What does being a Christian mean to you?

[vraiblonde]

In light of our recent forumite conversions, I got to thinking about what it actually means to "find Jesus". Does it mean you now have to be nice to people, more charitable and less hostile? Do you stop drinking, cussing, and having premarital sex? What exactly does it mean to embrace God and accept Jesus as your savior?

I'll be honest: a few of the people congratulating their new flock mates are some of the nastiest people on this forum. People who make unprovoked attacks on others and are generally hostile, don't really contribute anything positive to the board. So, seriously, I'm confused as to what it means to be a Christian. This is not meant to start a bunch of crap, although I'm sure (like everything else) it will, but I would seriously like the Christians on here to tell me what it means to them. Is just saying you believe in God and Jesus enough, or do you have to prove it in some way; maybe live by the teachings of Christ? Or is God content with you simply believing in Him?

Again, this is a real question. I understand everyone's answer will be different, and that's cool - faith isn't one size fits all.

 

[mAlice]

For me, it's picking up where I left off 20 years ago. About getting right with God, learning what the scriptures are saying, and trying to live by them.

It doesn't mean I'm a different person, just that I'm walking a different path, and trying to live by standards and examples set forth in the bible.

Even the people who have been some of nastiest people of the forums, can still get it right. But they'll have to want it.

Is just saying you believe in God and Jesus enough, or do you have to prove it in some way; maybe live by the teachings of Christ? Or is God content with you simply believing in Him?

I don't think anyone can definitively answer that question, but I do think we have to make an effort to live by Jesus' teachings. I don't think God would be 'content' with passivity. But, that's just my take.

 

[mAlice]

Oh, I am trying to stop swearing, but at the end of the day, I don't think slipping up is going to be a deciding factor in whether I'm saved or not.

Drinking-all thinks in moderation. No big deal one way or the other for me. I've probably not had more than a couple of drinks in the past 2 years. The desire to drink just...left me. :shrug:

 

[vraiblonde]

Even the people who have been some of nastiest people of the forums, can still get it right. But they'll have to want it.

And my guess is that they'll have to actually stop being so nasty and mean to other people. Or no?

(And I want to be clear: That is not directed at you, mAlice, personally. I actually have other "Christian" forum members in mind and I don't want you to think I'm trying to take some passive aggressive shot at you.)

 

[b23hqb]

Being a Christian is being a Christian, and that starts with being a believer IN, not just about or acknowledging the historical facts, Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection and ascension back to his rightful throne in heaven.

That means being saved by acknowledging you are a sinner, that the penalty for our sin is death, that we can do nothing through works to be saved, and that confessing verbally the Lord Jesus Christ, and believing in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved, and therefore, a Christian. If you are not saved, born again, etc., you are just not a Christian, but a CINO (christian in name only), and that will get you nothing but an eternity of damnation.

Repent (change your ways) in your mind and heart from the world to Christ.

After that one starts their Christian walk with Jesus. We will stumble, fall, and fail at times. Jesus can never fail, and He will be there - always - with us and for us. We are paying the price for the original sin that condemned all mankind, and we have to deal with it.. If a Christian runs afoul of the laws of the land, thy must pay the societal price, but they will not lose their standing with God.

Being a Christian is following His Word, and not the ways of the world. Being a Christian is steadfastly looking forward to the minute he takes us to be with Him. Seeing that no man knows that time or place, continue to run the Christian race and fight the Christian fight until we are in His presence.

It is a good life. We miss out on nothing that the world has to offer, for the world has nothing better to offer.

Those are my words, but the origination all come straight from the Bible.

 

[mAlice]

And my guess is that they'll have to actually stop being so nasty and mean to other people. Or no?

(And I want to be clear: That is not directed at you, mAlice, personally. I actually have other "Christian" forum members in mind and I don't want you to think I'm trying to take some passive aggressive shot at you.)

Yes. They're going to need to live by Jesus' example.

I'm not taking any of this personally. You're giving me the opportunity to do what I'm supposed to do. Testify!

 

[vraiblonde]

We will stumble, fall, and fail at times.

How many times are Christians allowed to stumble, fall, and fail before it becomes not a simple error but the way they are and live their lives?

