Why Are So Many Christians So Un-Christian?
- Thread starter Cliffy
- Start date
Anyone can self-identify as a Christian, Twila, but only Christ can make it so.
In speaking of true and false disciples, Jesus declared, "By their fruit you will recognize them." (Matthew 7:16, 20 NIV) The fruit Jesus references is the fruit of His Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 3:22-23 NIV) Those who referred to the first century disciples as "Christians" recognized the likeness of Christ in them. "The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." (Acts 11:26 NIV)
To recognize a Christian, we have to know Christ.
What constitutes being a Christian and what disqualifies them from being a Christian? Sometimes on weekends when taking my walk I get accosted by one judgmental pr*ck , who I am sure thinks he is a Christian. I would argue that Christians aren't loud and obnoxious and more or less mind their own business.
A couple of decades ago, I was walking across Jane St. in the North part of Toronto in front a megachurch called "The Prayer Palace". I was wearing a sweatshirt that had a Haida rendering of an Orca that I had bought in Gas Town. The pastor of the church, came running out if the building, came right up to my face and started yelling at me and my shirt some invocation against the demon on my shirt. Needless to say, the man is a total whack job. There are Christians and there are Christians. In this case, it was probably something like the Book of Revelations that netted this particular crazy person. There are the devout and there are the mentally ill.
That particular pastor managed to hoodwink his flock out of the many millions that it took to build an even bigger and more giant-sized Prayer Palace ( three million a year is their " prophet"). He eventually came acropper with a scandal and he is up on sex assault charges. Sound familiar?
The business of Christians:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)
The business of Christians is to lead others to Christ, JLM. Apart from Christ, this is impossible.
I can't find any pro Muslim statements, please list them.
Not really, when somebody does something for somebody who is less fortunate then that is the only sign that should be taken as identifying them as a Christian. All people born see salvation from God so all are part of the Church, the only difference being some are gathered a bit sooner that the rest, which is the much larger group.
so then another self identifying christian can not call another self identifying christian not a christian.
Nor can a self identifying christian consider themselves a christian because only christ can make it so.
Seems you all are caught in a catch 22, cause Westboro are christians as are the abortion clinic bombers, as is anyperson who self identifies regardless of if their actions are christian in nature.
All of the fallen human logic we can muster won't get us to the understanding we receive by grace through faith in Christ, Twila.
Really??
Lu:3:6:
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
1Co:15:39:
All flesh is not the same flesh:
but there is one kind of flesh of men,
another flesh of beasts,
another of fishes,
and another of birds.
The ones called 'the rest' are in the most danger of not seeing salvation yet they do.
Re:20:5:
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
This is the first resurrection.
Re:19:21:
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse,
which sword proceeded out of his mouth:
and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Isa:65:12:
Therefore will I number you to the sword,
and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter:
because when I called,
ye did not answer;
when I spake,
ye did not hear;
but did evil before mine eyes,
and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
Isa:65:13:
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD,
Behold,
my servants shall eat,
but ye shall be hungry:
behold,
my servants shall drink,
but ye shall be thirsty:
behold,
my servants shall rejoice,
but ye shall be ashamed:
Isa:65:14:
Behold,
my servants shall sing for joy of heart,
but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart,
and shall howl for vexation of spirit.
Heb:12:22:
But ye are come unto mount Sion,
and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem,
and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb:12:23:
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn,
which are written in heaven,
and to God the Judge of all,
and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb:12:4-9:
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,
striving against sin.
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children,
My son,
despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening,
God dealeth with you as with sons;
for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers,
then are ye bastards,
and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us,
and we gave them reverence:
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits,
and live?
Isa:65:19:
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and joy in my people:
and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her,
nor the voice of crying.
Re:21:1-7:
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth:
for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
and there was no more sea.
And I John saw the holy city,
new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,
Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men,
and he will dwell with them,
and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them,
and be their God.
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow,
nor crying,
neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
And he that sat upon the throne said,
Behold,
I make all things new.
And he said unto me,
Write:
for these words are true and faithful.
And he said unto me,
It is done.
I am Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end.
I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
He that overcometh shall inherit all things;
and I will be his God,
and he shall be my son.
I assume you have some references that points directly to some portion of mankind ending up in the fiery lake.
Wikipedia says it better than I can. And if that is what you believe, that's fine. Not really into elaborating these days.
So if a person has a belief in things that you do not, they are little minded. Gotcha
