Nominal Christianity is Christianity in name only. The nominal Christian checks the "Christian" box on forms, may have been baptized as a child, attends church on Christmas and Easter, holds a general respect for Jesus, and would be offended to be called anything else — but shows none of the marks of genuine regeneration. He does not delight in Scripture, does not pray except in crisis, does not confess particular sins, does not seek fellowship with other believers, does not grow in holiness, does not bear fruit. His Christianity is an identity, not a life. Jesus warned of nominal Christianity in the sharpest terms: "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!'" (Matthew 7:21-23). Note: these were not people who denied Christ; they called Him "Lord." They were active in ministry. But He never knew them. That is nominal Christianity in its most sobering form. The New Testament repeatedly distinguishes between genuine and nominal. The parable of the sower shows four soils, only one of which bears fruit. The parable of the wheat and tares shows real and false growing together until the harvest. 1 John tests genuine faith: do we love the brethren? do we obey His commandments? do we confess our sins? The nominal Christian is not necessarily worse than the non-Christian; often he is much nicer. But his danger is greater because he mistakes inoculation for immunization — enough Christianity to feel safe, not enough to be saved. The answer is not more religion but new birth: "You must be born again" (John 3:7).