I know a few self-professed Christians who are fairly ####ty on a regular basis, and when called out on it they fall back on "I'm a sinner and am going to fall on occasion. Jesus forgives me." How many times can Christians fail before Jesus won't forgive them anymore? Indefinitely?

 

[Amused_despair]

I think being a Christian is more than simply beleiving that jesus Christ is your Savior and that he is the son of God, died for our sins, and will come again. I think one needs to follow his teachings. I do not think Jesus would have much time for those of us who worry more about whether we our homes are losing value instead of worrying about how we can make someone else's life just a little better. jesus was the ultimate grasshopper. By this I mean he didn't worry about the future in regards to this world and he taught his follwoers likewise. trust in the Lord to provide for you. Jesus wanted us to worry about eternity, not tomorrow. Life on Earth is short, eternity is the opposite. I do not want to be one of those that Jesus looks to and says "I tell you I do not know you. When I was hungry you did not give me to eat, when I was thirtsy and you gave me nothing to drink, when i was in need of clothes you gave me none." I most certainly do not want to be judged harshly by him so I endeavor to never judge anyone. if they want pickles on their sub at Subway that is their own life and business, I do not give it a second thought. Same goes for any other choices others might make that have no affect on me.

Where I fail, and I know that I do, is that I put my family before God. I do not trust in God to provide for them but I insist on doing it myself. I do not give all that I own to the poor but instead hold on to it so that I am able to pay for a larger house than Jesus or his disciples ever lived in, and to acquire material goods that while they make my life easier here do nothing for helping my fellow man or bringing me closer to God. These are my failings and mine alone. I do what i can while attempting the impossible task of being both a Christian who believes that Jesus meant everything he said and an American capitalist who believes that one works for their money and provides their own way.

Jesus may forgive me my shortcomings and he may not. I personally think that Jesus was referring to us when he talked about easier for a camel to pass thru the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven. We hold on to our material things and judge our worth by our material wealth. It is what Americans do. Just imagine if all of us decided to trust in God to provide for us instead of the economy. But we won't.

 

[mAlice]

How many times are Christians allowed to stumble, fall, and fail before it becomes not a simple error but the way they are and live their lives?

I know a few self-professed Christians who are fairly ####ty on a regular basis, and when called out on it they fall back on "I'm a sinner and am going to fall on occasion. Jesus forgives me." How many times can Christians fail before Jesus won't forgive them anymore? Indefinitely?

Many of them are the deceivers. They may not get it right.

 

[GURPS]

How many times are Christians allowed to stumble, fall, and fail before it becomes not a simple error but the way they are and live their lives?

I know a few self-professed Christians who are fairly ####ty on a regular basis, and when called out on it they fall back on "I'm a sinner and am going to fall on occasion. Jesus forgives me." How many times can Christians fail before Jesus won't forgive them anymore? Indefinitely?

simple .... as many as it takes

what matters, is what is truly in their heart

Is Someone truly repentant for their actions [the conviction of the Holy Spirit]
- or just going through the motions making excuses using their faith as an excuse to rude to people




- no you don't suddenly become 'unsaved' you are just a back slider

 

[GURPS]

Where I fail, and I know that I do, is that I put my family before God. I do not trust in God to provide for them but I insist on doing it myself. I do not give all that I own to the poor but instead hold on to it so that I am able to pay for a larger house than Jesus or his disciples ever lived in, and to acquire material goods that while they make my life easier here do nothing for helping my fellow man or bringing me closer to God. These are my failings and mine alone. I do what i can while attempting the impossible task of being both a Christian who believes that Jesus meant everything he said and an American capitalist who believes that one works for their money and provides their own way.

Jesus may forgive me my shortcomings and he may not. I personally think that Jesus was referring to us when he talked about easier for a camel to pass thru the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter Heaven. We hold on to our material things and judge our worth by our material wealth. It is what Americans do. Just imagine if all of us decided to trust in God to provide for us instead of the economy. But we won't.

well said

 

[GURPS]

Many of them are the deceivers. They may not get it right.

indeed ....

