Who is a Christian?

[student ad x]

Is a Christian anyone who is in an external covenant with a Christian church? Is faith a requirement, or is water baptism the only requirement?

 

[Apologetic_Warrior]

A Christian is a sinner whom has been monergistically regenerated by God, though it is possible they may mistake monergism for synergism due to theological presuppositions, aka head knowledge. Faith isn't a requirement per say, it is a gift from God, but without it, nobody could be saved. There is a transformation of faith in regeneration, from dead to living, as it is woven throughout the fabric of our being, our wills our conscience, heart, mind, soul.

So far as water baptism is concerned, I do believe many a dry sinner has been made a wet sinner, that is with no regeneration given from above. External covenants or Church memberships are just that, by no means provides salvation. I'd say Baptism and commitment to a Church could be signs of salvation, but they could just as easily be signs of an unsaved religious person as well.

 

[motherprayer]

Is a Christian anyone who is in an external covenant with a Christian church? Is faith a requirement, or is water baptism the only requirement?

A Christian is a perfect human who never makes any mistakes, who always knows the right things to say and never even thinks negative thoughts. A Christian is one who doesn't watch worldly movies, listen to worldly music, or talk to worldly people.

Haha just kidding.

 

[Shulamite]

A Christian is a perfect human who never makes any mistakes, who always knows the right things to say and never even thinks negative thoughts. A Christian is one who doesn't watch worldly movies, listen to worldly music, or talk to worldly people.

Haha just kidding.

LOL
It's a good thing the Lord called only sinners to repentance...because that's me (us)!
Thanks for the chuckle.

A Christian is a child born of God, regenerated by God, chosen by God, set apart by the Spirit by the WILL of God, and one who has been called into fellowship with the Son, a person who is the Temple of God by His choice, a person with a new nature able to respond to God, etc.... and all these "fruits" cannot be produced by any other external force (ie, church membership, good works, ordination by men, etc.)

Sonship is given by the Lord. After we are born of God, we will long and seek after Him, we will desire to obey Him because it's His own faith and Spirit living in us, producing these things.

 

[motherprayer]

LOL
It's a good thing the Lord called only sinners to repentance...because that's me (us)!
Thanks for the chuckle.

A Christian is a child born of God, regenerated by God, chosen by God, set apart by the Spirit by the WILL of God, and one who has been called into fellowship with the Son, a person who is the Temple of God by His choice, a person with a new nature able to respond to God, etc.... and all these "fruits" cannot be produced by any other external force (ie, church membership, good works, ordination by men, etc.)

Sonship is given by the Lord. After we are born of God, we will long and seek after Him, we will desire to obey Him because it's His own faith and Spirit living in us, producing these things.

Amen! I agree with this Bless you!

 

[student ad x]

A prayerful Christian couple are blessed by the Lord with a pregnancy. From Scripture, the father and mother are sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Does the Holy Spirit "act" upon the fetus prior to physical birth?

 

[motherprayer]

A prayerful Christian couple are blessed by the Lord with a pregnancy. From Scripture, the father and mother are sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Does the Holy Spirit "act" upon the fetus prior to physical birth?

I wonder. Possibly? Not, maybe, in every case, but in some?

Take my own youngest daughter, for example. She is three, but she was only 18 months when she answered the question "who loves you?" with "Jesus!" Shocked me! Lol but my older daughter seems to not quite have the same spirit.

Speaking honestly here... I love my girls, but I have to look at things like this without bias, ya know?

 

[Shulamite]

A prayerful Christian couple are blessed by the Lord with a pregnancy. From Scripture, the father and mother are sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Does the Holy Spirit "act" upon the fetus prior to physical birth?

Good question. Some instances in Scripture indicate that the Spirit was "acting" on a child while still in the mother's womb. John the Baptist was born filled with the Spirit. When he was in Elizabeth's womb, he jumped for joy at the greeting of Mary. This could only happen because God's Spirit IN the baby was recoginizing Jesus in Mary's womb.

We are also said to be "set apart from birth". Good question and I will continue to ponder on that one. Looking forward to hearing more of your understanding on this!

 

[twin1954]

Are you asking about the covenant realationship of children because of their parents? If so I am a Baptist so you know my stance on that issue.

 

[Martinius]

A prayerful Christian couple are blessed by the Lord with a pregnancy. From Scripture, the father and mother are sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Does the Holy Spirit "act" upon the fetus prior to physical birth?

I believe so, since the act of birth doesn't change the person who is being born; they are already a unique human being in the womb, and as such are infused with the Holy Spirit.

Is a Christian anyone who is in an external covenant with a Christian church? Is faith a requirement, or is water baptism the only requirement?

They are Christian by "label"; it takes more than a covenant and/or baptism for someone to truly be Christian, at least based on how I understand the Gospel of Jesus.

In your birth scenario above, the infant has the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, but they are not "Christian", since being Christian requires action on the part of the person. Although many denominations say that a person is a member of that faith AND a Christian upon baptism ("I claim you for Christ"), the most I would say is that we recognize them as a unique and special Child of God.

A Christian is NOT made by:
* External deeds or words (whether by that person or someone else)
* proclaiming to be so, making a covenant
* solely through baptism

A Christian IS made by both the internal acceptance of God's Grace (faith) AND through following the teachings of Jesus. It is not what goes into the person, or what is done to them, but what comes OUT of that person, in word and deed. I think Jesus said something to that effect.

 

[student ad x]

Thank you all for the discussion so far.......... and the humor

I'm going to give a bit of time, so I may be as clear as I possibly can and for others to further the discussion.

 

[twin1954]

Thank you all for the discussion so far.......... and the humor

I'm going to give a bit of time, so I may be as clear as I possibly can and for others to further the discussion.

A sermon from my pastor on what is a christian:
Do You Consider Yourself A Christian? - SermonAudio.com