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Growth What is a Christian?

regarding His building up of His body and in regarding the world :

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians 4&version=CJB
16 Under his control, the whole body is being fitted and held together by the support of every joint, with each part working to fulfill its function; this is how the body grows and builds itself up in love.

17 Therefore I say this — indeed, in union with the Lord I insist on it: do not live any longer as the pagans live, with their sterile ways of thinking. 18 Their intelligence has been shrouded in darkness, and they are estranged from the life of God, because of the ignorance in them, which in turn comes from resisting God’s will.
 
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.

The first couple got saved. Then they knew they had not been saved before. Just like you.

The second couple are Not saved. They just think they are in good standing with God because they live moral lives.
 
The first couple got saved. Then they knew they had not been saved before. Just like you.

The second couple are Not saved. They just think they are in good standing with God because they live moral lives.
I think I get it now.I think they will have a huge surprise when they die.I think many will have a huge surprise when they die.
 
Defining, spotting Christians...that's a tough one.

I'd personally say a willingness to accept God on His terms, as revealed in His words. An admission of wretchedness and need for salvation, then an ongoing admission of a sin nature in need of grace and rectification.

My own conversion brought about incredible inner and (kinda like a sci fi movie) outer change. My behavior changed, my attitudes changed, my thoughts changed (and are changing.."Hold every thought captive to Christ," right?). I was perfectly wretched and trying to be *good* in my own strength and knowledge *of* Christ. I had to actually get to know Him and repent of my sins before I could change ("Know Jesus, Know Change").

Sometimes, I think Jesus is just seen as a cool guy and Christianity is an experience, a common view in a experience-seeking culture. Also, because we're all so post-modern, its fairly easy to try to declaw the Gospel and fit it into one's lifestyle.

So, for spotting a "real" Christian...you shall know them (over time) by the fruit they bear. When I see Baby Christians with quiet, law abiding lives and intact families and human decency, I think "good work, Jesus." Then, sometimes, you'll see pastors with miserable lives and dysfunctional families and you think...wow. Get another job.

Ramble, ramble..."Judge not lest ye yourselves be judged," but discernment...now that's priceless.
 
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?
A christian is someone who starts by putting their hope in the great I am, then as their hope grows it becomes faith and then out of this the christian exercises their faith with love.
 
No he can't, unless the Father brings you to His Son its impossible to know Jesus..

tob

*edit: I'm always doing this i forgot something..

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
 
an atheist can know that Jesus is the Christ, but he cannot know Him.

"whoever has the Son has Life; and whoever does not have the Son, does not have Life"

1 John 5:12

(a lot of 'christians' 'know' Jesus is God and the Christ; but since they don't know Him or have Him, they are not yet saved)

((it is those 'christians' on judgment day to whom Jesus says "begone from Me , I never knew you" ....
a lot of pew sitters today fit the description and the tests ))
 
Demons aren't Christians nor can they be because they don't know him, scriptures tell us the demons believe in God but they don't know him, you didn't get this from that bachelor in Rome did you that said Atheists would be saved?

tob

*edit: did it again i forgot this..

I Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

You see Kathi they didn't know Him..
 
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Mark 16:15-18
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
15 Then he said to them, “As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News to all creation. 16 Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who do trust: in my name they will drive out demons, speak with new tongues, 18 not be injured if they handle snakes or drink poison, and heal the sick by laying hands on them.”


the disciples knew Jesus AFTER He opened their minds to understand - a different kind of knowing than they had before ( a mental assent) .

the scribes, pharisees, and demons were never in union with Messiah. never One with Yhwh in Messiah Yeshua like the disciples immersed in His Name.
 
Even an atheist can know Jesus Christ.

Accepting that "know" simply means "know of" then
In the same way as
An atheist , A Lutheran(which I was born and raised), A Baptist, A Methodist, A Pentecostal, An "other" all can know Jesus Christ,
and still not be immersed in His Name,
still not be in union in Him.
 
Colossians defines exactly what a Christian is:

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Col 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
 
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