Can we agree that it is ignorant to use the terms ';true'; and ';not real'; Christian?

It's time to stop playing the ';oh, they aren't 'true Christians'!'; card.


It doesn't matter how good or bad a person you are; your beliefs are your beliefs.





So yes, some people do do many un-Christian things. But if they believe in God and Jesus, they're Christian, buddy. It doesn't matter how they behave.











Discuss:


Do you agree?


Where did this thing start, anyway?


Why do people say it?


Etc.Can we agree that it is ignorant to use the terms ';true'; and ';not real'; Christian?
I SO Agree! That'll preach sister! Who is anyone to judge another? God alone knows each of our hearts. All Christians do un-Christlike things from time to time--and I don't care who your are. They are lying if they say they don't.





Helllooooooooo--we are human.





Hi-Five, Pamiekins!Can we agree that it is ignorant to use the terms ';true'; and ';not real'; Christian?
The word ';Christian'; is virtually meaningless. You define it as ';anybody who believes in God and Jesus,'; which means that Muslims are Christians by your definition. There are too many factions to consider any common attributes. Those who add designations like ';real'; or ';true'; are trying to differentiate their religion from a completely different religion. I don't blame them.
no, because being a Christian is something you have to devote your whole heart into. It's not just ''yeah i believe'', get baptized and that's all.
Yes i agree with you. There are truly only two types of Christians Carnal or Spirit led, Although this being the case there are many varying degrees in between and only Christ can sanctify. Everyone that has excepted the real deal Jesus Christ into their hearts and is still sincere and is trying to still follow Jesus, is a Christian (don't ever give up on faith no matter who you are or what is going on) Jesus is never going to give up on you.
No. Because by definition, a 'true Christian' is someone who follows the pattern of the Christ.





CHRISTIAN





The Latinized Greek term Khri·sti·a·nos´, found only three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, designates followers of Christ Jesus, the exponents of Christianity.—Ac 11:26; 26:28; 1Pe 4:16.





“It was first in Antioch [Syria] that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.” (Ac 11:26) It is possible, then, that this name was used as early as the year 44 C.E. when the events surrounding this text occurred, although the grammatical structure of this phrase does not necessarily make it so; some think it was a little later. At any rate, by about 58 C.E., in the city of Caesarea, the term was well known and used even by public officials, for at that time King Herod Agrippa II said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.”—Ac 26:28.





Bible writers in addressing fellow believers or describing followers of Christ used expressions such as “believers in the Lord,” “brothers” and “disciples” (Ac 5:14; 6:3; 15:10), “chosen ones” and “faithful ones” (Col 3:12; 1Ti 4:12), “slaves to God” and “slaves of Christ Jesus” (Ro 6:22; Php 1:1), “holy ones,” “congregation of God,” and “those who call upon the Lord.” (Ac 9:13; 20:28; 1Co 1:2; 2Ti 2:22) These terms with doctrinal meaning were used primarily as internal congregational designations. To outsiders Christianity was referred to as “The Way” (Ac 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4), and opponents called it “the sect of the Nazarenes” or just “this sect.”—Ac 24:5; 28:22.





It was first in Syrian Antioch that Christ’s followers became known as Christians. It is most unlikely that the Jews first styled Jesus’ followers “Christians” (Greek) or “Messianists” (Hebrew), for they would not reject Jesus as being the Messiah, or Christ, and then tacitly recognize him as the Anointed One, or Christ, by stamping his followers “Christians.” Some think the heathen population may have nicknamed them Christians out of jest or scorn, but the Bible shows that it was a God-given name; they “were by divine providence called Christians.”—Ac 11:26.
I disagree. A true Christian follows Christ.


If a person does not act like Christ, he is not a Christian, even if he says he believes.








A true vegetarian does not eat meat. He isn't a vegetarian if he eats a bacon cheeseburger or a meatball...even if he SAYS he is a vegetarian and believes in not eating meat.


It's the same thing.
You couldn't be more wrong. A Christian is one who has accepted the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for them..They have turned away from their sins are living for God. They have been baptized...They have received the Holy Spirit and follow the lead of the Spirit in everything they do.





