Can you be an “ex-Christian”?

When you hear somebody describe themselves as an “ex-Christian” or “former Christian,” what’s your reaction?

In my journey through different churches in the course of my life, I’ve heard a number of different Christian perspectives on this. Some Christians believe that it’s entirely possible to stop being a Christian and renounce your saving relationship with Jesus Christ. I’ve heard others suggest that it’s not possible to be an “ex-Christian,” and so anyone claiming to be one is either mistaken or was never truly a believer.

What do you think?

Share your thoughts!

10 Responses to “Can you be an “ex-Christian”?”

  • I feel their is no way any person in their right mine can become a ex-christian.Christian fellowship is doing every thing possible to fulfill the works of god who is the father, the son , the holy spirit that is in gods forceful fire ignited in christians.No one can change from the true love of god once a christian always one.1 Corinthians verse58 says and I am using my own words, brother be steadfast,unmovable,and abounding in your work for the lord for as you know your work shall not be in vain. Well if you read this scripture with real understanding and faith in god you will continue on the right path narrow and straight. Thank you, for reading Beulah G. Sipp ST lUKE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST [COGIC]

  • you can quit going to church and living for
    god,but i dont recomend it because with out god
    we have nothing.so we need to never give up on god and find the
    church he wants you at. there are consequences for our sin.
    there will me discipline and some times even chastizement for
    our sin,but thats only because god loves us to much to
    let people to continue in sin,and we should love people enough to tell
    them the truth out of love and continue to pray for them. dont lose hope
    or give up on god. let jesus guide you and youll never go wrong. dont get me wrong we all make mistakes at times and god forgives us,but we just cant continue in our sins.

  • Albert says:

    Recently I gave this some consideration. I would treat someone that says they are an ex-Christian as a non-Christian. I would not bother questioning their salvation at an earlier age. I do not know the mind of God. I would trust them at their word when they say that they do not believe now. I will therefore talk to them about sin justice and a need of a savior. I typically ask them to quit looking at people as their standard of what a Christian is. I will try to get them to look to Jesus as the only truly perfect Christian.

    Thanks for asking.

  • Pat says:

    How bout we call them backsliders? Or one could question whether or not they truly were real Christians in the 1st place. Many people like to pretend. My feeling is once you’ve had a born-again experience, it doesn’t leave you. You run from it, you allow yourself to be led astray, you go back to doing things wrong but deep down in side, its still there. This is from experience. I came back. I had too. Nothing was going to go well until I did. I fell on my knees, face, back, cried out, repented and like the prodigal son (getting misty), was welcomed back with open arms. Came back, lessons learned, stronger, wiser, better, I can also say FREE again. Praise God.

    • diane says:

      Well said…. if you truly experience the Holy Spirit in you, you want to please God, you want that relationship, and once you have it you realize that nothing else in this world comes close to the joy you can experience in that. We can live in the moment which is our earthly lives, or we can live for an eternity spent with our heavenly Father! That is amazing! Amen!

  • serg says:

    Yes it is a very confusing aspect, but somehow personally I believe once you are born again you can never go back. Again 1 John 3 says if are born again you can go on living on sin again, so i wonder a lot when people go back and start living in sin whether they have ever been born again or if they have never been…. may the Lord be with us as we strive to understand his word and live it out

  • diane says:

    Some whom would describe themselves as ex-Christian may have fallen way from their belief in Christianity, but that would be them changing, not God. God is always the same and does not change. You can never loose your salvation.

  • One can be an ex christian if happens to run awy from a christion way of life but not meaning to say that JESUS REJECTS his people .Jesus can not force himself on one’s life .He gave us the power of choice thus if you decide to put awy the christion life Jesus will let you go .

  • Can an individual wind up in hell after being born again by the power of God? Man says yes because in mans ignorant wisdom negates what Gods power has wonderfully done, man stoops in his intellectual exercise in his own unfaithfulness and tries to rationalize it into some kind of theology 101!
    Jesus said
    “When he the comforter has come he will guide you in all truth….”
    and
    If man is unfaithful Jesus will remain faithful for he cannot disown himself….
    The only way any that any blood bought born again believer can lose their salvation is that right now one must go to the heavens and destroy all the streets of gold. Then after that bad that individual must destroy all the angels at Holy Gods command. Then after that feat the last thing the individual must do is take on Holy God himself. This is impossible so any individual who called out to Jesus for salvation by repentance cannot and will not lose their salvation it would be a paradox in the face of God’s holy word and the payment of mans sin by the blood of his dear son Jesus Christ!
    Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

  • Lofn says:

    Yes. I am a very proud ex-christian. I am unitarian and pagan now.

    Since leaving christianity, I have become more accepting of myself. In fact, I genuinely like who I am now. I no longer hate myself for being attracted to both men and women for example, and am now in a loving monogamous relationship with a man who understands and supports my sexuality and religion, even though he himself is heterosexual and atheist.

    I no longer feel like I’m doing anything wrong when I doubt my religion, masturbate, and other things christianity tried to teach me were wrong, but are in fact healthy and natural. AND I don’t run around doing heroin and killing people like many christians believe happens to a person who has no faith in Christ. I am perhaps MORE moral by christian standards now than I was then. I can say for sure that I am more honest, both with others and with myself.

    My daily life has only improved. When I want change in my world, I work for it, and don’t just pray for it. When I can’t do anything to cause change, I relax and take it one step at a time, rather than worry about what god will do to me. When I die, I suspect I will receive similar to what I always have, but I am comfortable with the mystery. I know that I’m a good person, and that I try my very best. I accept that I can not MAKE myself believe in a god, and that if there is one, or if there are many, they must know this. The bible does teach that god calls us to him. If I can’t find him, it will not have been for lack of trying on my part.

    I am glad I was christian, but I am also glad it’s over. I no longer have to cry and repent when I don’t really feel like I’ve done anything wrong. I don’t have to beat myself up with the knowledge that someone had to die simply because I stole a dollar, or told my parents my phone was dead when really I was disobeying them to spend time with my friends.

    My psychological health has also improved. I can accept my doctors treatment, because now I know that I am not just being tormented by demons.

    All in all, I’d say my life has vastly improved. I am a much happier person now. And if I’m wrong and Jesus is there, I know that I DO have faith that he is big enough to find me and show himself to me. I just haven’t seen it yet. Maybe my time is coming. If it isn’t, I’ll at least be happy on Earth. And I’ll know that I tried to believe. According to the bible, faith the size of a mustard seed is supposed to be enough.