 

[mAlice]

simple .... as many as it takes

what matters, is what is truly in their heart

Is Someone truly repentant for their actions [the conviction of the Holy Spirit]
- or just going through the motions making excuses using their faith as an excuse to rude to people




- no you don't suddenly become 'unsaved' you are just a back slider

I think the scriptures that support this are a cop out, and an easy way to scripturally excuse their behavior. The people vrai is talking about are so often mean and nasty, that they would be asking forgiveness 24/7. They don't have a kind bone in their body, they can't speak to anyone, ever, in a civil tone. These people are either using the scriptures to deceive, or they are deceiving themselves into believing that they're behavior is okay.

 

[Merlin99]

In light of our recent forumite conversions, I got to thinking about what it actually means to "find Jesus". Does it mean you now have to be nice to people, more charitable and less hostile? Do you stop drinking, cussing, and having premarital sex? What exactly does it mean to embrace God and accept Jesus as your savior?

I'll be honest: a few of the people congratulating their new flock mates are some of the nastiest people on this forum. People who make unprovoked attacks on others and are generally hostile, don't really contribute anything positive to the board. So, seriously, I'm confused as to what it means to be a Christian. This is not meant to start a bunch of crap, although I'm sure (like everything else) it will, but I would seriously like the Christians on here to tell me what it means to them. Is just saying you believe in God and Jesus enough, or do you have to prove it in some way; maybe live by the teachings of Christ? Or is God content with you simply believing in Him?

Again, this is a real question. I understand everyone's answer will be different, and that's cool - faith isn't one size fits all.

My personal opinion is that being Christian means that you believe in the power of Christ, and have taken steps to achieve the afterlife. It does not mean that you are a good person, or are special in any way because the Hindus and Muslims have got a bigger voting block and get to be the special ones. Most of them seem happier because they belong to something larger than themselves, but some of the are distinctly uncomfortable to be around.

 

[DQ2B]

In light of our recent forumite conversions, I got to thinking about what it actually means to "find Jesus". Does it mean you now have to be nice to people, more charitable and less hostile? Do you stop drinking, cussing, and having premarital sex? What exactly does it mean to embrace God and accept Jesus as your savior?

I don't have the faintest idea what it means to "find Jesus" but those things you mention above to me seem to be what it means to be human, a good person in general. Not anything to do with Jesus.

 

[happyazz]

Yes. They're going to need to live by Jesus' example.

I'm not taking any of this personally. You're giving me the opportunity to do what I'm supposed to do. Testify!

What is it YOU mean by TESTIFY??? Alienating people by preaching and inserting religious phrases in all of your verbal exchanges?
Aren't you the one that used to have phrase in your signature line "I got thrown out of Boarders Books for moving all the Bibles to the fiction section"??

 

[mAlice]

What is it YOU mean by TESTIFY??? Alienating people by preaching and inserting religious phrases in all of your verbal exchanges?
Aren't you the one that used to have phrase in your signature line "I got thrown out of Boarders Books for moving all the Bibles to the fiction section"??

There's always somebody that wants to hijack a thread to start a fight. Yes, it was me. Yes, it was a joke. Do you really think I did that?

 

[MMDad]

My personal opinion is that being Christian means that you believe in the power of Christ, and have taken steps to achieve the afterlife. It does not mean that you are a good person, or are special in any way because the Hindus and Muslims have got a bigger voting block and get to be the special ones. Most of them seem happier because they belong to something larger than themselves, but some of the are distinctly uncomfortable to be around.

Then why did you make a judgemental statement about being a good Christian? Either there is or is not a "Christian" way to act. I've found that most who proclaim just how "Christian " they are hypocrites. And those who proclaim that others do not act "Christian" are just trying to use it as a hammer to attack.

 

[vraiblonde]

Then why did you make a judgemental statement about being a good Christian? Either there is or is not a "Christian" way to act. I've found that most who proclaim just how "Christian " they are hypocrites. And those who proclaim that others do not act "Christian" are just trying to use it as a hammer to attack.

So what is your idea of being a Christian? Doing God's work, living according to the teachings of Jesus, and like that? Or something else?

 

[happyazz]

There's always somebody that wants to hijack a thread to start a fight. Yes, it was me. Yes, it was a joke. Do you really think I did that?

I am NOT hijacking this thread. I am just asking questions. NO I don't think you really did that, however your JOKE speaks volumes about you.