What is a Christian

12/30/01 | Me

[Sparkvark]

Ive noticed alot of threads on FR that mention Christianity. I was wondering, how do you define yourself as a Christian? Does merely professing oneself a Christian make you one? Im curious, how do you perceive the Christian faith?

[shoedog]

Watch that Frozen Chosen line. We Presbyterians have been known as that for many years. (ha ha)

[Marauder]

I believe that Jesus was born of a virgin mother, and was crucified and died, was buried, and rose again.

This set of "core beliefs," which I've heard called "Holy Mysteries", is what one must believe in order to accept Him as his Savior. Mysteries because to accept them, one must suspend reason and not worry about physical explanation.

In a word, "Faith".

[rightwinggardeninggirl]

Thank you both for your kind words. And I pride myself on being able to handle ice cold swims :o)!

[Gal.5:1]

or Sparky, that was good. A Christian is someone who believes that Jesus is the only way to God because Jesus IS God coming down to us to pay for our sins HIMSELF. A Christan accepts this, believes in Him, trusting Him to do this. A Christian then wants to follow Him, living for Him for the rest of his/her life.

[rabbitdog]

Who are we to define what we think a Christian is? The Bible (God's word) clearly defines what we should do to become a Christian. It is not how we feel or what we think or our opinion on what a Christian is, it is how it is written: 1. Hear - Rom. 10:17 - "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." 2. Believe - Mark 16:16 - "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." 3. Repent - Luke 13:3 - "I tell you, Nay; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." 4. Confess - Matt. 10:32,33 - "Whosever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." 5. Be Baptized - I Peter 3:21 - "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us..." 6. Live Faithfully - Titus 2:12 - "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Rev. 22:18,19 says that we should not add nor take away from the word of God. So be careful of feelings that you add to and/or ignoring parts of the Bible. Look up the nearest church of Christ in your area. Rom. 16:16 - "Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you." Best wishes.

[Nataku X]

it gets fuzzy...

If God is a Calvinist, I'm saved. (If you profess to believe in trinity and the Bible, you are automatically a member of the elect)
If God is a Wesleyian, I'm doomed. (I sin too much... I never really plan to, but there will be times when I lose my temper or cheat on my diet, or cuss to myself)
If God is a Catholic, I'm going to purgatory first.
If God is really what he is publicly known as (ie, believe in Jesus as your savior), I'm saved.
If God is the "those who like Harry Potters are the greatest blasphemers" kind, I am doomed.

[PFKEY]

Here is the answer...Thank you, rabbitdog!

[Cindy]

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." -from THE BIBLE: John 3:16-18

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." -from THE BIBLE: Romans 5:1-2

GOD'S SIMPLE PLAN OF SALVATION (English and Foreign Language Translations)

[old-ager]

Didn't the Pope say all people worshipped the same God, even if they weren't Christians? Does he think they'll still go to Hell if they worship the same God, but call him by the wrong name?

Calling God by the wrong name is not the problem. It's actually worshipping a different entity that's the problem. Nobody who knows the tenets of, say, Islam would claim that they are the same as Christianity. If both claim to have the words of God, then one or both is wrong. As a Christian, I believe the teaching I have received is of course not wrong.

[old-ager]

The real meat of being a Christian comes from obeying the word of God as found in the New Testament.

But you don't obey His word. You sin all the time. Jesus died for your lack of obedience. You are disobedient. If you don't realize this, you are a Pharisee. You are forgiven all your disobedience through Christ's life, death and resurrection.

[fabriclady]

Some believe they have religion, others will say they are saved, we don't all have the same explanation. But I do believe that God gave his Son so that if I believe in Him, I would be forgiven and I will have eternal life. The Bible tells me so. What a wonderful question, you have allowed me to search my soul and I could write all night and still not be able to tell you all that I feel. Whatever we feel is OK so long as we have the love for God and mankind in our hearts.

[old-ager]

It's not as simple as many are here arguing. For example, Mormons not only profess belief in Jesus Christ, they believe their church was founded by modern revelation directly from Christ.

Just as there are many legitimate different translations of the word "God", there are many illegitimate references to the name "Jesus". Mormons speak of a "Jesus" but are not talking about the same Person that Christians are. Perhaps some demon has been brazen enough to call himself by that name. Christians love and worship the Jesus who is eternally part of the Godhead no less than the Father and Holy Spirit. Mormons blaspheme Jesus Christ, who is true God (from all eternity) and true man (for all eternity since the incarnation), without sin, who is the lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.

[PFKEY]

But you don't obey His word. You sin all the time. Jesus died for your lack of obedience. You are disobedient. If you don't realize this, you are a Pharisee. You are forgiven all your disobedience through Christ's life, death and resurrection.

True enough, I have no hope in heaven if it weren't for the grace of God. However, your response might lead some to think that everyone will go to heaven and that we are free to continue in our sin. I suspect this is not the point you were trying to make. Can you clarify? Please.

[Gal.5:1]

Here's the Bible verses I based my comments on.

John 14:6 "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."

John 6:40"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

John 1:12But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.

Colossians 2:6-7 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk(live) in Him,...

[old-ager]

True enough, I have no hope in heaven if it weren't for the grace of God. However, your response might lead some to think that everyone will go to heaven and that we are free to continue in our sin. I suspect this is not the point you were trying to make. Can you clarify? Please.

Right, it's not what I said. And right, some might make incorrect conclusions. But nobody is going to honestly conclude that Christ's suffering and dying because of their own sins makes further sinning a good thing, are they? And Scripture itself explicitly says it's completely wrong to conclude that we should sin more just so grace can abound. But my point here is that the "meat" is never going to be primarily obedience, but rather, forgiveness. I'll say it again: if the "meat" is obedience, we are in trouble.

[brat]

A Christian is someone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. Savior because He died in my place for my sins. Lord because He now becomes the leader of my life. Thus the walk begins. As we walk thru the world with Him, we are transformed and changed. Are we perfect? No. There is only one Perfect. But we are in a process of growing into His image. What is His image? Read the New Testament to see what He was like. He was no sissy. He was no hypocrite. He was no sinner. He loved the sinner, but hated the sin and would not compromise with it. He did not come to start a new religion. He came to save us and give us a way back to God.

[Restorer]

If God is a Calvinist, I'm saved. (If you profess to believe in trinity and the Bible, you are automatically a member of the elect)

I really don't think JC (John Calvin, that is) would recognize this theology. I don't know exactly what to call it, but it sure isn't Calvinist.

[old-ager]

He did not come to start a new religion.

He came to fulfill the religion that He had already started (back in the OT times). In that fulfillment, He definitely envisioned a "church" which would have many differences from the old one. No animal sacrifices. No mandated day of worship. New sacraments. New (additional) Scriptures. And the fulfillment of the promise (His own life, death and resurrection). So yes, He did come to start a new church. And even if you are a nondenominational worshiper, everything that was preserved of Christian Scripture and tradition came down to you via that stuffy old organized religion.

[Theresa]

I went to that web site. It is an insult to every intelligent Catholic. I would say more but I'd better not.