The right and true Christian faith is’ (to go on in the words of our own Church) ‘not only to believe that Holy Scripture and the articles of our faith are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ’ – it is a ‘sure trust and confidence’ which a man hath in God ‘that by the merits of Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God’ – ‘whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments’ – John Wesley

The Scribe’s interaction with Jesus calls to mind the challenge of a professing Christian living an untransformed life. The Gospel of Mark reminds us how the spiritual leaders of the day were playing games with Jesus, the Game Changer. The religious leaders do not give up easily in trapping the name of Jesus and His word. Are the spiritual leaders of today different or worse? The game started in Mark chapter 11, first with the Temple leadership, followed by the Pharisees and Herodians, and followed by the Sadducees (Mk 11:27; 12:13, 18).

There is something familiar among the spiritual leaders and many people on what it means to be close to the Kingdom of God and not be in the kingdom. The common ailment is our spiritual blindness. John Wesley calls such people or spiritual leaders’ Almost Christian.’ As a part of Methodism’s doctrinal heritage, Wesley preached the sermon “The Almost Christian” at St. Mary’s, Oxford University, as one of the University sermons on July 25, 1741. Wesley contrasted nominal (or almost) and authentic (or altogether) Christianity in this sermon.

Wesley compared an “almost Christian” as living an outwardly Christian life in every way to an ‘altogether Christian,’ who ‘adds to this love for God and neighbour, and genuine faith (trust and confidence) in God’s love for them through the merits of Jesus Christ.

Kevin Watson, in a sentence summary on Wesley’s ‘The Almost Christian’ writes, ‘While an almost Christian lives an outwardly Christian life in every way, an altogether Christian adds to this love for God and neighbour, and genuine faith (trust and confidence) in God’s love for them through the merits of Jesus Christ.’  The difference is about individuals who have an identity as Christian and yet do not meet the criteria for being ‘born again.’

In our lectionary reading this week, we saw how a Scribe pushes himself into the question-answer time with Jesus, only his question is different from the rest (Mk 12:28-36). The Scribe’s question points to his renewal and assessment aligned with the Old Testament. He asks, ‘Which commandment is the greatest of them all? He was not asking a tricky question. Instead, he wanted spiritual clarification beyond the duties of temple workers.

Jesus, in response to the Scribe, quoted Deuteronomy 6 as the foremost commandment, ‘Hear, O Israel! Our Master is the sovereign God over all. There is none other (Deut. 6:4-5). As the classical declaration of God’s monotheistic character, the passage is familiar to the Jews in Jesus’ time as a daily recitation in synagogue services. A twofold missional injunction follows the declaration, that is, command that must be done – to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength, and to teach their faith diligently to their children (7-9). We enjoy His covenant relationship when we respond to God’s love with love, gratitude, and loyalty. Faithful obedience to God and His commandments is possible only when it springs from faith in and love for God. Loving the Lord involves combining all four aspects of the human personality mentioned in the books of Deuteronomy and Matthew—heart, soul, might, and mind (Deut. 6:5; Matt 12:30).

The Scribe affirms and highlights God’s exclusivity (Mk 12:32), which resonates with the reality of Isaiah, ‘There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and … Saviour, there is none beside me’ (Is 45:21). The Scribe agreed that loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and with all our strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is more than all burnt offering and sacrifices (Mk 12:32). The Almost Christian, the Almost Church, the Almost leader can follow the call to offer sacrifice, an appearance of obeying and no due to the conviction of sin.

Indeed, God desires love more than offerings and the knowledge of Him more than sacrifice (Hos. 6:6). The Scribe’s wise answer prompted Jesus’ response to say to the Scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” The challenge of the Scribe, the Almost Christian, and the Almost Church is much understanding and knowledge that lacks grace, God’s Grace At Christ’s Expense. The Scribe is about illumination when conversion never follows. The Scribe (The Almost Christian, The Almost Church, The Almost Leader) was merely theoretical and intellectual, discussing religion but not practising it. Indeed, there may be meetings and preaching, but conversion never follows. For the Almost Christian, the subject of knowledge is the understanding and zeal to know God but lacks the will to obey God. A leader may have his understanding enlightened, yet his will is not sanctified. The Almost Christ resonates with the apostle’s words: ‘When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God’ (Rom 1:21). Being an altogether Christian leader is about having light in the head and beating in the heart. Beware of common knowledge that floats in the head without influence in the heart. The Pharisees’ heads were filled with common knowledge but never better their heart. They were a generation of hypocrites shaped by blind devotion. The Good News is that to go far in the kingdom, Jesus came to heal hearts just as Wesley’s heart was strangely warmed.

Let us prayerfully reflect on what it takes to be almost a Christian and altogether a Christian. First, what is implied in being almost a Christian? Second, what is implied in being altogether a Christian?

I. What is implied in being almost a Christian?

1. Heathen honesty – they are concerned for justice
2. They are concerned for the truth
3. They expected love and assistance from one another
4. An almost Christian has a form of godliness – does nothing which the gospel forbids
5. And almost Christian avoids strife and contention and seeks to live peaceably with all men
6. An almost Christian does as much good to as many people as he possibly can
7. They use all of the means of grace at all opportunities
8. They use family and private prayer and are sincere
9. They are sincere in that all these actions come from more than merely a desire to avoid punishment, the loss of friends, or to gain money or reputation – these motivations make one a hypocrite and not even an almost Christian
10. An almost Christian has a real design to serve God and a hearty desire to do his will
11. What more than this can be implied in being altogether Christian?
12. Wesley testifies that he himself did all of the above and was only almost a Christian

II. What more than this is implied in being altogether Christian?

1. Love of God that engrosses the whole heart and fills the entire capacity of the soul. He is crucified to the desire of the flesh, desire of the eye, and the pride of life.
2. Love of neighbor
3. One more thing is needed to be an altogether Christian: faith
4. True faith brings forth repentance and love and all good works
5. Definition of faith: “The right and true Christian faith is not only to believe that Holy Scripture and the articles of our faith are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ – it is a sure trust and confidence which a man hath in God that by the merits of Christ his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favor of God – whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments.”
6. Whosoever has this faith is an altogether Christian
7. Who are the living witnesses of these things?
8. Are not many of you not even almost Christians?
9. Good designs and good desires do not make a Christian.
10. God knows that if anyone dies without this faith and love, it would be better for them if they had never been born.
11. May we all then experience what it is to be not almost only, but altogether Christian!