Demographers today classify roughly one-seventh of the world’s population as Christian. However, church leaders are quick to point out that many adherents of Christianity, particularly in the West, can only be classified as nominal Christians—that is, Christians in name only. They attend church sporadically and show little if any spiritual commitment.
The faith of Amaziah of Judah was nominal. He generally followed the Lord, but not wholeheartedly (2 Chr. 25:2). Apparently he practiced the Law, but probably did so more out of tradition than out of heartfelt commitment to the Lord. So it is not surprising to learn that Amaziah took ethical shortcuts when it was convenient. For example, he spared the lives of Israelite children of murderers, in accordance with the Law (25:3, 4). But then he killed 10,000 innocent Edomites (25:11, 12).
Amaziah’s legacy is a sobering reminder that nominal faith is almost as bad as no faith at all. A person can lead a fine, upstanding life, yet have little or no relationship with God. If the main point of life is to know, love, and serve God, then merely following a noble religious tradition is of little value, and dangerously self-deceiving.
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