Please Help-Need Inspiration -Interview of a Christian- What is a Christian

[EWaldron1988]

Hello,
I was brought up Catholic, however, I have not been practicing in awhile. I am actually taking a religion course in hopes of sparking something new. One of my assignments is to interview a religious Christian, and I thought there was no better place then this to get some ideas! I want to thank you in advance for your honesty and inspiration.

I would like to know how you became a Christian. Were you brought up in the religion or did you find it later in life? Did you ever change denominations and why?

What do you believe are the primary responsibilities of a Christian?

How does being a Christian help you in your daily life?

What is the most difficult thing about being a Christian today?

 

[Rescued One]

Well, let's say a seventeen-year-old babysitter taught me to pray (in German) in Germany when I was four. I memorized the prayer, but I didn't understand German. I don't remember if she translated it for me. My parents were never Christians and had not joined any church that I know of. Finally when I was ten, my mother and stepfather sent me to a Methodist Church (not the United Methodist Church of today) for Sunday School only. I think they wanted a cheap babysitter. The bus came and picked me up along with two of my siblings and some other children. I grew up with a desire to pray and love God. None of my siblings did.

My problem was that we moved almost every year, I didn't have friends, and didn't know which church I should attend. A girl who had live next door became a Mormon. Later I lived next door to a lifetime Mormon who was my age. I ended up joining the Mormon church. It always made me feel far from God. But it took more than a decade to beg God, Whoever the true God is, to lead me and teach me truth.

Proverbs 3
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

God spoke to me through those verses!

I believe that a person becomes a Christian when God the Holy Spirit gives that person the new birth. I am a Trinitarian because God convinced me of that doctrine. The new birth results in a heart that desires more than anything to follow Jesus and keep His commandments.

Thank you for asking!

I don't face the pressures that young people do today. I love the free time I now have to study God's word.

 

[Rescued One]

I wonder why no one is responding.

 

[EWaldron1988]

Well, let's say a seventeen-year-old babysitter taught me to pray (in German) in Germany when I was four. I memorized the prayer, but I didn't understand German. I don't remember if she translated it for me. My parents were never Christians and had not joined any church that I know of. Finally when I was ten, my mother and stepfather sent me to a Methodist Church (not the United Methodist Church of today) for Sunday School only. I think they wanted a cheap babysitter. The bus came and picked me up along with two of my siblings and some other children. I grew up with a desire to pray and love God. None of my siblings did.

My problem was that we moved almost every year, I didn't have friends, and didn't know which church I should attend. A girl who had live next door became a Mormon. Later I lived next door to a lifetime Mormon who was my age. I ended up joining the Mormon church. It always made me feel far from God. But it took more than a decade to beg God, Whoever the true God is, to lead me and teach me truth.

Proverbs 3
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

God spoke to me through those verses!

I believe that a person becomes a Christian when God the Holy Spirit gives that person the new birth. I am a Trinitarian because God convinced me of that doctrine. The new birth results in a heart that desires more than anything to follow Jesus and keep His commandments.

Thank you for asking!

I don't face the pressures that young people do today. I love the free time I now have to study God's word.

Thank you so much for your response! Definitely a unique and interesting experience.

 

[PloverWing]

I wonder why no one is responding.

The questionnaire post also appeared in the Christian Advice forum (Advice for Religion Student- Need Inspiration- Interview of a Christian), and there have been some responses there.

 

[Swan7]

I would like to know how you became a Christian. Were you brought up in the religion or did you find it later in life? Did you ever change denominations and why?
Christianity is not a religion, but a way of life. It’s about the relationship we have with God, who made us and everything else. Religion is what the Pharisees had as they put the Law above God. I hope that makes sense.

How I became a Christian:
I grew up learning about a man named Jesus Christ. I had no idea who this man was, only that He died for us. I didn’t learn much about Him in my childhood, so I went on many many years a very diluted christian.

