What makes a true Christian/follower of Christ?

[Water Walker]

Hi everyone here...I was wondering if I could get an answer to this question.

What makes a true Christian /follower of Christ?
Is faith all that is needed? Is works necessary as a by product?

 

[Giberoo]

If you define a 'true Christian' as someone who will receive salvation, then I suspect you will be waiting a while for an answer - because the Bible categorically states both.

FAITH ALONE

A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. -- Romans 3:28

A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. -- Galatians 2:16

The LORD shall ... save them, because they trust in him. -- Psalm 37:40

Whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. -- John 3:16

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. -- John 6:47

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. -- Acts 16:31


DEEDS

Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. -- James 2:17

And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life. -- John 5:29

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. -- Matthew 16:27

If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. -- Matthew 19:17-19

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life. -- Revelation 22:14


OR MAYBE YOU NEED TO BE BAPTISED TOO

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. -- Mark 16:16

Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh). -- 1 Peter 3:21


OR MAYBE, JUST ASK

Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. -- Acts 2:21, Romans 10:13

As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. -- Psalm 55:16

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. -- Matthew 7:7-8

 

[Tigger45]

Just as an apple tree will naturally produce apples, but it dosen't produce apples to become an apple tree :{)

 

[seeingeyes]

Love.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34)

 

[Lovely Lane]

I'm looking for the very minimum act or actions that one must do to go to heaven.

Looking at the criminal on the cross who simply stated; "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!"
Jesus said; "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

So we haven't a need for all the Pauline writings, Pauline theology, etc. No need for the Denominations and their rules, dogma and made-up inventions. No need for Creeds of any kind. Do not have to buy Christian books, video's, music, candles, incense, icons of any kind.

Just send out disciples of Christ armed with the Jesus saying's to all the world. Is it that simple, it seems so.

We just simply believe in Jesus, right?

And to the faith of the OP, the Sallies do not baptize nor serve up communion, seems to me they just Believe in Jesus and serve Him well.

I have to think this over again, can it be as simple as that?

 

[SolomonVII]

It is just that simple.

And now that you are a Christian, "take up your cross and follow me"

 

[Lovely Lane]

It is just that simple.

And now that you are a Christian, "take up your cross and follow me"

Thank you, I believe this is true.

But I am not big on the Pauline theology, especially things as Justified, Sanctified, Glorified, and Propitiated. Maybe all these things are to take place when one picks up his cross and follows Christ, but I do not think in those terms.

I just do it, and all the other stuff will fall into place. I haven't a need to define it or explain it, I just live it. I guess the Pauline theology is for those who have a need to be apologist and it definitely is for those who enjoy institutions. (I'm not so much)

 

[SolomonVII]

28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

It would be salvation indeed, to believe that the instruments of our greatest fears and terrors, our own crosses and burdens; the cross of Jesus even, as an easy yoke and a light burden.

Much of the theology of Justification, Propitation, and those myriad of other words I have to check the dictionary to figure out what is being talked about, mostly goes over my head, or at least beyond my interest level.
What interests me most of Paul is his understanding that our redemption and our freedom is absolute. The cross is a terror that makes us slaves to fear.

To believe in Jesus is to believe that our yokes are easy, and our burdens light. Freedom from the fear that the cross holds over us, to me, defines what redemption and salvation are really all about.

That is for sure something that we all would want to believe in. Actually believing it is what being a Christian is all about.

 

[Lovely Lane]

Yes, indeed.

Seems to me that human's want to cause trouble for themselves, in making discipleship difficult by making up 'stuff'. When to me, it seems so simple. Simplicity not necessarily meaning easy. Many times the simplest of things is the hardest to figure out, as in a Chinese finger puzzle.

suggestion...don't let the grand kid's trick you into playing a puzzle game.

 

[Brother Chris]

Hi everyone here...I was wondering if I could get an answer to this question.

What makes a true Christian /follower of Christ?
Is faith all that is needed? Is works necessary as a by product?

Read 1 John, it will tell you what a true Christian is like. Only God can make someone into a Christian. Man is saved by faith alone in Jesus Christ alone, but faith in Jesus Christ is always preceded by repentance from sin and it is followed by sanctification. Good works are the evidence that someone has been saved by faith in Christ.

 

[liveaschrist]

I agree with what Brother Chris is saying! Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

liveaschrist.blogspot.com

 

[Girder of Loins]

Someone who loves God is a Christian. Defining what "love" and who "God" is brings the confusion.

