Who is a Christian? My Take (disciples, Holy Spirit, apostles, God)

[SeekerSA]

Originally Posted by Dave_n_Tenn

Of course it is.

I'm a father
I'm an evangelist
I'm a Priest
I'm not a Pastor, but I know plenty
I'm a Bishop
I'm an overseer
I'm a presbyteer
I'm a child of God
I'm a disciple

We are many things... and titles mean nothing if you do not live by what the name means.

and my wife says:

I'm a pain

Hello Pain David

I know what you mean, those are functions or charaters we have. Just find it funny that some folk call themselves prophet(ess) so and so as if their sole calling is prophesy. I wonder if they wear helmets and armour for the stonings on false prophesies Oh I forgot, we don't stone them anymore, Pity.

Blessings

Teacher SeekerSA

[hutch5]

I was wondering if we had all forgotten the Resurrection. I was taught that to be Christian not only you needed to believe in and want to follow Christ but also you needed to believe that Christ is the Son of God and that he died and was resurrected. He won over death!! after all isn't it Easter is the most important celebration for Christian?.

Thank you mams.

Originally Posted by mams1559

If we want to know what a Christian is, why don't we ask God what He considers a Christian? Yes, I'm being serious. Well, then it'll be "How do we do that?" Easy... read the bible. I know, there are sooo many Christians who don't believe the bible. However, it is my firm belief the bible is God's word and is the foundation of our faith. It was provided by God for our use so we could know Him and what's expected of us. We obviously cannot rely upon sinful man's reasoning to learn about God (just look at some of the threads here). I'd rather follow God's definition that He provided us in His word than man's own attempted definition. So, how does the bible define a Christian?

1) Belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior --

Romans 10:9-10 -- That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

2) By the fruit they produce you will know them --

Matthew 7:16 -- By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

Galatians 5:22-24 -- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

3) Obedience to Jesus and His commands (following only Him) --

I John 2:3-6 -- We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love[a] is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

There are more, but this is a rather complete overview, IMO. Blessings

[sun queen]

John. Your take on who is a Christian is not important; nor, is any man's judgement in this matter. "Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart..." Consider David. The Word of GOD says David was a man after GOD'S own heart. Yet, we read about his adultry with Basheba and the murder of her husband. If a man did this today, we certainly would not consider him to be a Christian. However, GOD looks at the heart of man. There is more to a man than what can be seen...and only GOD is qualified to judge.

[SeekerSA]

Originally Posted by sun queen

--snip--
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart..." Consider David. The Word of GOD says David was a man after GOD'S own heart. Yet, we read about his adultry with Basheba and the murder of her husband. If a man did this today, we certainly would not consider him to be a Christian. However, GOD looks at the heart of man. There is more to a man than what can be seen...and only GOD is qualified to judge.

Amen (Dang it will not allow me to say just Amen)

Blessings

[Latte'Chic]

Originally Posted by sun queen

John. Your take on who is a Christian is not important; nor, is any man's judgement in this matter. "Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart..." Consider David. The Word of GOD says David was a man after GOD'S own heart. Yet, we read about his adultry with Basheba and the murder of her husband. If a man did this today, we certainly would not consider him to be a Christian. However, GOD looks at the heart of man. There is more to a man than what can be seen...and only GOD is qualified to judge.

Amen also!!!!
God Bless

[ShanaBrown]

was wondering if we had all forgotten the Resurrection. I was taught that to be Christian not only you needed to believe in and want to follow Christ but also you needed to believe that Christ is the Son of God and that he died and was resurrected. He won over death!! after all isn't it Easter is the most important celebration for Christian?.

1 Corin 15:

"Now I make known to you brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain, for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas and to the twelve..."

I believe that we continue in this salvation as we learn to be obedient to the Lord, die to the old man, and press onto the upward call of Christ Jesus, all by the power of God.

Consider David. The Word of GOD says David was a man after GOD'S own heart. Yet, we read about his adultry with Basheba and the murder of her husband. If a man did this today, we certainly would not consider him to be a Christian. However, GOD looks at the heart of man. There is more to a man than what can be seen...and only GOD is qualified to judge.

Good point. God bless.

[spm62]

Originally Posted by sun queen

John. Your take on who is a Christian is not important; nor, is any man's judgement in this matter. "Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart..." Consider David. The Word of GOD says David was a man after GOD'S own heart. Yet, we read about his adultry with Basheba and the murder of her husband. If a man did this today, we certainly would not consider him to be a Christian. However, GOD looks at the heart of man. There is more to a man than what can be seen...and only GOD is qualified to judge.

Amen Amen Amen....I would also like to add..Thank God!

[Preterist]

Originally Posted by spm62

Amen Amen Amen....I would also like to add..Thank God!

Who is a Christian? A Christian is someone who when a gun is place to his head and he is ordered to renounce Christ or die shouts "NEVER!"

Preterist

[ShanaBrown]

But Preterist, did you really mean that ? God bless.

[Lindsey_Mcfarren]

I used to believe that being a christian meant you extend a helping hand to your fellow man, you love all unreservedly, you judge no one because that is gods job.

Now I see the reality and I believe that alot of christians are some of the most dispicable, hurtful and hateful people out there. The kind of people who suffer from prejudice, deviseness, controlling, manipulative behaviors that are so deeply rooted, they run over people, harm them with no notice to the harm they do. The kind of people I do my best to shield my daughter from.

I will raise her to be a compassionate person to ALL.