It wasn’t until 2014 that I truly gave my life over to God and followed His ways rather than my own. It all starts with a decision to follow Him or not.

What do you believe are the primary responsibilities of a Christian?
To love God with all your heart, mind and soul: Deuteronomy 6:5, Luke 10:27, Matthew 22:37
To search for His Kingdom and His face: Matthew 6:33


How does being a Christian help you in your daily life?
I have peace in my heart like I’ve never experienced before in my life. I have a new mindset that is away from the misery I used to think and feel. Christ actually saved me from suicide; from the darkest of places there is light.

What is the most difficult thing about being a Christian today?
Being persecuted from all sides, even from within the “church”. Just as Jesus was persecuted, so are the ones that follow Him: John 15:18-27

Not only that, but because sin abounds in this world, Christians need to cling to Jesus’ teachings as His Spirit gives life. Sometimes this is very hard to do as time passes by very quickly in a day.

 

[Rescued One]

The questionnaire post also appeared in the Christian Advice forum (Advice for Religion Student- Need Inspiration- Interview of a Christian), and there have been some responses there.

Thanks for the information.

 

[1watchman]

I think most of us who are "born again" saints of God, came to the Faith in similar ways regardless of personal circumstances and experiences. This is speaking of true faith and not just following religious ideals and some Bible verses.
1. We believed in the Creator-God; 2. desired to know Him; 3. read the Bible and valued it as the immutable Word of God and our only authority for the Faith as the Bible shows; 4. saw that God came down to earth as a Man in Jesus, the Christ of God, and suffered and died to redeem our souls to God; 5. received Him as our Savior, making Him Lord of our life, and was "sealed" as a "child of God" by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit ---which is an experience quite beyond anything we might seek to do.

Then we in some degree began to read the Bible daily and learn God's pathway and truth for His saints. For fuller understanding we have held fast to "all the counsel of God", as the Apostle Paul stated and are learning more throughout life about God's ways and our eternal blessings. It is then important to see the Church in the New Testament is the fulfilling of all the teachings in the Old Testament, and as a NEW testament is NOT an extension of the Israelite religion, but fulfilled all those promises by God.

One can learn more about this by always proving all spiritual things by God's Word and not religious ideas of religious people. I have found much help through the site: Biblecounsel.net; Bible Truth Publishers, Addison, IL and "...bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5). Look up always and ask God to teach you (see John 14).

 

[Emily Foster]

Hi there.

--I was born and raised in another faith. I came to know about Jesus when I was dating my husband as he was born and raised in a prayerful Christian family. I got baptized and started attending church regularly 4 years after marriage when my daughter was born. I took my time to truly understand what Jesus is about.

--to love God with all my heart, mind and soul. Also, to love others just as He loved me.

--inner joy, peace, strength, confidence, guidance and direction for my daily living.

--to not conform to the patterns of the world; reading the scripture every single day; controlling emotions in certain situations; showing love to mean people, an attitude of forgiveness etc.

 

[1watchman]

The Lord Jesus in our heart as Savior and Lord of our life is what pleases God-the Father, and brings eternal blessings. The Father has vested the work of redemption in His beloved Son, and what peace it brings to know Him (see John 14).

 

[JCFantasy23]

My parents were Christians but we didn't talk about God much unless I asked them direct questions. We didnt pray before dinners or go to church, but when I was a little kid my mom was still a church goer - the last time she was actively involved in church before I was an adult she was pregnant with me. Somehow she got out of the church life but it seemed like I was born believing in God, at least as far back as I can remember. I don't have an acceptance story where I stood and accepted God in my life, but I remember about junior high school age I decided I would start praying every night, and then when I was around 14 I decided I would start reading my great-grandmother's bible on my own - which took me years, read in order from Genesis to Revelation.

I didn't have a church history or much access to other Christians but kept getting closer to God through prayer and experience. I didn't have a denomination as a result - but did start studying different belief systems when I was in my later 20s and chose a Methodist denomination because I decided to try a church membership, get officially baptized and take communion.

