What is a Christian?

[Free]

There are those on this site who believe that to be a Christian one simply must love the Lord with all their heart and love their neighbour as himself or herself. But is that true, is believing those two commandments all there is to it?

Such a simple notion can be rejected with a single question: Which Lord or which Christ is one to love? The biblical doctrine of Christ, the Mormon doctrine of Christ, the JW one?

Such a simple notion can also be rejected by considering Romans 10:9-10:

Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (ESV)

Here we have two conditions--(1) confessing that Jesus is Lord and (2) believing that God raised him from the dead.

Then, to consider what it means to "confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord," we look down to verse 13, we see, 'For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”' That is a quote from Joel 2:32a, "And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." Paul is quoting Joel, who said "that everyone who calls on the name of YHWH shall be saved". This means that not only are we to consider Jesus as Lord and Master, we are to confess him as God.

Just from these few verses alone then, we can see that there is much more to defining what it means to be a Christian than simply believing those two commandments.

 

[for_his_glory]

I would also add Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Read the full Chapter)

Gods’ plan of salvation is for everyone who answers his call as we are all sinners and it is only by Gods grace that we are saved for there is nothing we can do of ourselves, Ephesians 2:8. Many, like myself, have come to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior without much knowledge and we need to gain knowledge, wisdom and understanding of Gods word by studying through his Spirit teaching us all things rightly dividing the word of truth as we know Gods word does not come back void and will accomplish that which He pleases.

 

[Edward]

Which Lord or which Christ is one to love? The biblical doctrine of Christ, the Mormon doctrine of Christ, the JW one?

Doctrine gets thrown out the window when one hits their knees in prayer. It's a whole different ballgame then. Jesus is Jesus. The scripture just tells us how we are to behave on this earth. You meet Jesus in prayer.

But yeah, you're right. There's a lot more to it than just believing the two commandments.

 

[Christ_empowered]

this is interesting. I'm of the opinion that I cling more closely to Jesus as He continues moving in my heart and life. As for my understanding of Him, who He is, etc... that's hopefully...becoming more and more like the real thing, as my Walk with The Lord continues, grows, etc.

 

[Jim Parker]

{QUOTE] What is a Christian? [/QUOTE]
That's a person who acts like Christ.

 

[atpollard]

I have a mentor who once offered a simple description for living out the Christian life:
Every day you are called to surrender all you know of you to all you know of God; tomorrow, you will know more about you and more about God.

 

[LovethroughDove]

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Luke 9:23-25 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whole we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Part of our Christian life is understanding suffering and understanding we lay down our lives. This may be a literal laying down of our life. In today's Christianity there isn't a lot of this kind of understanding.

 

[WinterPuma]

It is a relationship with the source of all that exists for all time. And as a relationship it is in part grounded in the principles Christ the Lord taught as pertained to bringing us into his light, the body of Christ. And it is also deeply personal as to how we abide there as new creations in his image and likeness.

The OP seems to want to generate a metric by which a Christian is measured so as to determine through judgment who is or is not a "true" Christian. And by what standard of determination would one be approved? Theirs?

God says he knew his elect before the world came to be. His judgment is all that matters. All else is dust in the wind. Ever corralled by ego-centrism that thinks humans know whom God would choose.

 

[WIP]

It would seem that the character of a Christian is also explained.

Matthew 25:31-46 ESV
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

John 13:34-35 ESV
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Luke 14:7-14 ESV
7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.

 

[eddif]

This thread should be very interesting.
OK
What kind of love?:
Brotherly love (it does continue)

God kind of love
The rod kind that says get thee behind me Satan. Matthew 16:23
The crooked staff draws near .
Matthew 16:17

Nuff for now

Redneck
eddif

 

[Jim Parker]

What is a Christian?

The believers were first called "Christians at Antioch.

It was a derogatory term used by pagans and carried the meaning of "slaves of Christ."

But, in their reviling of believers, they got something right. A Christian is a "slave of Christ" or, more precisely, as Paul identified himself, a Bond servant of Christ." ( Rom 1:1, Gal 1:10, Tit 1:1)

The term "bondservant" comes from the law of Moses.(Ex 21:5-6 and Deut 15:16-17) It describes a person who voluntarily chooses to be the slave of another.

So, to be a Christian is to be a bond servant of Christ and that means to submit your life to obeying the will of Christ.

As the bond servant chose to serve his master forever because he loved him, so the Christian chooses to obey Christ forever our of his love for Christ.

iakov the fool

 

[UberMink]

This thread should be very interesting.
OK
What kind of love?:
Brotherly love (it does continue)

God kind of love
The rod kind that says get thee behind me Satan. Matthew 16:23
The crooked staff draws near .
Matthew 16:17

Nuff for now

Redneck
eddif

Agape love is Christ's love for his sheep. Our love in return is that of thanksgiving for the gift of eternal saving grace.

