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To: unlearner
The term "Christian" is only used three times in the Bible, always as a term used in ridicule.

OOOps!


I only found THESE three.............
 
 

NIV Acts 11:26
   and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
 
NIV Acts 26:28
  Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
 
NIV 1 Peter 4:16
   However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

347 posted on 04/12/2005 6:04:19 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: Elsie
Right.

If you look at the context, "Christian" was a term of ridicule that outsiders gave the believers. We do not use it this way today. Now it is used as a generic reference to a broad category of religious beliefs which may vary as widely as all religious beliefs do in general.

Most people (myself included) use the term differently than the Bible does.

Just thought this was a useful point when discussing statistics about how many people are "Christians".

Jesus said there were "few" who find the path to life, relative to the "many" who go the way of destruction.

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

I posted this in reply to comments about how so many people identify themselves as "Christian". Most people who consider themselves Christians are on their way to hell. This is not unique to any particular denomination either.

Sometimes the most dangerous place is a church where we grow up hearing the true message of the gospel and become desensitized to it. Just growing up hearing it, or giving a superficial affirmation of belief is not enough to escape God's wrath.

A person must fully put their trust in Christ Jesus alone in order to be rescued from the coming Day of the Lord.
349 posted on 04/12/2005 7:12:04 AM PDT by unlearner
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