Were you raised as a Christian or did you convert later?

[AlabamaScout]

I was raised in a Baptist family, I was saved a year ago, me and my family increased in our faiths last summer.

 

[sand and sea]

My family's Anglican, but I don't think I was really raised as anything. I was more atheistic for a long time before becoming a Christian recently.

 

[Hepburnette]

I was raised by atheists to be an atheist. It was also encouraged that I hate Christianity - an encouragement that I actually listened to for quite a while, before converting last year.

 

[Dukerex]

I was raised in a Christian family, but I was never the "perfect Southern Christian Boy" my parents wanted. I threw around with conflicting ideas, some of which are completley insane. But I know now that I am to stand firm with Christ, for he will set me on the right path no matter what.

 

[AlabamaScout]

I agree with you. I'm southern to

 

[asbo]

i was born a catholic but ive been looking at islam and wanting to beleive it, i just cant shake off that Jesus is the son of God

 

[JeffShott]

i was born a catholic but ive been looking at islam and wanting to beleive it, i just cant shake off that Jesus is the son of God

Yeshua is the true Son of the living God.
Before you go any further with Islam, I ask you to consider that it has many blatant contradictions in it. My favorite being that Muhammad, in the Qur'an, could not make up his mind: how was man created?

See here:

1. What was man created from, blood, clay, dust, or nothing?
   1. "Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood," (96:2).
   2. "We created man from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape, (15:26).
   3. "The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be". And he was," (3:59).
   4. "But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing?" (19:67, Yusuf Ali). Also, 52:35).
   5. "He has created man from a sperm-drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer! (16:4).

 

[-Kay-]

I was raised a Christian we HAD to go to church every Sunday until Mom stopped telling us (me n sis) to go and allowed us to choose on our own. Even now, I go to church more than everyone in the house...:/

 

[redwngsfan019]

I just started going to church about a year and a half ago and got saved august 2009

 

[solarwave]

I can't remember if I have replied here already but I'll say anyway lol.

I was brought up in a evangelical charismatic church type. I pretty much always believed, but I was baptised in the Holy Spirit and gained the gift of speaking in tongues at 13. I was baptised in water at 15. So yeah lol.

 

[HarborOrange]

I was born and raised a Christian... Converted out of it recently. Messianic Believer now.
I'd probably have stayed sort of a Christian, had I not learned some hidden truths of the church establishment. Plus, Yeshua's name is not Christ, that's simply what the Romans called him.

 

[xxsilverkisses]

Raised Christian and baptised as Lutheran, I fell away a few years ago and converted to Pagan and then just last year and I came back to the Lord and am under "Non Denominational" as per my beliefs vary and are really different when it comes to God, which is even harder to explain. Lawls.

 

[solarwave]

I was born and raised a Christian... Converted out of it recently. Messianic Believer now.
I'd probably have stayed sort of a Christian, had I not learned some hidden truths of the church establishment. Plus, Yeshua's name is not Christ, that's simply what the Romans called him.

I know I've asked what you believe before but I forget lol. So you do or don't believe that Jesus died to justify you and rose again and was God incarnate?

Hidden truths on the church establishment? And this applies to all churches? Like what?

Isn't Christ a greek version of messiah?

Raised Christian and baptised as Lutheran, I fell away a few years ago and converted to Pagan and then just last year and I came back to the Lord and am under "Non Denominational" as per my beliefs vary and are really different when it comes to God, which is even harder to explain. Lawls.

Mind me asking what you mean by pagan? ie: What you believed?

 

[HarborOrange]

I know I've asked what you believe before but I forget lol. So you do or don't believe that Jesus died to justify you and rose again and was God incarnate?

Hidden truths on the church establishment? And this applies to all churches? Like what?

Isn't Christ a greek version of messiah?

Haha, I do believe that Yeshua is the only way to achieve salvation, and that he is the one and only son of YHWH, and died for our sins. But, I also believe that following the original Law is essential to understand the way that YHWH works, and to live a better life. However, I don't think the things people have added onto the Law should be followed.
Yeah, like the fact that Christmas, Easter, and generally all holidays except for Thanksgiving are pagan. I also can't understand why it is never mentioned in the churches that the Law was never ever abolished, Yeshua himself even said he came only to fulfill the Law, not destroy it. Churches these days are all about streamlined, watered down Christianity. Most say you can be a Christian however you want to be as long as you accept Messiah. That's just wrong, and I'm tired of that.