1 John 4:8 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this every

 

[Free]

There seems to be a lot of confusion in the thread between the acts that Christians are to do as followers of Christ and the beliefs that a person must hold to be a Christian in the first place.

Acts in and of themselves do not make one a Christian nor are they necessarily proof that one is a Christian. There are atheists and those of various religious beliefs who do some very nice things but that doesn't mean they are Christians.

 

[Free]

Doctrine gets thrown out the window when one hits their knees in prayer. It's a whole different ballgame then. Jesus is Jesus. The scripture just tells us how we are to behave on this earth. You meet Jesus in prayer.

But yeah, you're right. There's a lot more to it than just believing the two commandments.

Doctrine never gets thrown out the window. The doctrine of who Christ is can never be separated from the person of Christ. This rather gets to one of the points of my OP--to whom is one getting on their knees to? Which version of Jesus, the biblical one or another of fantasy?

 

[Edward]

Doctrine never gets thrown out the window. The doctrine of who Christ is can never be separated from the person of Christ. This rather gets to one of the points of my OP--to whom is one getting on their knees to? Which version of Jesus, the biblical one or another of fantasy?

I guess you misunderstood me some. To follow that thought through, my point actually was, when Jesus walks into the room all debate ceases because the person is there!

It is happening more and more too. There's more testimony's than ever on YouTube about encounters with Jesus. From all over the world.

 

[Razeontherock]

There seems to be a lot of confusion in the thread between the acts that Christians are to do as followers of Christ and the beliefs that a person must hold to be a Christian in the first place.

Acts in and of themselves do not make one a Christian nor are they necessarily proof that one is a Christian. There are atheists and those of various religious beliefs who do some very nice things but that doesn't mean they are Christians.

If we were teleported back to the early Church and tried explaining to them that "Faith" actually means what we do or do not believe, they would either look at us like we were crazy, or expel us from their Church. Probably both, if we obstinately refused to
learn.

Being a Christian entails earnestly contending for the Faith that was recently deposited, to them.

 

[Razeontherock]

this is interesting. I'm of the opinion that I cling more closely to Jesus as He continues moving in my heart and life. As for my understanding of Him, who He is, etc... that's hopefully...becoming more and more like the real thing, as my Walk with The Lord continues, grows, etc.

THAT, is a Christian!

 

[Edward]

... the acts that Christians are to do as followers of Christ and the beliefs that a person must hold to be a Christian in the first place...

ANy Examples in scripture? How about the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5? That might work...

5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda,[a] having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.[b]5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.../

That man had been there for 38 years! That's a long time. So...it is reasonable to assume that he had the power to get up and walk anytime he wanted to? His faith was weak I guess? Jesus told him that he could get up and only then did he. He needed Jesus to tell him that he could. And he believed it so he did.

It was by the same blood promise that we are given. By his stripes we are healed. Even though Jesus hadn't been crucified yet, Jesus was there so the promise was already valid, because Jesus was freely passing out healing to many folks. He knew He wasn't leaving earth again until after He did pay that debt. So it was demonstration of His authority to let it be so already...

So us modern Christians, we walk in this. All we have to do is to believe it enough to be able to receive it. That would be normal Christianity I think. I have had God perform miracles for me. And also do quite the list of little minor things which sure had an air of supernatural about it but had no "event" like a visitation or something. Nothing, things just work out in very strange ways, lol. I started a thread about it, some of the weird stuff God has done for me. Even when no thunder and lightning He still leaves His fingerprints all over it for confirmation. I though it would be a lively thread, a normal thing for other Christians too, but maybe not! There's nary a reply to my thread. If one can not see God moving in their life in different ways...something is seriously wrong.

 

[Free]

ANy Examples in scripture? How about the crippled man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5? That might work...

5 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda,[a] having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.[b]5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.../

That man had been there for 38 years! That's a long time. So...it is reasonable to assume that he had the power to get up and walk anytime he wanted to? His faith was weak I guess? Jesus told him that he could get up and only then did he. He needed Jesus to tell him that he could. And he believed it so he did.

It was by the same blood promise that we are given. By his stripes we are healed. Even though Jesus hadn't been crucified yet, Jesus was there so the promise was already valid, because Jesus was freely passing out healing to many folks. He knew He wasn't leaving earth again until after He did pay that debt. So it was demonstration of His authority to let it be so already...

So us modern Christians, we walk in this. All we have to do is to believe it enough to be able to receive it. That would be normal Christianity I think. I have had God perform miracles for me. And also do quite the list of little minor things which sure had an air of supernatural about it but had no "event" like a visitation or something. Nothing, things just work out in very strange ways, lol. I started a thread about it, some of the weird stuff God has done for me. Even when no thunder and lightning He still leaves His fingerprints all over it for confirmation. I though it would be a lively thread, a normal thing for other Christians too, but maybe not! There's nary a reply to my thread. If one can not see God moving in their life in different ways...something is seriously wrong.

For an example, read the OP. That was rather the point.

 

[ezra]

Born again of the spirit and water