What is a Christian?

Having posted on a number of religion forums over the past several years, I have been told, more times than I can count, that I am not a Christian. This particular forum seems to be much more tolerant than most. However, I'm curious as to what you all think...

Webster’s Dictionary defines a Christian as “a person professing belief in Jesus as the Christ or in the religion based on the teaching of Jesus.” .... but which faith is based on the teachings of Jesus is a matter of interpretation/faith.

In short: your guess is as good as mine.

It doesn't matter what others think makes a Christian... it only matters what God thinks! I would suggest you work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Individually; A Christian is a person who attempts to live lifes drama in a way that will add truth, beauty and goodness in the world. The idealism of Christianity is brotherhood of all mankind.
The high minded ideas that salvation from the difficulties of the temporal comes to those who seek inner peace through Christ. That an eternal place of peace and tranquility exists eternally for the Children of time and Space who claim christ as their personal saviors.

A beautiful ideology.

In reality the Christian is a subject of Master Slave language.
A language devised for the slave populations in Ancient times. A religion that takes it's idealistic foundation from the Jewish family tribes high minded concepts of a One G-D. A Monotheistic deity.

A religion that helps aid those who come into the mortal condition. Adds an element to the human drama. Causes social order in the civilizations of the temporal.

A Christian is a time bound adventuring being with only a strong faith, a good sense of moral virtue to lead the way through the darkness that is the cosmic adventure itself.


regards,

I picked 'worship Jesus Christ as his Savior and Redeemer' and 'strive to live a Christlike life'. I think it's much more important to be a Christian than to call myself one.

Christ is in heaven; He has been rejected on the earth, and the Christian's part is to follow Him. His walk on earth furnished the pattern of that which God approved. (Chap. 2:21-23, 4:1 and following verses.)

They were to do good, to suffer for it, and to be patient. This is what Christ did. It was better that they should suffer for doing well, than for doing ill. Christ (chap.2:24) had borne our sins, had suffered for our sins, the Just for the unjust, in order that we, being dead to sins, should live for righteousness, and in order to bring us unto God Himself.

Christ came to obey, He chose to die, to suffer all things rather than not obey. With Him, tempted to the uttermost, death was preferred rather than disobedience. Bitter as the cup was, He drank it rather than not fulfill His Father's will.

Christians are rebellious, wicked ******** like me that God loves anyway and has set free from guilt and punishment though the sacrifice & resurrection of His Son.
:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

I believe that a Christian is someone who believes and accepts Jesus as their savior, and has a relationship with God. I don't see Christianity as simply a set of beliefs; I feel there has to be a relationship there in order to be a "true" Christian.

SPLogan said:

Christians are rebellious, wicked ******** like me that God loves anyway and has set free from guilt and punishment though the sacrifice & resurrection of His Son.

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Wow! Do you really think that God considers His own children to be "wicked ********"? That's pretty hard for me to believe. None of us are perfect by any means, but as the offspring of Deity, I think we're far from the horrible creations you have implied we are.

I voted 'Other".

Reason being that I define Christian as any person who's religious belief system includes Jesus Christ in it's heirarchy AND claims to be a Christian.

Weren't both of those up there?

I believe that a Christian is someone who accepts Christ as Saviour, believes that He was the sacrifice for the sins of man, repents of his sins, and by God's Grace is born again by being baptized in that belief. I base this belief on the following bible verses:

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
1 John 5:11-12

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
John 14:6

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
1 John 2:23


Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:12

Well said, Maize. You took the words right out of my mouth.

Maize said:

My personal opinion is, someone who lives by the teachings of Jesus Christ and wishes to call themself Christian, is a Christian. That's all the criteria I have. Others will differ. Most will say something about believing in the Nicene creed as well.

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To me to be a Christian is to be born again,to follow Jesus example and to be an example for other's so they do not feel mislead in their want to BE a Christian. I think there is a lot who feel the LDS aren't Christians because they believe in another testimony of Christ (the Book of Mormon)...They base this on what Paul said in his letters to not be decieved in teachings such as the Mormons do..but in some of these letters it also says to not avoid certian meats because they are deemed unclean by man...well Jesus Christ made all things worth eating and none are unclean in the New Testament as they were before Christ came to set things straight...It's not what goes in man but what comes out that makes him unclean. I believe the Catholics decided it would be wrong to eat meat on Fridays at one point and that is against what the Bible say as well...ok now that rules out all Jews, Catholics, and the LDS,...How is it that so many choose what we are with-in ourselves? Perhaps something just still isn't as it should be or why would all these people feel as they do so strongly? We must do as we feel is right in our hearts and if we have any doubt we should search the scriptures so we aren't mislead by ANYONE!!! We are to learn the truth of scripture and to follow it...well in my Bible study some of what I believed in I learned was taught by what someone decided something meant that wasn't how it was actually intended...I was shocked to learn the facts...Anyone who wants to KNOW FOR SURE...go to the scriptures for the answers...It's the only way to be sure with-in yourself if you are in FACT a true Christian or a person living as such and still lost despite your good deeds and respectful lifestyle. God does NOT respect persons...He however will respect a person who is searching for the truth to be made known to them and will in fact lead you to the truth.


God Bless all who seek for you will find we have all been a little mislead at one time or another.:162: