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Growth What is a Christian?

Kathi

Member
How do you define a Christian?How do we recognize a Christian?Do we just on the assumption that they say they are a Christian?
 
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Someone who is obedient to the Word of God.

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well, this is some of what happens to them:

Hebrews 11:36-38

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

36 Others underwent the trials of being mocked and whipped, then chained and imprisoned. 37 They were stoned, sawed in two, murdered by the sword; they went about clothed in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, mistreated, 38 wandering about in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground! The world was not worthy of them!
 
How about a transformed life? That is what it says in Romans 12:1-2. Do you continue to live like the world, act like the world, and think like the world? If the world doesn't see something different about you, then you aren't a Christian.
 
I don't think we can judge someone by how the world sees someone or even sometimes how we see someone. I can give two examples of people who have been my very close friends one of over 30 yrs. and one of almost 30 yrs.

The first one... When she and her husband got saved, what changes took place in their lives that the world would see? Very little if any. I knew about them witnessing to their families and their giving to God's work in ministries and their peace, joy, and faith in the Lord Jesus.
Before they were saved they believed in God and even in following the 10 Commandments and lived their lives accordingly but they would both tell you they were not saved.

The other one, both she and her husband would look to the world very much the same as first ones. They too live very moral lives. They believe 'do onto others as you would have them do onto you' and they live accordingly. They are not saved. They do believe there is a God but I can tell you that she believes that living a good moral life is what she needs to do in order to be saved. She does not recognize Jesus as anyone more than a perfect teacher of how she should live.
If they were to get saved their life styles, that the world sees, may not be that recognizable as change.

When we look at other peoples lives we are simply seeing a reflection of what is on the outside not what is on the inside.
 
How do you define a Christian?How do we recognize a Christian?Do we just on the assumption that they say they are a Christian?
Q - How do you define a Christian?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 NIV

Q - How do we recognize a Christian? Do we just on the assumption that they say they are a Christian?

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1 John 4:1- 6 NIV

" 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them."
 
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How about a transformed life? That is what it says in Romans 12:1-2. Do you continue to live like the world, act like the world, and think like the world? If the world doesn't see something different about you, then you aren't a Christian.
That is good.We are to be the salt and light of this world.
 
I don't think we can judge someone by how the world sees someone or even sometimes how we see someone. I can give two examples of people who have been my very close friends one of over 30 yrs. and one of almost 30 yrs.

The first one... When she and her husband got saved, what changes took place in their lives that the world would see? Very little if any. I knew about them witnessing to their families and their giving to God's work in ministries and their peace, joy, and faith in the Lord Jesus.
Before they were saved they believed in God and even in following the 10 Commandments and lived their lives accordingly but they would both tell you they were not saved.




The other one, both she and her husband would look to the world very much the same as first ones. They too live very moral lives. They believe 'do onto others as you would have them do onto you' and they live accordingly. They are not saved. They do believe there is a God but I can tell you that she believes that living a good moral life is what she needs to do in order to be saved. She does not recognize Jesus as anyone more than a perfect teacher of how she should live.
If they were to get saved their life styles, that the world sees, may not be that recognizable as change.

When we look at other peoples lives we are simply seeing a reflection of what is on the outside not what is on the inside.
When we first become a Christian we have a long way to go.Just like a baby has a long way to go when they first start to crawl.
Being a nice moral person and even believing in the 10 commandments and doing what is right but not asking Jesus Christ into their lives or not being a Christian is not going to get them to heaven.
 
When we first become a Christian we have a long way to go.Just like a baby has a long way to go when they first start to crawl.
Being a nice moral person and even believing in the 10 commandments and doing what is right but not asking Jesus Christ into their lives or not being a Christian is not going to get them to heaven.

I'm not sure why you are saying this?
Do you think the first couple I spoke of did not get saved?
 
I'm not sure why you are saying this?
Do you think the first couple I spoke of did not get saved?
It seemed to me like you were comparing the couple who was saved and then the couple who were not saved and there was no difference.Did I interpret that wrong?
 
It seemed to me like you were comparing the couple who was saved and then the couple who were not saved and there was no difference.Did I interpret that wrong?

Yes. The first couple believe in God and the 10 Commandments from the Bible and lived by them. But they were not saved. Then they got saved when they were witnessed to. This is the last sentence about them.
"Before they were saved they believed in God and even in following the 10 Commandments and lived their lives accordingly but they would both tell you they were not saved."

I should have worded that better. But do you understand now?

The second couple are still Not saved.
 
Yes. The first couple believe in God and the 10 Commandments from the Bible and lived by them. But they were not saved. Then they got saved when they were witnessed to. This is the last sentence about them.
"Before they were saved they believed in God and even in following the 10 Commandments and lived their lives accordingly but they would both tell you they were not saved."

I should have worded that better. But do you understand now?

The second couple are still Not saved.
Why would the first couple think they were not saved?I can understand that the second couple would say they were not saved because they were not.Before I was actually saved I could say I believed in God I knew who He was and I believed in the 10 commandments because in Sunday School that is what they taught us.But.......I was not saved because I had not asked Jesus Christ into my life and asked for repentence.
 
Why would the first couple think they were not saved?I can understand that the second couple would say they were not saved because they were not.Before I was actually saved I could say I believed in God I knew who He was and I believed in the 10 commandments because in Sunday School that is what they taught us.But.......I was not saved because I had not asked Jesus Christ into my life and asked for repentence.

people aren't saved by being where the couple was, and some are blessed enough(if they follow through) to know it.

corrie ten boom asked jesus to be the lord and savior of her life when she was five years old, and her whole life was different because of it.(yes, saved people live different lives than unsaved people, and it shows).

m.theresa admitted publicly she was never saved and never even felt saved. how's that for a spectacular surprise to most of the reading/tv viewing world ?
 
people aren't saved by being where the couple was, and some are blessed enough(if they follow through) to know it.

corrie ten boom asked jesus to be the lord and savior of her life when she was five years old, and her whole life was different because of it.(yes, saved people live different lives than unsaved people, and it shows).

m.theresa admitted publicly she was never saved and never even felt saved. how's that for a spectacular surprise to most of the reading/tv viewing world ?
Well,was she ever saved?I know what the world thought of her and what she did for some of the people in this world but what did God think of her?I definately feel saved.I know God is with me and has His hand on me each and every day.
 
Well,was she ever saved?I know what the world thought of her and what she did for some of the people in this world but what did God think of her?I definately feel saved.I know God is with me and has His hand on me each and every day.

no. all the reports of her own , life and death, indicate she was never. and the people she worked with published accounts (online) that the world never heard or saw, totally different than the public image projected by the media/world...

God says what He thinks, it is in Scripture, but it is forbidden to post about some things specifically. (i.e. it is not good).

read first john to know that you know that you know you are God's child. it is written for young believers and older ones to KNOW if and that they are in the LIGHT and really saved.

there are tests in first john also, to know for sure.
 
no. all the reports of her own , life and death, indicate she was never. and the people she worked with published accounts (online) that the world never heard or saw, totally different than the public image projected by the media/world...

God says what He thinks, it is in Scripture, but it is forbidden to post about some things specifically. (i.e. it is not good).

read first john to know that you know that you know you are God's child. it is written for young believers and older ones to KNOW if and that they are in the LIGHT and really saved.

there are tests in first john also, to know for sure.
God knows.
 
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