Born a Believer

Recently, I read a transcript from Rush Limbaugh's popular radio program on his blog. As I was reading I came across a very sad commentary in our culture. People honestly think they are BORN as a Christian. I occasionally hear this on campus among students. But for some reason, on this day, I was shocked to 'read' that view. Maybe, I was shocked because it was Rush Limbaugh. I don't think Rush is always right politically. However, I tend to think he is right more than he isn't. Maybe, it was because I tend to think that people who have my views politically must be a Christian. {even I am unaware how much I unconsciously and wrongly associate my political views / preferences as 'Christian.'} Honestly, I was shocked to hear Rush say this:

CALLER: Yes. Could I ask another question, not related to this issue?

RUSH: By all means, since you're here.

CALLER: Yes, sir. I used to live down in Cape. I had met your dad on a couple occasions, and wondered if you have any knowledge about how your grandfather became a Christian. The reason I'm asking that is I knew that way back in the twenties and thirties when your grandfather was in that area, they had Billy Sunday revivals in Cape Girardeau, and you know Billy Sunday was kind of the predecessor of Billy Graham today.

RUSH: Yeah?

CALLER: I wondered if you knew anything about how he became a Christian?

RUSH: Born that way.

CALLER: (laughs)

RUSH: No, no. Born and raised a Christian.

CALLER: Yeah.

RUSH: He was a Methodist through and through, was a standing member of the Centenary United Methodist Church. He was on the board for many, many years, great fundraiser and donor to the church and so forth, so I don't remember him saying anything about Billy Sunday and whatever influence that Billy Sunday might have had on him. But I know that he was born into Christianity. He was just like I was, our whole family was born into Christianity.

CALLER: Okay. Well, 'cause you know the reason I was saying this -- and I hope you don't mind me commenting on this, 'cause this is kind of personal to you. But nobody in current America -- publicly in the public eye, in the public scene -- could go through the things that you have gone through without their Christian values and family background connections. If anything, it is a commentary on what a lot of people in this country could make available to them if they would get it like you.

RUSH: It is personal.

CALLER: I know. I know.

RUSH: We don't do religion on the program because I'm not a preacher and I don't do sermons here.

CALLER: I know. I know.

RUSH: I don't like arguing people's faith with them because faith by definition is what it is. But I appreciate your saying that. I do think that one of the great problems we have in the country is that we have lost sight and even connection to the religious nature of our founding. I don't think there's any question about it. I don't think you can have 1.3 million abortions a year without any guilt whatsoever on the part of so many people, and not say we've lost one of the most important roots (r-o-o-t-s) to our founding. You know, it's safe to say that in many acts of crime that take place in this country you could say that part of the country has lost its soul. I don't think there's any question that that's happened and is the case. So I appreciate your call, Bob. Thanks much with the update on the chief of police in Belleville, Illinois, saying upon further review there was no racial element in the school bus full of black students beating up a white student and cheering about it.

END TRANSCRIPT

I would REALLY like to ASSUME that Rush means to say that he was raised in a Christian home which God used to draw him towards his OWN repentance and faith in Christ. Yet, I am doubtful that is the case. Even the caller was uncomfortable with Rush's response. The caller's laugh seemed to indicate he thought Rush was joking. I almost expected Rush to say, "No, seriously."

Romans 5:12-21 explains that everyone who is a child in Adam {everyone} is fallen in sin. Romans 3:10-12 says that all are sinful, no one is righteous. Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, no one is saved from their sins except through the Grace of God and the Cross of Christ. Certainly, not through birth. If we are BORN a Christian, why did Christ die?

Ultimately, I ask this question: how {as the church universal} are we going to communicate this basic and critical concept to the church? I fear too many deceptively believe they were born righteous.