What is a Christian?

[metis]

Romans 4:1
Romans 4:2
Romans 4:3
Romans 4:4
Romans 4:9
Romans 4:12
Romans 4:13
In the book of Galatians, the 'Abrahamic Covenant', is unto the "Gentiles".


•
Romans 2:28
Is that a contradiction? The word 'jew' is being used in a manner of differentiation, however, in this verse, it is used as a literal description, which would contradict the usual usage, in the text.

So, either 'jew' and gentile are not being used as descriptions always in the same manner, or, this is a contradiction to the entire sequence of verses, and text meaning.

•
Romans 1:13 [nations
Romans 3:9 [not nations
[[Inherent literal differences

gen·tile
Dictionary result for gentile
/ˈjentīl/
adjective

1. 1.
   not Jewish.
   "Christianity spread from Jewish into Gentile cultures"

 

[SalixIncendium]

That's right; "Christians" is what we call them now... and this thread is about how we use the term.

Help me to understand your intent behind stating the obvious your response. Are you in disagreement with something I posted in this thread?

 

[GoodbyeDave]

The only usable definition is surely "some-one who claims to be one, and whom most other Christians accept". If you founded an organisation and said it was Christian, that wouldn't be very convincing if they wouldn't let you into the World Council of Churches. If an individual is accepted as a member of a Christian church, how can we say they're not really a Christian without falling into the True Scotsman fallacy?

 

[Ponder This]

So being a Christian has nothing to do with following the teachings of Jesus? The founder of Christianity?

In peace

Yup. Exactly..

Luke 18:18:

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”​

Luke 18:19

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.​

Luke 19:20

You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’​

 

[Marcion]

Well, I guess just believe in whatever you want to believe in, and the only real "fallacy" that I can see is that you know what you're talking about with your know-it-all absolute assurance that you must be right and that those theologians I mentioned must therefore be ignorant.

Anyhow, I'm moving on, so I'll let you have the last word, but maybe take a humble pill first-- it's not sin to say "I'm not sure".

Yet another fallacy in your posting. There is no constructive discussion possible with folk who flee into using fallacies. Thank you for giving me the last word.

 

[Cooky]

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

Christian is what people started calling disciples in Antioch.
Acts xi.25-26

 

[Ponder This]

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.

I'm not referencing the origins of -ist and -ian. I'm talking about the use of the them in the language. This is a significantly different thing.

But regardless of what you think, my main point stands, that Christianity is not so much defined as a belief structure or explicit doctrine as it is defined by the quality or condition of its members.

Take for example the Communion. If the exoteric belief structure is the important thing, that it may be essential for its adherents to believe that the wafer is physically transformed into human flesh and that the wine is physically transformed into human blood. But it is the esoteric that it actually important: the sharing of a quality or condition with the Christ.

Luke 22:19:

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."​

Luke 22:20

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.​

This is the point I'm getting at: that a Christian is defined by the quality or condition that he shares with the Christ as opposed to the beliefs or doctrines of the Christ to which he may adhere. Was Christ a 'good teacher'?

Some people think so. They may think that the Bible is just a good read with some good advice here and there, some good beliefs to hold, etc. but, you know, "better books about morality have been written," they will say.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I'm not referencing the origins of -ist and -ian. I'm talking about the use of the them in the language. This is a significantly different thing.

But regardless of what you think, my main point stands, that Christianity is not so much defined as a belief structure or explicit doctrine as it is defined by the quality or condition of its members.

Take for example the Communion. If the exoteric belief structure is the important thing, that it may be essential for its adherents to believe that the wafer is physically transformed into human flesh and that the wine is physically transformed into human blood. But it is the esoteric that it actually important: the sharing of a quality or condition with the Christ.

Luke 22:19:

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."​

Luke 22:20

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.​

This is the point I'm getting at: that a Christian is defined by the quality or condition that he shares with the Christ as opposed to the beliefs or doctrines of the Christ to which he may adhere. Was Christ a 'good teacher'?

I don't think we need to get into any of that to say whether someone is a Christian. Do you worry about the correct interpretation of the Guru Granth Sahib when you're deciding whether someone is or isn't a Sikh?

"Christian" is just a label we apply to members of a human group. That's it. It has nothing to do with their "nature" or beliefs, except to the extent that the group includes or excludes members based on belief.

Some people think so. They may think that the Bible is just a good read with some good advice here and there, some good beliefs to hold, etc. but, you know, "better books about morality have been written," they will say.

I wouldn't even give the Bible that much.

It's had a significant impact and idioms from the Bible have worked into various languages, but as a moral guide or source of truth, it's pretty awful.

 

[Ponder This]

I don't think we need to get into any of that to say whether someone is a Christian. Do you worry about the correct interpretation of the Guru Granth Sahib when you're deciding whether someone is or isn't a Sikh?

I'm not particularly worried about the correct interpretation of Guru Granth Sahib as a means to understand what a Christian is. Should I be? If so, why?

"Christian" is just a label we apply to members of a human group. That's it. It has nothing to do with their "nature" or beliefs, except to the extent that the group includes or excludes members based on belief.

Sure, I understand that we apply the term "Christian" to a particular group of people, but there are two views:

1. the view of the people outside the group who label others as Christian
2. the view of people inside the group who refer to themselves as Christians​

And to understand #2, you have to understand that there are things such as love, brotherhood, sisterhood, hope, faith, and courage, that are not beliefs - they are qualities. And when a person says, "I'm a Christian", he may be referring to the qualities of his inner life shared with the Christ consciousness as opposed to referring to a set of beliefs.

For example, if I say, median, I refer to something have the quality of being in the middle. If I say, Iranian, I refer to someone with the quality of being from Iran. I'm not referring to a belief system; I'm referring to a quality or condition.

A lot of religion refers to qualities and conditions of the soul as opposed to beliefs held in the rational mind.

 

[GoldenThread]

Christian is what people started calling disciples in Antioch.
Acts xi.25-26

Correct! How was one to become a disciple? A disciple of whom?

In peace

 

[GoldenThread]

Thanks to all those that have posted on this thread! As expected their was a lot of differences in opinion of what it means to be a Christian. This has always baffled me. Now, I think I understand why that it...

ALL so-called Christians today are leaving one important piece out of their teaching!!! This is why their are so many denominations. If the churches would put this teaching back into their doctrines, then their won't be any more denominations.

Don't believe me? Check this video out:

bit.ly/Jesusteachings

This video will change your perspective on Christianity.

Don't watch if you are not prepared to have your whole beliefs shaken! You were warned...

In peace