Rice Christians

Every believer who shares their faith has been guilty of offering a non-believer an insufficient version of the gospel. As a compromise we offer people and others our form of the “American gospel” which promises that God will bless their life, make them happy, forgive your sins, and grant them a ticket into heaven. In most instances we do this by having our willing participant recite the sinner’s prayer. With our carnal minds we seek to pat ourselves on the back and congratulate ourselves for “bringing another person into the kingdom,” while most likely overstepping our boundaries as His disciples and pressuring a person to make a decision without fully explaining the costs of becoming a follower of Christ. In a sense we offer them only what Jesus can provide them, without telling them He demands their life and their full devotion. What we do is share an “insufficient gospel” that doesn’t address their depravity and sinful nature. We fail to confront them about their sin, the reason Jesus went to the cross. Confronting a person about their sin requires what the world labels as “judging,” but what the Bible calls a universal fact (Romans 3:23).

On the day after Jesus fed the 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee, the people came looking for Him and this is what He said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled” (John 6:26). As the one who searches the hearts and minds of people (Revelation 2:23) Jesus knew all they wanted was more physical food. Their desire to follow and seek out Jesus was superficial and was not based upon true belief, but was self-serving.

There is a phrase used in various parts of the world called “Rice Christians.” It’s a phrase used to describe false converts who were offered material possessions and incentives in conjunction with Jesus, but when the possessions were taken away or the incentives were removed, these “Rice Christians” reverted back to their previous religions. They were never regenerated by the Holy Spirit, thus they never became committed disciples. This was the case with the people who sought out Jesus the morning after He fed them.

Meeting  a person’s physical or emotional needs will never make him or her commit to Christ. The fullness of the gospel must be presented, including the cost of losing everything to gain “ALL.”

Evangelism is not completed until a new believer becomes a disciple.