A Christian is someone who actually follows in the footsteps of Jesus Christ...not someone who says they do.You are known by your fruits...if you are still going to nightclubs and drinking and having sex outside of marriage....do you really think you can claim to have repented?....you need to repent.








.The Muslims believe God and Jesus exist,,,,so does Satan....doesn't make them followers of Christ....





if you ask nearly anyone are they Christian or Pagan...most will look shocked and say a Christian..although they have never set foot in a church...and they usually claim to be Baptist if you press them....LOL...want to know how I know?...in filling out forms before I got saved...I always put Baptist,,,it was about the only denomination I could think of at the time...a lot of people do that....Are they Christian because they say so?...of course not.





So, I hate to disagree with you but there are false Christians out there..never repented,,,,never been baptised,,,don't have the Holy Spirit....and yet they say they are Christians because they go to church every Sunday...no they are not. You don't get saved by going to church. You are not a Baptist because your Mama was....You are not saved just because you believe there is a God....or because you have heard of Jesus...
No. I think we need to point out that there are a lot of nominal (in name only) Christians around who are making Christianity look bad and keeping people away from the faith who might otherwise turn to the Lord and be saved from an eternity in hell. These are people who are going to fall away, i.e. become apostate in the end.
Nope.


Jesus even warned us that there would be wolves in sheeps clothing among us. It would be ignorant to ignore that fact.
People are only christians, in Gods eyes, by what they BELIEVE, not necessarily by their ';actions';. Believing in God and Jesus isnt what MAKES one a christian either. God gives us facts about the Cross that we are to believe in order to be saved.





Beliefs must have their source in something RELIABLE, or else they are just misplaced pipe dreams. I can believe Im a frito...but facts simply dont corroborate it.





There are people who claim to BE christians , but by Gods standard are clearly NOT. Being in a church doesnt make one a christian any more than being in a barn makes one a horse.





We can know people are saved by what they BELIEVE. Does it follow biblical and dispensational standards? Do they know what the gospel of OUR salvation is? If they dont, then they ARENT true christians...but professing without possessing.





Being IN CHRIST is the proof of Christianity...and you only GET there by BELIEVING in the death, burial and resurrection as being sufficient to reconcile you to God. ALL else is NOT true, and thus NOT real.
Jesus said:


';Come be my follower.'; Mark 10:21.


That means believing what Jesus taught.


If someone calls themselves 'christian' but does not accept what Jesus taught ....how are they 'true', or 'real'?
I fall into saying those phrases a lot, but I never thought of it like this. It is true, that I don't always do what I know I should according to my beliefs. I will be trying to correct my terminology in the future.
Well, I can't agree that everyone who calls him/herself a Christian necessarily is one. Demons, we are told, also believe in God, and in Jesus...and tremble. So, evidently, there is a bit more to it than that...


On the other hand, I'm not the one to say who is, or who is not, a ';true'; Christian. Some may be Christians who just haven't matured as much as some others...


I DO know Who IS qualified to make such a judgment, though...He knows His sheep, and they hear His voice...a stranger's voice they will not follow...


Where did it start?


My guess is it started way back when Peter and Paul were having their debate about whether or not a gentile ought to be circumcised in order to be a Christian...maybe even further back than that!


People say it because they don't agree with the beliefs and/or ideas of that OTHER person who is obviously NOT A ';TRUE'; CHRISTIAN...not like WE are...





And here is my ETC...


Seems to me that the people who call themselves by Christ's name have spent the last 2,000 years complicating what Jesus Christ came to this world to make simple...thus they (WE) are trampling His blood under our feet...making it next to impossible for someone who is truly seeking to actually find Christ, buried somewhere under all of our man-made doctrines and programs and denominations and dogma...


And for that, judgment begins in the House of the Lord...
Well I do not agree with '; It doesnt matter how they behave '; but you have put your finger on a sad truth. That truth is that many who name the name of Jesus do not behave as jesus commanded them. It is not for me to judge who is not a true Christian and who is, but if it is obvious that someone is living in sin , we are also commanded to rebuke them . Jesus said ye shall know them by their fruits. Is a persons fruit helping the poor,living clean and Godly lives, and abstaining not only from evil but also from the appearance of evil? Yes? Then that is good fruit. Is a person going to Church every Sunday and then going to a srtrip bar during the week? His fruit is evil. Not to hard to see someones fruit. Now there are some cases where it is hard to tell . Take Ted Haggard, his outward fruit was all good but his hidden fruit was evil , so God in his manifest wisdom revealed his evil fruit and he got his just reward( punishment).
I go by the gospel.





