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Define Christian...

"...come be my follower." Matthew 19:21

The question for each Christian should be...am I really following Jesus? Jesus has outstanding qualities​...his love for mankind, his humility, his courage, his wisdom, his obedience, and his endurance... Jesus also set the perfect example for us as an excellent teacher/preacher of the good news...are we imitating Jesus in those respects?
 
Elvira said:
"...come be my follower." Matthew 19:21

The question for each Christian should be...am I really following Jesus? Jesus has outstanding qualities​...his love for mankind, his humility, his courage, his wisdom, his obedience, and his endurance... Jesus also set the perfect example for us as an excellent teacher/preacher of the good news...are we imitating Jesus in those respects?
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Unlike Mohamed.
 
dairyair said:
The teachings of Jesus or the teachings of Saul/Paul. For a great many so called christians often refer to the teaching of Saul/Paul.
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But those teachings are not of Christ. Christ is all that defines/distinguishes Christians from others. Not the Apostles. They are defined by Christ and do not define Christians but as afterthought, however important that thought be.
 
Elvira said:
That's it? All that's involved is one's thinking? No actions involved?
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Well, according to Romans 10:9, yes. Just a few words and VIOLA! You're saved!

Of course there's a lot of stuff in the bible that says don't do this and don't do that but it also says that everybody sins and falls short of the glory of God. That's what the "christian" thing is all about. A christian is encouraged to be free from sin, but since he can't, there's always the Jesus thing to fall back on.

I am no bible thumper by any means. In fact, I read it and interpret my own context as the "holy spirit," (for lack of a better definition) directs/leads me.

I do not take the bible literally in many aspects. But there's some good words in there to help a person get through and lead a respectable life, whether you believe in all the myths and superstitions or not.

My financial guru told me only Catholics are real christians and no other denomination gets to go to heaven. (That's when I decided to quit letting the fool invest my money for me.)
 
bluesmoke said:
But those teachings are not of Christ. Christ is all that defines/distinguishes Christians from others. Not the Apostles. They are defined by Christ and do not define Christians but as afterthought, however important that thought be.
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I disagree...Paul's writings, as well as the other apostles, are in the Bible canon for a reason...if we imitate any of the apostles, including Paul, we are, in a sense, imitating Christ because Paul said...

"Become imitators of me, just as I am of Christ" 1 Corinthians 11:1
 
Captain America said:
Well, according to Romans 10:9, yes. Just a few words and VIOLA! You're saved!

Of course there's a lot of stuff in the bible that says don't do this and don't do that but it also says that everybody sins and falls short of the glory of God. That's what the "christian" thing is all about. A christian is encouraged to be free from sin, but since he can't, there's always the Jesus thing to fall back on.

I am no bible thumper by any means. In fact, I read it and interpret my own context as the "holy spirit," (for lack of a better definition) directs/leads me.

I do not take the bible literally in many aspects. But there's some good words in there to help a person get through and lead a respectable life, whether you believe in all the myths and superstitions or not.

My financial guru told me only Catholics are real christians and no other denomination gets to go to heaven. (That's when I decided to quit letting the fool invest my money for me.)
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Jesus also said being a Christian is a way of life..."The Way"...an expression used in the Scriptures to refer to a mode of action or conduct that is either approved or disapproved by Jehovah God...

"But when some stubbornly refused to believe, speaking injuriously about The Way before the crowd, he withdrew from them and separated the disciples from them, giving talks daily in the school auditorium of Tyrannus." Acts 19:9
 
Elvira said:
The word is used to describe many denominations...what do you understand a Christian to be? What do you think are their identifying qualities?
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A real Christian loves their neighbor (that would include Mexicans, Blacks, Muslims, and others who perhaps live a little further away than in the bunker next door). They also forgive those who trespass against them in hopes of being forgiven themselves (that includes the women getting abortions, the Mexicans crossing borders and the gay guys getting rammed in the butthole). They turn the other cheek (this precludes those who buy big fat guns so that they can shoot the first mother****er who tries to steal their toilet paper).

I'm sure there's more. But, the first three seem to suffice for now.
 
Elvira said:
The word is used to describe many denominations...what do you understand a Christian to be? What do you think are their identifying qualities?
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Believers in Christ following The New Testament.

YOU are another sect of said Christianity.

I feel proselytizing coming on.
 
Elvira said:
I disagree...Paul's writings, as well as the other apostles, are in the Bible canon for a reason...if we imitate any of the apostles, including Paul, we are, in a sense, imitating Christ because Paul said...

"Become imitators of me, just as I am of Christ" 1 Corinthians 11:1
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They are inspired from the same source, the Holy Spirit, and "carry the same weight" as all Scripture does, as if the word of God. I'm just saying the writings of Paul are not the actual word/teaching of Christ Himself. Or, add "follow Scripture" to the definition of "Christian" as written in both the OT and NT, all as the word of God. I don't say to believe that Christ is savior is only what defines a Christian is enough because I don't think there is good faith when not even attempting to following the teachings of Christ. Being of the flesh, failure in is inevitable in pleasing God and disappointing him is assured regardless of good faith effort.
 
