What are the criteria for a true Christian? Is there a list?
This post should spark some reactions.
Here are a few of my thoughts. It is not fruitful to try to discern the spiritual condition of someone who has died. That person is no longer in our sphere of influence and we cannot influence their eternal fate one way or the other.
Orthodox Christian faith is that someone is saved (becomes a Christian) by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. So, God decides when one is saved. No one else has any input other than witnessing about how God through Christ has changed their own life.
Since I am not in charge of anyone’s eternal destiny, again I should not judge. However, if someone is trying to use their faith to win my trust it is important for me to discern the truth of their claims. But one should approach that graciously and generously rather than cynically.
Can and do Christians sin after being saved? Most certainly. Does that mean Christian can sin as much as he wants? Not at all. Rather a Christian can sin more than he wants because his desire should be to avoid and hate sin.
There is so much garbage being sold as Christianity by many churches and the culture. One of the most common heresies of modern culture is teaching justification by death—all someone has to do to go to heaven is die. Another heresy is that one goes to heaven by doing more good than bad in their life. Orthodox Christian doctrine is we are only justified by faith in Jesus Christ.