Jesus in Christianity

[barbapappa]

As far as I know, the most important thing to be a Christian and get in to heaven is to believe in Jesus. Do you believe that it is possible to just believe in Jesus and get in to heaven even if you're not a member in a Christian church?

Edit: I don't think that I made myself clear enough. My english isn't the best and neither is my knowledge in this matter, but I'll try to explain. Jesus died on the cross to take our sins away, and that is the reason why we get to heaven. Yes, we're supposed to live a good life, but even if you do not you're forgiven if you believe in Jesus (right?). That's the reason why I said that the most important thing is to believe in Jesus.

 

[Lyndon]

The most important thing is to live a good life, If belief in Jesus helps you to live a good life then that's great, if your belief in Jesus doesn't do anything to make you live a good life, you're belief in Jesus is essentially worthless IMHO.

If you have a belief in Buddha that helps you to lead a good life, or a belief in Mohammad that helps you to lead a good life, then that's equally valid. Belief in Jesus with no change in your life for the better in how you treat others, and respect yourself, is of little value. Even Jesus says in the Gospel's "Ye are judged by your works" it doesn't say "you are judged by whether you believe in Jesus or not".

 

[wizanda]

Christians don't follow Christ; they follow Paul, John and Simon the stone (petros). So by simply following what Yeshua taught in the synoptic gospels, you can get into heaven, i.e. unconditional love and sharing wisdom.

it doesn't say "you are judged by whether you believe in Jesus or not".

Sorry it does in John.

 

[Lyndon]

Sorry but I don't believe nonsense like that. Do you claim everyone who never heard of Jesus throughout history is going to hell for it?? unbelievable.

That verse is a very good example of the kind of statement I would theorize was added to the Gospels by someone like Paul at a later date. No way I could see Jesus actually making that statement with what else we Know about Him from the Gospels.

 

[wizanda]

Do you claim....

No need to get mad at me; keep trying to tell you all, John is made up, most likely by someone who was a member of the Pharisees.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Sounds more like a "Club" rule than something Jesus instituted.
For Judgement to mean anything at all, it must be a judgement of our lives not our beliefs.
Our lives can clearly belie the strength of our belief.

Membership of a church might rely on rules, Salvation is another matter entirely.

Those who contributed to the Bible , Preached and Recruited had little more than rules to go by.
The Truth would have frightened the horses, or driven the people away.
To be a Christian was very tough.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Christians don't follow Christ; they follow Paul, John and Simon the stone (petros). So by simply following what Yeshua taught in the synoptic gospels, you can get into heaven, i.e. unconditional love and sharing wisdom.

Sorry it does in John.

John does not always get it Right.

The Bible is full of contrary statements, All of them can not be correct.

 

[Lyndon]

The Gospel of Luke makes the most sense to me. Sorry if I misinterpreted your comment, Wizanda. I read the gospels carefully, certain key texts, which SURPRISE, are the proof texts for many fundamentalists, seem so unlike Jesus, and so similar to Paul's what I consider heresy, that I think they may have been added later. For instance Jesus overwhelmingly referred to Himself as the Son of Man, only a couple of "proof" texts refer to him as Son of God, I think that was added later, I don't think Jesus claimed to be God, when Pontius Pilate asked Jesus during his trial if he was the Son Of God, Jesus replied, "Ye say it, not I' which is pretty damn close to a flat out denial, to me.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

As far as I know, the most important thing to be a Christian and get in to heaven is to believe in Jesus. Do you believe that it is possible to just believe in Jesus and get in to heaven even if you're not a member in a Christian church?

My personal opinion, no. Scripture doesnt say you need to be a part of a church to believe in Him. He just states anyone who believes in Him, believes in the Father and can carry His cross are His disciples. I believe to be a Christian, you must have fellowship with the Body of Christ. Whatever you do for others, Jesus said, you have done for Him. Think of the church as Jesus and the members your brothers and sisters. Whatever you do and fellowahip you have for them you have for Christ. When you so things for non christians, you do the same. Christianity isnt a solitary faith.

I believe scripture says to believe in Christ. However, without interacting and helping in His body to help others, how does one be Christ's follower as well?

Thats what belief in Christ is, what you DO to follow Him.

 

[Desert Snake]

As far as I know, the most important thing to be a Christian and get in to heaven is to believe in Jesus. Do you believe that it is possible to just believe in Jesus and get in to heaven even if you're not a member in a Christian church?

"Church" was never intended to mean a literal ''church'', or denomination. It means the believers, the ''Xians'', or Jesus followers. The interpretation got goofed early on by some churches etc.

 

[wizanda]

Sorry if I misinterpreted your comment, Wizanda. I read the gospels carefully, certain key texts, which SURPRISE, are the proof texts for many fundamentalists, seem so unlike Jesus, and so similar to Paul's what I consider heresy, that I think they may have been added later.

The whole of John is used as a foundation for Paul's ideology... The dragon gives its power to the beast.

So when John and Paul were both possibly Pharisees, it explains why all the mixed up beliefs come from them. If you dismantle the new testament into separate authors, you can see three totally different beliefs, mixed together as one; why there are 41,000 Christian denominations.