Jesus said that a thorn bush can call itself a fig tree, but if you see thorns in it, you can pretty much be sure it's not a fig tree. ';By their fruits they shall be known.';





So when I look at some people today who call themselves Christian, but who do nothing but hate-monger and exclude people and cause chaos, I'm not going to sit quietly by and say ';Well, if they want to call themselves Christian, I guess I'll respect their beliefs.';





I'm a Quaker and one tenant that is very important to us is ';Speaking the Truth.'; When I see fundamentalists besmirching the name of Jesus and Christianity for their own gains, the Spirit calls out to me very strongly to speak the Truth.





They are not Christians. And it's sad that a lot of people in the world -- and a LOT of people here on YA -- don't have any other image of a Christian to work with except for the hate-mongerers and bible thumpers called fundamentalists. They need to know the truth -- that there are some Christians out here who are not ignorant and hateful and xenophobic and greedy. There are some Christians out here who do their best to love everybody in Christ, just like Jesus told us to do.





Those would be the real Christians.
No I don't agree, some only pretend to be Christian therefore they are not true Christians, some practice false doctrine therefore they are not true Christians, some think they can embrace perversions and still be Christian and are not. People say it because it is the truth. It does matter how they behave, it is how true Christians identify those who are not true Christians. They will be known by their works.
Being a Christina means more then just believing in Jesus and God, it means living a good life. One of our greatest beliefs is '; Love Your Neighbor as you love yourself,'; a TRUE Christian would be listen and obey this commandment, but not true christians don't! They hate their neighbors who are different and shove their faith down people's throats! Did Jesus shove his religion down people's throats? no he didn't





-peace in christ-
A Christian is a person who follows or attempts to follow what he perceives the teachings of Christ were, and that's all.





Catholics are Christians. Protestants are Christians. Mormons are Christians. Jehovah's Witnesses are Christians.





I am an atheist. Anyone who does not believe in gods is also an atheist, even if I hate them and disagree with everything else they believe.
';Do you agree?';


No. If someone told you that he or she was an atheist, and yet you found them regularly attending church and praying to god, wouldn't you question whether they were a ';true'; atheist? Or if someone claimed to be a pacifist, yet had a long record of advocating war (not too unlike Ghandi, by the way), wouldn't you question whether they were a ';true'; pacifist? If someone claims to believe something, yet there is a discrepancy between that person's claimed belief and his or her actions, then we have all the right to question whether that person truly holds the claimed belief.
No, obviously we can't all agree on that. Are you surprised?





Jesus disagrees with you in Matthew 7:21-23.


';Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'





It is made plain by the above verse that not everyone who thinks he or she is okay with God actually is. Obviously, some people who call themselves Christians are not actually connected to real relationship with Jesus. They aren't actually saved.





I agree that Christians are saved by faith in the blood of Jesus shed on our behalf, rather than by our inadequate attempts to live a ';good enough'; life to measure up to the standards of a perfect God (which is why Jesus died on the cross for us, as our substitute).





When I talk about people not being true or real Christians, it is not meant to insult them; it is meant to point out the very real truth that salvation, by personally accepting the atonement of the blood of Jesus, and personally accepting His Lordship over one's life, is necessary for eternal life.





Salvation is not found in being brought up in a Christian home, having family members who are Christians, living a ';Christian'; lifestyle, or going to church. There is a real God who actually desires a living relationship with each one of us.





James 2:19 says: ';You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.'; Simply believing that Jesus exists does not mean you are in right relationship with Him.





Many people call themselves Christians just because they have a church background or have more personal knowledge of Christianity than of any other religion. That's nice, but it won't help you on Judgment Day. You need more; you need the Spirit of the Living God inside of you.





Romans 10:9 says: ';If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.';





To learn more about salvation, read ';How You Can Be Sure That You Will Spend Eternity with God'; by Erwin Lutzer.