What defines a Christian?

[NETSI]

A christian is who believe that Jesus is True Man and True God.

Now to see Him as True Man is easy (also Dan Brown believes that).
The difficoult is to believe He is True God: that means to believe in the Son.

IMO to be christian is not enough to believe that Jesus died on the cross for us. We shall believe that God died on the cross for us, or it is useless.

I agree with this. I would add that a belief in the Resurrection of Christ is a pretty big necessity, as well as some understanding of what He accomplished for us on the cross. But absolutely, we must acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God.

 

[humbledbyhim]

A Christian is one who has been borna gain and seeks God truly from the heart (which only that person and God can truly see). While faith without works is dead. Works without faith is also dead, so one must seek Christ in both Spirit and body with works and faith to be a Christian. Above all one must love like Christ does.

 

[NETSI]

Agreed, we must strive to live as disciples, else our beliefs are questionable.

 

[Peaceful Dove]

In the end, it is the Lord that reads hearts.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I am totally grateful that it is not up to me to decide who is a Christian because I would mess it up big time and so would every one of you.

That is the very reason we are commanded to love and not to read hearts and judge.

What a blessing to do those things Jesus told us were ours to do.

I love you all in the name of our Beautiful Saviour and the Holy Trinity.

Amen???

 

[PaladinValer]

The Nicene Creed

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Of course the Nicene Creed, it sums up some of what it means to be a follower of Christ, without the beliefs of Jesus's atonement, and the further explain of God in the Nicene Creed, which was adopted as a countermeasure against the heresy of Arianism, one would indeed become unsure or lost in one's self until they realize God's nature, and what he's done for them, which by aid of the Nicene Creed, we're guided to be true Christians. These are my beliefs, they're how i know that i am a christian, and to recognize my fellow followers of Christ.

 

[Harry3142]

Let's get our definitions straight. There is a vast difference between the expression 'believe that' and the expression 'believe in'. The expression 'believe in' is what we deem as synonymous with 'saving faith'.

Satan himself believes that the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins. But does that do Satan any good? Of course not. In like manner, there are those who give lipservice to the propitiation of Christ, but don't put their confidence in it as a truly atoning sacrifice, which God the Father is perfectly willing to use in order to give us the righteousness that we require. They state that we must either obey the Mosaic Law, The Messianic Law, or the Ecclesiastical Law as they interpret it if we are to hope for salvation. Is it any wonder that there is confusion?

But those who believe in the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ have put their hopes and aspirations squarely on the legitimacy of the promise as found in Scripture. There we read that God the Father has provided for us the righteousness that he requires, and that his own actions have ensured that we can have confidence in the efficacy of that promise.

We do what we can for the furtherance of God's kingdom, but we do it out of gratitude for what we have already received. We are not trying to earn our own salvation, nor are we trying to get stars in our crowns. We are simply showing our gratitude for a totally unearned gift of eternal life.

 

[cubanito]

Very good post

 

[*Starlight*]

I think a Christian is everyone who self-identifies as a Christian, which means a follower of Christ. But we should understand that different people follow and understand Christ in different ways.

 

[Splayd]

I think a Christian is everyone who self-identifies as a Christian, which means a follower of Christ. But we should understand that different people follow and understand Christ in different ways.

I understand your point. It is important that we're mindful of each other and recognise that some of our differences don't necessarily discount us from truly being Christians. The problem with your statement is that Jesus says there will be some that self-identify with Him, that He never knew at all.

 

[*Starlight*]

I understand your point. It is important that we're mindful of each other and recognise that some of our differences don't necessarily discount us from truly being Christians. The problem with your statement is that Jesus says there will be some that self-identify with Him, that He never knew at all.

Yes, I agree. For example, Adolf Hitler self identified as Christian, but his actions weren't really Christlike. There's a verse in the Bible which says "you shall know them by their fruit" or something like that...

 

[juggernaut]

to me, the definition of a Christian is "to walk the talk"...now I've been asked if that is biblical and I would have to say yes it is.

1 John 2:6 says "Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did."

So what is a Christian? Someone who reflects Christ.

 

[Tonks]

Agree with PV...not terribly suprising. a_ntv also made the key point.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Yes, I agree. For example, Adolf Hitler self identified as Christian, but his actions weren't really Christlike. There's a verse in the Bible which says "you shall know them by their fruit" or something like that...

I actually disagree with you on the point, that Hitler, didn't claim to be a christian, but actively promoted a quasi-pagan cult of the state, that wanted to elimanate christianity from the german state, being as he,and his fellow nazis felt it impeded the total allegience to the state by the masses.

 

[strayed]

wow, what a wonderful thread, peoples! there are so many levels of understanding and insight working with each other for the same purpose. i thank God for you all! this thread is the juice i needed to start my day right!

 

[ETide]

Someone said Christ defines a Christian.. amen to that..

Here's what Paul teaches us in Eph 1:13-14..

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory.

When a person trusts Christ, God's beloved Son, after they hear the gospel, and after they believe.. THEN, it is GOD ALONE who seals that person with His SPIRIT OF PROMISE which is the earnest of our inheritance IN HIM, even until the REDEMPTION.. unto the praise of His glory !

1 Cor 12 affirms that it is GOD who sets each member of the body of Christ into its place as it pleases Himself.

He is building His church, believer by believer, as He alone knows the heart, and He alone can purify the heart by faith..

So AMEN to CHRIST.. He alone defines who is and who is not a Christian.. ie, a person either has been sealed with His SPIRIT and therefore has Christ in them, their hope of glory, or they have not been sealed and therefore do not have Christ in them..

 

[DaveS]

If I have faith to move mountains, but no love - I am nothing.

To be a Christian is to love, faith is important as it will lead you to Christ after death more quickly - but all you need is love. How else are those nohmads in outer Mongolia or the people in the rainforests of South America going to come to Christ? Salvation is NOT dependant on global position.

 

[vanshan]

A Christian is someone who has united himself or herself to Christ. It's that simple.

There may be debates on how we do that, but scripture and the universal agreement of the Church, before the unfortunate divison of Rome from Orthdoxy in 1054 A.D. and the subsequent protestant departures resulting from that event, made it clear. Those who believed in Christ were baptized into Christ, taking on His yoke, and being freed from the yoke of death. "As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." That is what translates us from the kingdom of darkness into God's Kingdom, which Christ established on earth.

Basil