Well, that is true. But, why don't we go by the original name, not the Greek translation of it? That's just what I think anyways.

So yeah, that's what I believe, no worries about asking again. Haha.

 

[JeffShott]

Well, that is true. But, why don't we go by the original name, not the Greek translation of it?

Some of us do.

 

[solarwave]

Haha, I do believe that Yeshua is the only way to achieve salvation, and that he is the one and only son of YHWH, and died for our sins. But, I also believe that following the original Law is essential to understand the way that YHWH works, and to live a better life. However, I don't think the things people have added onto the Law should be followed.

Well in my opinion anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord is a Christian. Simple as. So do you follow everyone of the wierd laws in the Old Testament, including stoning people etc? Or what do you mean by the 'law'? What does following the laws of the Old Testament teach you that can't be taught by living by the spirit rather than the law?

Also what is your opinion of the authority of the Bible? As Paul says in Galatians 3:1-5, "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?"

Paul goes on the say 1) That the law does not make us righteous and it is not based on faith. The point of the law was to show sin what what it is, sin.
2) The law began 430 years after the promise to Abraham and end when the Seed (Jesus) came.

A commentary on this bit of Galatain says: By faith the Galatian converts have already entered into the experience of the Spirit (vv. 1-5), which is the fulfillment of the promise (v. 14). Evidently they are now being persuaded that if they observe the rituals of the Jewish people, they will experience new dimensions of spiritual life and blessing--that if they become members of God's people, the Jews, they will be guaranteed intimacy with God. Paul warns them that the circumstances of the giving of the law demonstrate otherwise. The law had a mediated origin. Thus the law does not provide direct access to God. Only the fulfillment of the promise in the bestowal of the Spirit to those in Christ guarantees direct access to God (see 4:4-8).

Maybe I have what you are saying wrong, I am just trying to help by saying the fullness of God can be had by the Holy Spirit not by the law.

Yeah, like the fact that Christmas, Easter, and generally all holidays except for Thanksgiving are pagan. I also can't understand why it is never mentioned in the churches that the Law was never ever abolished, Yeshua himself even said he came only to fulfill the Law, not destroy it. Churches these days are all about streamlined, watered down Christianity. Most say you can be a Christian however you want to be as long as you accept Messiah. That's just wrong, and I'm tired of that.

Well, that is true. But, why don't we go by the original name, not the Greek translation of it? That's just what I think anyways.

Does it matter when these dates are? Maybe they are not the correct date and they are on the date of pagan holidays, but does it matter. We have a day to celebrate the birth and resurrection of Jesus, so it matters what that day means to you, not others.

An interesting point is, does fulfilling the law mean bring it to its natural close? If everything the law was ment for was completed in Jesus then there is no need for it.

Christians will always disagree on earth. You say they are watered down, they say you are legalistic, whose right... God knows

 

[Jack-O'Driscoll]

I was raised spiritually but not Christian. Came to faith through God's work in my heart but without a Christian background. Since then, I've been reading and learning as much as I can through a Christian lense. Still, I work in a New-Age Coffee House and interact with non-Christians daily (in fact, more often than Christians). So... none of my background is Christian at all. But I am one.

 

[xxsilverkisses]

Mind me asking what you mean by pagan? ie: What you believed?

I believed in multiple gods and goddesses. Wicca, in short.

 

[Jack-O'Driscoll]

I believed in multiple gods and goddesses. Wicca, in short.

So I work with a lot of wiccans and new age spiritualists. Any tips on witnessing specifically with them.

 

[xxsilverkisses]

So I work with a lot of wiccans and new age spiritualists. Any tips on witnessing specifically with them.

There's no specific way; it's just like witnessing to an atheist, but on approach, be respectful. We hated it when Christans went, "Yer going to Hell cuz you're worshipping false gods! ><" Or when they tried to shove it down our throats. If the topic if religion comes up, mention that you believe in God, that you're a Christian; be respectful, otherwise they won't respect you. If they ask questions about it, just answer.