I was doing some research recently and came across the latest Religious Landscape Study (fielded from July 2023 to March 2024). According to the study, 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christians. Compare that to only about 4% who call themselves atheists. Think about that—62% vs. 4%. You’d think the debate would be over right there.
But here’s what really concerns me: so many people say they’re Christians, but never actually take the time to understand what that means. I know because I was one of them. For years, I carried the title “Christian.” I went to church, I knew the lingo, and I thought that made me saved. But the truth? I wasn’t. I believed in God in the same way I believed George Washington was the first president—fact in my head, but no surrender in my heart.
Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” That verse haunted me once I realized it was describing me.
See, some people claim Christianity because they grew up with it. Others claim it because they figure it’s the “safest bet”—just in case there really is a hell. Let’s be honest: a lot of people wear the Christian badge out of fear, not faith. But fire insurance Christianity isn’t going to cut it when you stand before a holy God.
Romans 1:20 reminds us, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” In other words, nobody can say, “I didn’t know.” Creation itself is screaming the truth.
So yes—statistically, Christians far outnumber atheists in the United States. But here’s the sobering reality: God isn’t counting percentages, He’s looking at hearts. And the question you need to ask yourself is this: Am I truly following Christ, or am I just wearing the uniform?
Because here’s a statistic nobody escapes: 100% of people die. And your day could be sooner than you think. You owe it to yourself to understand what you believe—and Who you believe in.
Don’t wait. Don’t settle for a label. Don’t gamble with your eternity. Look at the evidence. Read the Word. And surrender to the only One who conquered death—Jesus Christ.
It simply starts by opening your Bible and praying from the heart with true intent. You don’t need fancy words—you need honesty before God. And then, take the next step: get involved with a local church. Not some arrogant, religious organization dripping with rules and rituals, but a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church full of people just like you—people who want to understand, grow, and truly know the God who created them because He wanted to love them.
And if you’re looking for such a place, know this: you are welcome at Northern Light Church. We don’t stand at the pulpit screaming, “Tithe or else.” We don’t line people up and declare some better than others. We open God’s Word, we study it without compromise and without opinion, and we seek to live it out together.
So stop putting it off. Stop hoping you’ll “get around to it someday.” That someday may not come. Start today—because the God who created you, loves you, and gave His Son for you is waiting.