Are there fake Christians?

[Catherineanne]

Ok, since you haven't quite gotten what I'm saying in the last 2 or 3 posts, let me spell it out a bit more clearly.

I know people who think that all they have to do on this earth is be good and they'll go to heaven. They also consider themselves Christians because of it. I have been saying I know people like that for 2 or 3 posts now. You just have chosen to ignore it, is all.

I think your understanding of those people, and of their theology, is deficient. Just as your understanding of what I have said leaves something to be desired.

There is no Christian on the face of the earth who actually believes as you think they do. You are making assumptions, and you are mistaken.

Good luck with that.

 

[salida]

Yes there is. We are to look at a persons actions and be a fruit inspector.

 

[E.C.]

How many of them were there???

I think they would argue that it's the same guy that they worship. And what makes you think that you have the right view on this and not them?

To quote the movie Highlander, "There can be only one"

Well, Christians believe that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully Man united in one body. The Mormons and JWs do not believe that and therefore their theology is not Christian. Both believe that He was just a really wise guy who had some great ideas on ethics, morality, etc; but both will deny His divinity. Since they worship a mere man and not someone who is both God and man, they do not worship the same Christ as Christians do.

 

[DCJazz]

I think your understanding of those people, and of their theology, is deficient. Just as your understanding of what I have said leaves something to be desired.

There is no Christian on the face of the earth who actually believes as you think they do. You are making assumptions, and you are mistaken.

Good luck with that.

The fact you're insulting me and whatnot isn't very Christianlike. So you should probably watch that attitude before it gets out of hand. A certain verse comes to mind... Something about fools thinking themselves wise...

 

[DCJazz]

How many of them were there???

I think they would argue that it's the same guy that they worship. And what makes you think that you have the right view on this and not them?

Ok if I start saying that science is god or something like that, and I called myself an atheist, how would you know I was a true atheist or not?
As you judge us and those who claim to be atheist but are not, so too must we sift through the lies.

Oh and I'll go further with the Mormonism and say they believe not only in many gods, but that they too can become a god one day. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know this is way way way off base with actual Christianity.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hello, I'm new here. Also an atheist. I'm curious to know more about the scope and sects of Christianity. My first question:

Are there fake Christians? By "fake" I refer to people who identify as "Christian" but are told by other "Christians" that they are not "real" Christians.

What characterizes a fake Christian?

Thanks

It's pretty simple, it is someone who professes to be a Christian but doesn't do the will of God the Father. (Matthew 7:21-23)

 

[rpeg]

Took me a while to respond here but thanks for all the responses. Much more varied than I imagined. I find the matter of Christians (or possibly other religions) often criticizing others for not being authentic to be a strange phenomenon as an outside observer.

 

[Sketcher]

Not believing or even outright rejecting the Gospel, which is what every Christian must believe.

 

[razeontherock]

Are there fake Christians?

Hi, and welcome to CF! To answer this very short question, yes there are certainly those who say "Lord Lord" but never have known Him.

By "fake" I refer to people who identify as "Christian" but are told by other "Christians" that they are not "real" Christians.

Now this is a most troubling definition. What a fellow mortal has to say about this, is a rather unqualified position. Esp online ...

 

[elman]

I think your understanding of those people, and of their theology, is deficient. Just as your understanding of what I have said leaves something to be desired.

There is no Christian on the face of the earth who actually believes as you think they do. You are making assumptions, and you are mistaken.

Good luck with that.

I am a Christian and I believe Jesus taught we can inherit eternal life by loving God and man--like the Good Samartan example and the description of the sheep in Matt 25:31 and following.

 

[elman]

Not believing or even outright rejecting the Gospel, which is what every Christian must believe.

Where in the scene of the Last Judgment--Matt 25:31 and following do you see a requirement of what a Christian must believe? When Jesus was asked what one must do to inherit eternal life--where in the answer to that question was what must be believed?

 

[elman]

Hello, I'm new here. Also an atheist. I'm curious to know more about the scope and sects of Christianity. My first question:

Are there fake Christians? By "fake" I refer to people who identify as "Christian" but are told by other "Christians" that they are not "real" Christians.

What characterizes a fake Christian?

Thanks

I would think a fake Christian is not one that is called a fake by some other person, but one that is seen as a fake by his Creator. Jesus said it is not the ones that call me Lord, but the ones that do what I command. Only God can determine the true child of God which is why Jesus said judge not.

 

[razeontherock]

Catherineanne raised an interesting point (back in post #21) with "no Christian on the face of the Earth who believes ..." that they just try to do the right thing and call themselves Christian. Phrases like "the Christian thing to do" and such aren't uncommon here in the States. There really are people like this. So then this poster's statement gets turned into claiming such people are "not really Christians."

You'd have to admit that assessment is accurate. Which is why I say the logical fallacy of No True Scotsman simply doesn't apply to our Faith. To attempt to do so is logical fallacy itself!

 

[bling]

Took me a while to respond here but thanks for all the responses. Much more varied than I imagined. I find the matter of Christians (or possibly other religions) often criticizing others for not being authentic to be a strange phenomenon as an outside observer.

“Christian” is a descriptive term and not a title. It was first used by nonbelievers, to describe an unusual group of people serving others like they had heard Christ served others.

If you are like Christ you are a Christian, so in that respect there are no “fake Christians”.

 

[DCJazz]

Ah, but there are false Christs and false prophets.

 

[ebia]

Are there fake Christians?

yes. Never buy Christians on eBay or at car-boot sales.
[/QUOTE]

 

[MercyGrace]

The original poster said he thought that Christians considering others to be inauthentic was a strange phenomenon. I'm not sure why. People often do this sort of thing: "You're not a REAL State fan or you'd know their win-loss record for the last five years." "You're not a REAL New Yorker because you don't have an accent." "You're not a REAL right-to-lifer or you'd be opposed to the death penalty not just abortion." Most groups qualify what it means to be a member of that group and evaluate whether individuals fit those qualifications or not.

Christians do similiar things - Scripture does say, "By their fruit you shall know them" - but ultimately we do not know the state of a person's heart, and truly only God is the judge of whether a Christian is real or fake.

Several other commenters referred to Matthew 7:21-23, but here it is in its entirety. Jesus is speaking: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ "

This is why we know that there are some people who claim to be Christians who actually are not.