can find all the answers to life, and that guide is known as the Bible. If you’re seeking those answers, all you need to do is read. If you’d like me to pray with you or share your thoughts, feel free to email me at Bob.L@magnificentpromises.com.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
