• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

What is a Christian?

2ndpillar

Well-Known Member
Please give me a good thoughtful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

The Gentiles, "Christians", would be best described as the "adulteress" of Hosea 3, who was bought for the equivalence of 30 shekels of silver, and kept for "many days" , until the "sons of Israel will return".

A second good description, would be the "flock doomed to slaughter" (Zechariah 11), "pastured" by two staffs/shepherds, one called "Favor", Paul, because of his false gospel of grace, and the other one called "Cords", Peter, because of how he died (John 21:18), and because of his breaking the bonds between Judah and Israel, by his shameful "vision" (Zechariah 13:4), and who was called the "worthless shepherd" who would not feed, care, or tend the sheep (Zechariah 11:16-17). There are other descriptions, but I like to keep my post short and sweet.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
To me, a Christian is what Jesus' apostles were. Trained in the ways of the Father by the son who knew him intimately.
Being a footstep follower of the Christ means trying our best to live the life Jesus recommended to his first century disciples. (1 Peter 2:21; John 15:14-15) Not seeking to be tied up in empty pursuits. (John 18:36) Not being part of this world and its greed for material things, but living a simple life with an abundance of spiritual treasures in our heavenly bank account. (Matthew 6:19-21; 1 John 2:15-17)

It means being morally, spiritually and physically clean in God's eyes....and it means enduring the hatred and hardships that being a disciple of Jesus would entail. (John 15:18-21; Matthew 7:13-14)

I believe that is not what a Christian is but it does describe a Jesus follower.
 

viole

Ontological Naturalist
Premium Member
Please give me a good thoughtful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

A Christian is one that believes that Jesus was the son of God and resurrected from the cross after three days.

That is the only common denominator I can see.

Some of them claim that a Christian is one that has a personal relalationship with God, Jesus or whatever. But that is clearly ridiculous, since they cannot even agree on basic stuff like the age of the earth or the nature of hell.

Unless those personal relationship restrict to talk about the weather, of course.

Ciao

- viole
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
To be a Christian is to be a follower of the life and Teachings of Christ. It means we are so transformed by His Message so as to be born again into the life of the spirit.

I don't believe that is how it works. One can be transformed by His message all day long but if the person is not prepared to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior then he will not be born again.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
A Christian is one that believes that Jesus was the son of God and resurrected from the cross after three days.

That is the only common denominator I can see.

Some of them claim that a Christian is one that has a personal relalationship with God, Jesus or whatever. But that is clearly ridiculous, since they cannot even agree on basic stuff like the age of the earth or the nature of hell.

Unless those personal relationship restrict to talk about the weather, of course.

Ciao

- viole

I believe such a person believes things about Jesus but those beliefs will not make him a Christian.

I believe it is only ridiculous to someone who hasn't formed a personal relationship.

I believe disagreements are a sign that not all people claiming to be Christians have a personal relationship that informs them on religious issues.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
A Christian by definition is a follower of Paul and Simon the stone (petros) (Acts 11:26); they're the people who have been purposely misled by the Pharisees not to follow Yeshua in the Synoptic Gospels...

Christianity also heavily leans on the fake Gospel of John, mostly likely written by the Sanhedrin as it matches their Pharisaic ideas.


The original real disciples of Yeshua were called 'Followers of the Way (Dharma)' or the Ebionites (Poor Ones).

In my opinion. :innocent:

I believe all the writers were inspired by God and valid. I believe your concepts are not inspired by God.

I believe in current times this term has been co-opted by The Way International. I also believe it does not describe a Christian other than in some aspects.
 

Hockeycowboy

Witness for Jehovah
Premium Member
ah yes... the first christians' thoughts made the nicene creed. the nicene creed is a result, not the cause.
No way. Read their prayer @ Acts of the Apostles 4:24-30, and tell me if they believed Jesus was God. (Twice, they called Jesus, 'God's servant.') They worshipped Who Jesus worshipped, Yahweh. -- John 20:17
 

Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
A Christian is someone who has been baptised by a Christian priest and who has confessed to believe in the words of the Nicene (or a very similiar) Creed.
 