I would say that "love" is a desire to follow or gain something no matter the cost(on some level). I would say that knowing "God" means knowing Christ as a part of the Godhead and knowing that He died for our sins. I believe that small of a belief is enough to save. Faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain!

 

[TheyCallMeDavid]

Hi everyone here...I was wondering if I could get an answer to this question.

What makes a true Christian /follower of Christ?
Is faith all that is needed? Is works necessary as a by product?

The short answer is as follows : Read the signature passage in my post , below. Once this is done in the most genuine way thru simple trust or faith alone , the resulting gratitude for Gods free undeserved gift based on what Christ fully accomplished on calvary (grace) ... should and must result in a changed Life called the Born Again experience that includes an immediate turning from all known lifestyle sin coupled with a proactive agenda in serving God and Others thru much goodness , deeds of love , being available to be used of God in a variety of ways to help others physically / emotionally / and-or spiritually .

Summation : We are saved by Faith alone , from start to finish just as Romans 1 :16-17 says , which RESULTS in good works as evidence our faith was genuine when we recieved Christ. If there are no good works or a changed life from the wordly life we were in, then there was no true genuine conversion to being a Christ Follower (see James chapter 2) . You cannot give Christ lip service or believe he was a good Teacher and leave it at that ; no....being a Christ Follower requires the utmost of sincerity , genuine commitment as shown thru personal submission and obedience once the person has been saved by simply faith . A good many people who *think they are Christians ... are not according to Gods equation as scripture indicates.

Remember : No change in your lifestyles after recieving Christ means that nothing genuine happened. If nothing genuine happened , then that Person is still lost in sin . With God, you cant have your sin-cake and eat it too --------- in fact, you have to toss the cake in the garbage and go on a strict diet ! But it will be worth it..both in this life and in eternity.

 

[DamonRambo]

Hi everyone here...I was wondering if I could get an answer to this question.

What makes a true Christian /follower of Christ?
Is faith all that is needed? Is works necessary as a by product?

"Necessary" is a bad word..."Definite result" would be more accurate.

 

[2ndRateMind]

Hi everyone here...I was wondering if I could get an answer to this question.

What makes a true Christian /follower of Christ?
Is faith all that is needed? Is works necessary as a by product?

Jesus gave us two commandments. We are to 'Love God' and 'Love each other'. If we do this, whether we consider ourselves Christians, or belong to some other tradition, or even none at all, then we are true followers of Christ.

So, where does that leave Christianity as a religion? Well, ideally, it would be easier to follow Christ inside Christianity than outside of it. Very broadly, I think this to be true. I worry, though, about some elements of the faith who think that a strong belief gives you an excuse to disengage the brain. I really believe that they may be discouraging young, well educated seekers from having anything at all to do with us.

And good works? Nothing more than evidence of a mind that loves. If you love enough, you really can't avoid doing them. If we all loved enough, this world would be Utopia.

Cheers, 2RM.

 

[TheyCallMeDavid]

................

So, where does that leave Christianity as a religion? Well, ideally, it would be easier to follow Christ inside Christianity than outside of it. Very broadly, I think this to be true. I worry, though, about some elements of the faith who think that a strong belief gives you an excuse to disengage the brain. I really believe that they may be discouraging young, well educated seekers from having anything at all to do with us.

Please explain how someone follows Christ outside of the Christian Faith ? Seems like an oxymoron to me .

 

[2ndRateMind]

Please explain how someone follows Christ outside of the Christian Faith ? Seems like an oxymoron to me .

Jesus gave us two commandments. We are to 'Love God' and 'Love each other'. If we do this, whether we consider ourselves Christians, or belong to some other tradition, or even none at all, then we are true followers of Christ.

Well, it seems to me that there are plenty of Jews who love God and love their fellow men. Not a few Moslems do, also. Then there are Buddhists, who are compassionate to all living things, and, while they do not believe in God, certainly revere aspects of Him, such as Truth, Justice, and Righteousness, and so on. So, it seems to me perfectly possible to obey Christ's commandments without even knowing that this is what one is doing. Christians do not have a monopoly on love.

Cheers, 2RM.

 

[ThatAthlete]

I'd say a person who only leans on God and has complete faith in him and tries to do his ways and live according to his words.