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To: Colofornian

Some people will never see Mormons as Christians...
____________________________________________________

Oh I dunno

There hope for all unbelievers that one day before they die they will be seen as Christians

Even Mormon can get saved and become Christians


25 posted on 08/07/2011 1:24:56 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tennessee Nana; All
Brooks: Some people will never see Mormons as Christians...

Oh I dunno There hope for all unbelievers that one day before they die they will be seen as Christians Even Mormon can get saved and become Christians [Tennessee Nana]

Amen to that TN!

Oh, & btw, I think it'd be good if we defined the term, "Christian." To some, they think if you read the New Testament & celebrate Christmas, that somehow qualifies you!

I'd like to go back to the earliest year when the term "Christian" was first used...and describe what they were like even in those interchanges where derisive people accused them of being "Christians."

Where do we find that? (The book of Acts):

Two of the earliest recorded usages were highlighted by Dr. Luke, whom God used to write Acts:
* 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 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. (Acts 11:25-26)

And again, in 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?”

In the most simplest of terms, "Christian" = Christ-one. One devoted to the true Christ of the Bible.

Obviously, we could let the entire New Testament thoroughly and comprehensively provide even a greater/more detailed contextual definition of "Christian." But I am even willing to just look at the most immediate contexts for how that word was used: Acts 11 and Acts 26.

From Acts 11, we see in vv. 23-24 before the usage of "Christian" in v. 26 is: When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

These early "Christians"...
...acknowledged foremost God's grace (Acts 11:23) [Mormons heavily focus on "good works" & earning/meriting...grace = "gifts" which can't be worked for]
...had a single "Lord" (Acts 11:23-24) (not multiple gods like Mormons do),
...and sought to be filled with both the Holy Spirit and faith (Acts 11:24)[not simply ritualistic legalistic good works' checklist; many Mormons refer to the Holy Ghost as an "it" -- not even recognizing His personality]

This single "Lord" mentioned twice in Acts 11:23-24 is interesting when compared to Acts 26:15 (see below).

When we look @ what rulers Agrippa and Festus reacted to in Acts 26 -- Paul's message -- that evoked Agrippa labeling Paul a "Christian" (Acts 26:28)...what was Paul's message to them?

Christians are
(a) those who advocate that the world...
...open(s) their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26:18)
(b) Furthermore, they preach that others "should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds." (Acts 26:19)
(c) They proclaim that Christianity is compatible with Judaism as a Judeo-Christian movement: "I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:22-23)

Therefore, both the resurrection of Jesus and the Jesus as the in-context awaited Messiah are part of parcel of what/who a Christian embraces.

Finally, look @ the beginning of the apostle Paul's testimony as to how he and Jesus interacted. 13 verses before we see Agrippa calling Paul a "Christian," Paul says:

15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. (Acts 26:15)

Sorry, Joanna Brooks. Christians don't have two or multiple "lords." We regard Jesus as the very same LORD, Yahweh -- God, Himself.

29 posted on 08/07/2011 1:36:06 AM PDT by Colofornian (Tenses of polygamy: "As fLDS now are, LDS once were. As fLDS now are, LDS may become.")
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