Ponder This

Well-Known Member
Please give me a good thoughtful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

I think that we can understand what a Christian is a bit better if we understand what the suffix -ian denotes. We don't use the word Christist, but we do use the word Buddhist. A Christian is not defined by his belief in the teachings of Christ or adherence to a doctrine. Christianity is not Christism. A Christian is defined by his relationship with Christ, that is to say the quality which he shares with Christ. The understanding of what it means to be a Christian is esoteric rather than exoteric. Just as Christianity is not a set of beliefs or doctrines, but is actually a condition or quality of being.

John 14:6:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."​
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
Please give me a good thoughtful answer, and if you can use Scripture.

A christian is someone who believes Jesus as Lord and Savior; and, whatever denomination, practices the sacraments of christ.

Baptism/conversion: 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:27; Luke 3:16 etc

Confession/repentance: 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 (The whole chapter actually)

Confirmation/conviction: Act 22:16; Romans 10:9-10,19; Mathew 6:9-14

The whole bible basically.

If you don't confess, what exactly are you giving up to christ in order to be saved. If you don't confirm, you can say Lord Lord but without conviction, what faith do you have in feelings or in christ. If not born again from baptism, anyone can say they follow the lord but without being renewed, what exactly does that mean.

Without these things, I would not say one is christian. However, god works through people in different ways. Regardless the denomination, I'm sure anyone who repents, confesses, confirms, and is born into change to follow christ is considered christian. I would assume it would be challenging god's methods of grace to say otherwise.
 
Last edited:
A christian is someone who believes Jesus as Lord and Savior; and, whatever denomination, practices the sacraments of christ.

Baptism: 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:27; Luke 3:16 etc

Confession: 2 Corinthians 7:9-11 (The whole chapter actually)

Confirmation: Act 22:16; Romans 10:9-10,19; Mathew 6:9-14

The whole bible basically.

If you don't confess, what exactly are you giving up to christ in order to be saved. If you don't confirm, you can say Lord Lord but without conviction, what faith do you have in feelings or in christ. If not born again from baptism, anyone can say they follow the lord but without being renewed, what exactly does that mean.

Without these things, I would not say one is christian. However, god works through people in different ways. Regardless the denomination, I'm sure anyone who repents, confesses, confirms, and is born into change to follow christ is considered christian. I would assume it would be challenging god's methods of grace to say otherwise.
Couldn't someone go through the motions of doing these rituals and still not sincerely believe in Jesus? After all, these are just rituals. God constantly condemned the Israelite's for offering sacrifices that was an abomination. Why when God asked them do so? Well, it is because they thought this ritual is what made them right with God.

I think it goes a bit deeper than doing rituals.

In peace
 
I think that we can understand what a Christian is a bit better if we understand what the suffix -ian denotes. We don't use the word Christist, but we do use the word Buddhist. A Christian is not defined by his belief in the teachings of Christ or adherence to a doctrine. Christianity is not Christism. A Christian is defined by his relationship with Christ, that is to say the quality which he shares with Christ. The understanding of what it means to be a Christian is esoteric rather than exoteric. Just as Christianity is not a set of beliefs or doctrines, but is actually a condition or quality of being.

John 14:6:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."​
So being a Christian has nothing to do with following the teachings of Jesus? The founder of Christianity?

In peace
 
I don't believe that is how it works. One can be transformed by His message all day long but if the person is not prepared to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior then he will not be born again.
How does transforming oneself with the message of Jesus indicate that someone wouldn't be prepared to be Born Again?

Wouldn't it make sense to say someone who is not willing to transform their life according to Jesus is not prepared to receive Jesus and be Born again?

In peace
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
I think that we can understand what a Christian is a bit better if we understand what the suffix -ian denotes. We don't use the word Christist, but we do use the word Buddhist. A Christian is not defined by his belief in the teachings of Christ or adherence to a doctrine. Christianity is not Christism. A Christian is defined by his relationship with Christ, that is to say the quality which he shares with Christ. The understanding of what it means to be a Christian is esoteric rather than exoteric. Just as Christianity is not a set of beliefs or doctrines, but is actually a condition or quality of being.

John 14:6:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."​
Is it fun to make up etymologies?

"-ist" and "-ian" mean the same thing. One's just from a Greek root and the other's from a Latin root.
 
Top