Saturday 4 October 2008

What is a Christian ?


Just what IS a Christian?I often come across people who make the comment that so and so denomination is NOT Christian. This is particularly the case from mainstream or fundamentalist or "born again" Christians.My own definition of a Christian is as follows, someone who:
1.) Believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
2.) Believes everything that is found in the Bible concerning Jesus Christ, ie; that he was born of a virgin, did everything which the Bible said He did, was executed as an atonement for our sins, was buried and resurrected, and ascension into Heaven to be with His Father, will return again to set up the millennial reign.
3.) One who accepts Jesus Christ as the Saviour and Lord and Master of his/her life, and trys to live according to His commandments.
If a person can say he/she does the above then in my estimation that person is a Christian REGARDLESS to the denomination or Church that he/she frequents.Those who take upon themselves the right to decide just who is a Christian, on the basis of which Church they belong to, are judging in God's place. Jesus Himself commented "by their works ye shall know them". Do they produce good fruit? Are they prayerful, honest, family loving, regular worshipers, law abiding, keeping themselves clean from the sins of the world? Remember not everyone who cries "Lord Lord" will He know, but those who do the will of His Father in Heaven.With hundreds of denominations of the Christian faith, I would doubt that our Heavenly Father will ask at the judgement "Which Church did you belong to?" Rather, each of us will be judged by how we accepted His Son... and how we lived our lives.I do believe, however, that truth is to be found in all denominations and Churches. Some, I am sure, have more of that truth than others. Maybe, no one Church has ALL truth. Surely we should believe that we each have a right to our own beliefs, so far as doctrine is concerned, and give others the same right.Let us refrain from judging others who put their trust in the Saviour. Rather Bless them whoever they may be.

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