Who are the true Christians?
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WhyCzar
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Who is the true Christ?
Mendalla
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I have always argued that a "Christian" is anyone who professes some kind of role for Jesus Christ in their faith, and a "Christian church" is a gathering of such persons for communal worship, prayer, and community service. It is, in other words, a label people and organizations adopt to denote the presence of Jesus in their teachings and beliefs. You might question how they live that or whether their practice and faith fits with that label, but if they are talking about Jesus and he is named in their faith statements and professions and so on, they are Christian.
Why such a broad, loose definition?
Because we cannot (as discussed in the thread on "about Jesus" vs. "of Jesus") easily separate Jesus from the church about Jesus. Even the Gospels reflect the Christian community's ideas about Jesus as much as or more so than they reflect Jesus' actual life and teachings. If you or your church professes to follow Jesus, and can back that up, then I don't think there's an objective standard one can apply to deny you that profession. So RC? Christian. Progressive Protestant? Christian. Evangelical? Christian. Orthodox? Christian. They're all Christian to me and that's why. Arguably, even the Mormons though that gets a bit dicier given their recent origins and somewhat questionable approach to pre-colonial North American history.
"True Christian" could then be argued to be either meaningless (since there is no objective standard to establish the "true" part) or redundant, since anyone honestly professing some form of faith in Jesus Christ is a "true" Christian.
Why such a broad, loose definition?
Because we cannot (as discussed in the thread on "about Jesus" vs. "of Jesus") easily separate Jesus from the church about Jesus. Even the Gospels reflect the Christian community's ideas about Jesus as much as or more so than they reflect Jesus' actual life and teachings. If you or your church professes to follow Jesus, and can back that up, then I don't think there's an objective standard one can apply to deny you that profession. So RC? Christian. Progressive Protestant? Christian. Evangelical? Christian. Orthodox? Christian. They're all Christian to me and that's why. Arguably, even the Mormons though that gets a bit dicier given their recent origins and somewhat questionable approach to pre-colonial North American history.
"True Christian" could then be argued to be either meaningless (since there is no objective standard to establish the "true" part) or redundant, since anyone honestly professing some form of faith in Jesus Christ is a "true" Christian.
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unsafe
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Many call themselves Christians because the say they do follow Jesus ------
Following Jesus doesn't make you a true Christian -------
Receiving Jesus in your heart by and through His Faith and doing what He says in His word ----makes you a True Christian --
Anyone can call themselves a Christian today ----and say they follow Jesus ---
Scripture --
AI Overview
"Many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14) means that while God offers a universal invitation to salvation (the "calling"),
only a small number truly respond with faith and obedience (the "chosen"),
WhyCzar
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Jesus directs attention inward and upward: "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21)
His core message - as I interpret it - is that the divine Christ-like spark is in all human beings - without exception.
Some one who never even heard of Jesus could still be truly Christ Like (Christian).
Right, it is a label. It suggests affiliation rather then fruits.
Agreed, if they love neighbour as self and not follow the path of selfishness.
unsafe
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Here lies the problem ------this love your neighbour is the second command ----you can't just skip the First Command and go to the second one -----cause without the First command ---you can't do the second command -----cause this Love is not human love here ---it is Agape your neighbour---- and without receiving the 1st command ----you can't property exectute the Second -----but we don't the First Commandment ----
so we just skip it and think we can get right with God by our Works ----which goes against what God says ------
False Prophets teach works ------today -----wolves in sheep clothing
WhyCzar
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A bit of a divergence but still on topic.
I notice @Delightful Life is signing off with Platinum Age or Platinum# ?
So I did some investigating.
The Platinum Rule is “Treat others the way they ask to be treated.”
Unlike the Golden Rule, which assumes everyone wants the same thing as you do.
The Platinum Rule requires active listening and individual respect.
It acknowledges that every person is a unique "case" with unique needs.
unsafe
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that is a good question ----cause the word Christian is man made and is not rightly used today as it was meant to be used in Paul's time ----- that is for sure ------
So it should be who is a True follower of the Way ----------not who is a a true Christian --
Serving the will of God is following the second commandment. We are to serve both God and each other.
I'll remember that the next time i meet a masochist.
How about before that in Jesus' time?
WhyCzar
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And who is my neighbor?
unsafe
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You can't do God's will without first accepting God in you ------only then can you have the Agape to serve your neighbour =====Human love will always fail so you can't serve your neighbour the way God means for you to serve your neighbour with His Agape and that is the first fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit in you ------so you have to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who gives you the Agape to serve your neighbour without fail ------
No matter what your neighbour does to you personally you will serve them with Agape--Agape never fails
From Strong's
With the believer, 25 /agapáō ("to love") means actively doing what the Lord prefers, with Him (by His power and direction).
I say -----God's will is serving your neighbour through Him by His power -----and that power comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit ------which you get when you receive Jesus in your heart
Without God in you ----your away from God -----you can't do His will -------
Delightful Life
M&M, Cascadian Lovers
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Hello there. Welcome to WC: Second Coming :3 I'm one of those who has been here for so long, I am Commonlaw with so many others here lol And we can even finish each other's thoughts sometimes :3
All the Christians I have met are Differently Jesused
There is a wide range of Christian but not too wide. Christianity isn't anything and everything
For me it is Obey God
Feed the Hungry
Clothe the poor
Heal the sick
And that is it
Spend time with people. People are awesome. We are entire worlds
Everyone
God won't come back into anyone unless they first repent and do His will, not our own. He has been telling us to put Him before self since the Garden.
In Matthew 22:1-14, God is full of judgement and stern. God focuses on the rejection from Israel and the focus on the necessity of righteousness.( wedding garments)
Whereas in Luke 14:12-24, God focuses more on grace with more inclusion and less discriminating inclusion from God.
Are they both right?
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