Elvira said:
I don't think salvation is a given, written in stone thing, so to speak...it is a life long journey, according to Jesus' own words...whether it be the end of our life in this world or the end of this world, we have to remain faithful...

"But the one who has endured to the end will be saved." Matthew 24:13
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Endured what?

And it still proves to be an unanswerable question.
 
bluesmoke said:
But those teachings are not of Christ. Christ is all that defines/distinguishes Christians from others. Not the Apostles. They are defined by Christ and do not define Christians but as afterthought, however important that thought be.
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Nope, they are not.
But many of the books of the NT are of Saul/Paul.

Many denominations place Paul teachings in high regard. Yet are called Christian religions. The books are in the bible. The bible is the book(s) all Christians revert to.
 
Elvira said:
I disagree...Paul's writings, as well as the other apostles, are in the Bible canon for a reason...if we imitate any of the apostles, including Paul, we are, in a sense, imitating Christ because Paul said...

"Become imitators of me, just as I am of Christ" 1 Corinthians 11:1
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Saul the persecutor of Christians, never met or talked to Jesus.

He could just as easy be a tool of Satan.

There is no single person ever who could corroborate there was ever any vision of Saul. Or even what that so called vision would have been.
Saul could made the entire thing up.
 
bluesmoke said:
They are inspired from the same source, the Holy Spirit, and "carry the same weight" as all Scripture does, as if the word of God. I'm just saying the writings of Paul are not the actual word/teaching of Christ Himself. Or, add "follow Scripture" to the definition of "Christian" as written in both the OT and NT, all as the word of God. I don't say to believe that Christ is savior is only what defines a Christian is enough because I don't think there is good faith when not even attempting to following the teachings of Christ. Being of the flesh, failure in is inevitable in pleasing God and disappointing him is assured regardless of good faith effort.
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I disagree...many in the Bible pleased God well because of their faith, as many today do...just as Jesus said...

"Jesus said to him: “That expression, ‘If you can’! Why, all things are possible for the one who has faith.” Mark 9:23

Paul said we can be seen by God as righteous/please Him, by faith...

“But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,” and “if he shrinks back, I have no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38
 
dairyair said:
Endured what?

And it still proves to be an unanswerable question.
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Satan's rule of this world...

"...the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." 1 John 5:19
 
dairyair said:
Saul the persecutor of Christians, never met or talked to Jesus.

He could just as easy be a tool of Satan.

There is no single person ever who could corroborate there was ever any vision of Saul. Or even what that so called vision would have been.
Saul could made the entire thing up.
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For what purpose? To lead more people to Jesus? I don't think so...
 
dairyair said:
Nope, they are not.
But many of the books of the NT are of Saul/Paul.

Many denominations place Paul teachings in high regard. Yet are called Christian religions. The books are in the bible. The bible is the book(s) all Christians revert to.
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bible?
 
Elvira said:
I disagree...many in the Bible pleased God well because of their faith, as many today do...just as Jesus said...

"Jesus said to him: “That expression, ‘If you can’! Why, all things are possible for the one who has faith.” Mark 9:23

Paul said we can be seen by God as righteous/please Him, by faith...

“But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,” and “if he shrinks back, I have no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38
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“I disagree...many in the Bible pleased God well because of their faith”

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Failure in pleasing God, as I posted, is inevitable. Your “all things are possible” has nothing to do, whatsoever, with pleasing God. Only that those with faith can please/reward themselves.

I didn’t say anything about one NOT having faith in shrinking back. I’m speaking of false faith.
 
bluesmoke said:
“I disagree...many in the Bible pleased God well because of their faith”

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Failure in pleasing God, as I posted, is inevitable. Your “all things are possible” has nothing to do, whatsoever, with pleasing God. Only that those with faith can please/reward themselves.

I didn’t say anything about one NOT having faith in shrinking back. I’m speaking of false faith.
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That is not what the Bible says at all...having faith and acting on that faith is what pleases God...
 
Elvira said:
The word is used to describe many denominations...what do you understand a Christian to be? What do you think are their identifying qualities?
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Anyone who says he is a Christian is a Christian. Simply a matter of self definition.
 
There are TWO different meanings of the term CHRISTIAN - as a said somewhere.

A - a member of a Christian Church - this can be easily verified

B - a "true Christian" - this cannot be verified at all - and only leads to senseless quarrelling and bickering
 
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Sweden said:
Anyone who says he is a Christian is a Christian. Simply a matter of self definition.
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Like in Germany - in Schleswig-Holstein: "Anyone who says he is Danish is Danish!" :)
 
Rumpel said:
Like in Germany - in Schleswig-Holstein: "Anyone who says he is Danish is Danish!" :)
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Like in England where anyone who says he is the victim of a hate crime is the victim of a hate crime. (This is not a joke).
 
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