Is That Guy Really a Christian?!

[RDKirk]

Is that why people justify being a meddlesome busybody in the matters of other men's lives?

1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

A bit of info about that verse. The word translated as "busybody" is allotriepiskopos. It means, literally, "false boss." It means attempting to make yourself an authority over someone you don't actually have authority over.

 

[Jesus_is_Saint]

Are there true and false Christians?

 

[St_Worm2]

Are there true and false Christians?

Many truly believe they are Christians, but are not, and others pretend to be for various reasons. Here's some verses/passages to consider: Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; 1 John 2:19

 

[Yahu_]

A bit of info about that verse. The word translated as "busybody" is allotriepiskopos. It means, literally, "false boss." It means attempting to make yourself an authority over someone you don't actually have authority over.

Cool, that actually conforms to how I saw it anyway. Usurping false authority is a major problem IMO which I equate with the broad definition of witchcraft.

 

[OcifferPls]

Countless posts across the whole of this online forum often come within a hair's breadth of violating the cardinal rule of CF which forbids calling into question another member's Christianity. Understanding that is forbidden here, is there ever a time in the real world where it is Okay or even necessary to do so?

In the local church, is there ever an appropriate time to call someone's status as a member of the Body of Christ into question? Is it forbidden? Is it judging? Is it a loving act? Who gets to make this call, and under what circumstances?

What does the Bible have to say about this?

Does it matter? Even if the bible said anything negative about judgment (which it does), since when has that ever stopped christians from judging? And would it even make sense to say that a wise builder would have left the well being of the house entirely in the hands of servants who don't even know the answer to these questions? Personally I would not think much of that builder's "wisdom," but that's not the real picture of the house as I see it.

People don't like my position on this one, and for good reason.

From St. John's Apocalypse (besides the lake of fire, etc):

And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!" (6:15,16)

From 2 Peter 2:4-12:

...if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world but ... then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment ... whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand...

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

...if you would believe you would see the glory of God... (John 11:40)

For [YHWH] God is a sun and shield;
[YHWH] will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly. (Ps 84:11)

St. John's apocalypse:

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Rev 21:23-27)

From Isaiah 60:
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But [YHWH] will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
...
And they shall call you The City of [YHWH],
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
...
The sun shall no longer be your light by day,
Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you;
But [YHWH] will be to you an everlasting light,
And your God your glory.
Your sun shall no longer go down,
Nor shall your moon withdraw itself;
For [YHWH] will be your everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning shall be ended.

So we have hellfire among frightening images, caves, chains, release from captivity, ascent upon the mountain of God (Zion), freedom and sunlight. Is this beginning to sound familiar? The proposition that the early church within the Gentile world was a homogenous group, frankly doesn't even make sense, and personally, I'm of the position that it was a bit more complex than that.

Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. (Heb 13:13)

 

[Philip_B]

Does it matter?

Yes it does, because we are called by the Lord, and by scripture, and by the Church, to love one another.

 

[sculleywr]

Are there true and false Christians?

Yes, there are. There are plenty of people who claim to be Christians working for Christ, but they are sabotaging the work of the Kingdom. While it is God's place to judge them in regards to salvation, we must make sure we don't allow them to damage the spiritual lives of those who are in our churches on earth.

 

[Jesus_is_Saint]

How do we deal with false Christians?
Should we fight them?

 

[sculleywr]

How do we deal with false Christians?
Should we fight them?

Preach the Truth.

 

[Blade]

So you ask a question yet answer it your self. For me.. I dont answer to any man but my Father. I obey Him. It is when MANS rules or laws go against HIS WORD is when we MUST STAND! For it is to HIM we WILL answer. So who do you please? What is WRITTEN?

The lost.. or falling. We pick them up.. we become what is needed. Yet.. when one freely makes a choice. We dont just HANG around or we can be mislead and can fall with them. So many do not pray 24/7 and in the spirit also. They freely hang around others that believe so much different that what the WORD says. And its OK? I dont.. I will not. I share at times and then for those asking for prayers. There is only ONE Christ one body. Jesus came in the flesh died on the cross for the worlds sins and was buried. Rose the 3rd day and is the ONLY way to the Father. There is only HIS word. He is REAL! If we do anything by flesh.. nothing of HIM is there. So how I FEEL about something comes 2nd. HIM 1st HIS WORD. Things ADDED to it.. I will not hang around be apart of. If HE tells me to go to help to talk.. I will.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" This .. must be read above and below. Yet we do not hang around darkness. We as Jesus said.. come to call the sinner to repent. Not hang round them..till they do kind of thing. Its HIM or nothing