I believe the primary responsibilities of a Christian are to love God with all your heart, soul and mind and share that joy to other people. I believe we are supposed to bring joy to others, be support systems through tough times, carry the light within us to pass around, and keep working in our journey to get closer to God. It's a joyous walk in life.

Being a Christian in my daily life helps me because without God where would I be? I am not a morning person but I speak to him in the morning when waking, then driving to work, then throughout the day through prayer. I try to do devotionals with the youversion app but am a bit inconsistent in habit. Having scripture and God helps me through everything and makes life so much more beautiful.

The most difficult thing about being a Christian today is the mixing with cultural changes and religion and so many turning against each other on societal views and distrusts.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

"The most difficult thing....."

Jesus says we are hated by all society (pernicious society as written in Galatians),
all the world hates us
because it hates Him.
This includes any and all chruches and religions and religious groups, cults or sects that are not actively alive and abiding in jesus.

Like Jesus was treated, and all the Apostles and all the disciples in the first century, so we are treat also when we follow Jesus and stand up for Him , trusting Him, testifying of Jesus as He Says. (we are slaughtered like sheep all day long)....

i.e. the 'world' (politic, religic, educational, financial, global, ) hates and opposes Jesus,
thus also as Jesus says hates and opposes all who follow Him.

Jesus says likewise "I (Jesus) Am Sending you (all) out AS SHEEP in the midst of ravenous wolves (sound safe and peaceful and joyful to you !?) " ....

THANKS BE TO GOD through JESUS CHRIST our LORD AND SAVIOR -
Jesus ALSO SAYS "I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD, so BE OF GOOD CHEER!!!!" (nice tasty edible sheep in the middle of wolves, YES ! HE IS THE GOOD PERFECT SHEPHERD watching over us, guiding us, protecting us, as the Father directs.... )

 

[1watchman]

Great messages above! Those who are truly "born again" believers in Jesus, the Christ, know God's Word is immutable (for He sees to that). It must be the full and only authority for the Christian faith, though we can allow religious people to hold whatever they like.

When one asks for help we know where the answers are to know, obey, and honor our Creator. I was moved to open a Bible in 1953 and happened upon John 14 ---WOW, that was great news to me. God moved me to bow and trust the Lord Jesus as my Savior and best Friend. I often refer real seekers to begin by reading John 1; John 3; John 14 to get an overview of our relationship with God; then read all the Gospels and Epistles daily ---alternating with the Old Testament each week to then learn about God, creation, His dealings with man, and His covenant relationship with Israel, as His earthly people on the "new earth" after the Millennium time. God says: "I will never leave you, nor forsake you!".

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

How does being a Christian help you in your daily life?

(working backwards gradually thru the op)

Those who are not abiding in Christ are abiding continually in sin, wickedness, unrighteousness disobedience and are subject to the devil ('prince of the power of the air') , cursed with sin, sickness, and death, and unable to understand anything spirit or to ever see heaven / Yahweh's Kingdom.

Those who are clean, righteous by faith, cleaned by His Word, walking in UNION WITH HIM, having been immersed in Jesus' Name and raised up out of death in to resurrection life, continually full of righteousness , peace and joy no matter what the circumstances,
have a Shepherd Named Jesus, Savior, Master, King, Healer, Comforter, Guide, Instructor, ALL IN ALL, as Yahweh's Word States Clearly, EVERY DAY in His Presence and able to go directly to His Throne of Grace in all and any time of need to receive immediate Grace from Him in any time of need.

Those not Christian are controlled/ ruled/ led blind by the devil.

Those with new life in Christ are freely righteously joyously whole-heartedly serving Yahweh IN THE LIGHT, eyes wide open , full of grace and truth and able to tell others the testimony of Jesus and about the BLOOD OF THE LAMB by which we overcome the enemy and sin (all the time).