Woke Christianity: 8 Signs You Might Be a Woke Christian

The church today is seeing a significant divide into two camps: ‘Woke’ Christians and those that are truly awakened, revived, and filled with the Holy Spirit. This divide is reminiscent of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25, where some had oil for their lamps and others did not. The oil is a metaphor for the truth – Biblical truth. There is a trend, a wave of progressive, liberal, and “woke” Christians who believe they have found a way to make Christianity more palatable, but in truth, they have strayed from core Biblical teaching.

What to Look Out for with Woke Christianity

1. A Naturalistic Worldview

They often accept the idea that there is no Creator God and that the universe came into existence through events like the Big Bang, devoid of any divine intervention. Genuine Christians, however, believe in Christian theism, which is a supernatural worldview that accepts the fact that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1) and is a personable and knowable Being.

2. Viewing The Bible as a Human Book

The second sign of woke Christianity is seeing the Bible as merely a human book. While genuine Christians believe in the divine and human origins of the Scripture, woke Christians often find errors, mistakes, and contradictions. They see the Bible as a record of religious experiences and ideas, as opposed to God’s divine revelation. They’ll often dismiss reports of miracles and supernatural events as myths. The Bible clearly states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

3. Prioritizing Experiences Over Doctrine

The third sign of being a woke Christian is prioritizing experiences over doctrines. The Orthodox Christian faith places significant importance on doctrine as a statement of historical facts and meanings. However, woke Christians often deemphasize the importance of doctrine, prioritizing personal experiences instead. The Bible stresses the importance of sound doctrine, teaching us to “hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). It also states that in the last days, many will be deceived by doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1).

4. Perceiving God as Universally Loving

The fourth sign of woke Christianity is the belief that God loves all people unconditionally, regardless of their actions. The Bible, however, maintains that God calls all people to repentance and holds them accountable for their actions. In Acts 17:30-31 it says that God commands all men everywhere to repent because the day is coming in which He will judge the world in righteousness. Romans 1:18 also states that God’s wrath that will be revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men.

5. Reducing Jesus to a Great Moral Teacher

The fifth sign is reducing Jesus to a great moral teacher or simply a remarkable human being. Authentic Christians understand Jesus as both God and man–more than just a ‘remarkable human being’. In Colossians, it says that in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead (Col 2:9) and that by Him, all things were created (Col 1:16). Hebrews 1:1-4 also clearly describes Jesus as far more than just a ‘great moral teacher.’

6. Believing in Human Goodness

The sixth sign of woke Christianity is the belief that humans are inherently good. The Bible, on the other hand, recognizes human beings as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. It doesn’t sugar-coat our sinful nature but offers hope through Jesus’s sacrificial death. In Romans 3:23 it says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and in Romans 6:23, states that the wage of our sin is death.

7. Seeking Salvation through Human Improvement

Next is the belief in achieving salvation through human improvement or societal development. They see the church as something to renew society and not to evangelize people. The purpose of the church is to worship God, build believers, and proclaim the gospel to unbelievers so they may be saved.

8. Changing the Church’s Role

The eighth sign is a changed perspective on the church’s role, focusing more on human improvement than fulfilling the mission of Jesus Christ. Woke Christians push for church leadership without doctrinal boundaries, while the Bible mandates that pastors must believe and teach sound doctrine (1 Timothy 3).

In conclusion, it’s vital to examine your beliefs and actions critically. Are you a woke Christian or an awakened Christian? Christianity isn’t merely a religion of personal experiences or societal improvement; it’s grounded in the belief of a loving, yet righteous, God who calls for repentance and provides salvation and forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Be a wise virgin and ensure your lamp is filled with the oil of truth.

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*This blog post borrows some thoughts from Gresham Machen's book, "Christianity and Liberalism." Machen was a professor at Princeton Seminary and later founded Westminster Seminary.