when they say i'm a christian? do they mean they are in the religion called christianity?
or it means catholic cuz like saying '' i'm a good christian'' is the same as '' i'm a good catholic''
The early church (catholic) were called the early christians...
I'm confused!
2006-07-12 11:18:19 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
they call you christian because you believe in Jesus Christ...not because of your religion.
2006-07-12 11:22:25 · answer #1 · answered by lf 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Christian means that you believe that Jesus is the son of God, messiah, and God himself. It also means that you believe that the Bible is the word of God. As a Christian you follow the teachings of Jesus and have invited him into your life. Catholic or protestants can both be Christians. There are many things that the Catholics do that they will have to answer to God for but that is another story. BTW catholic means united and when the early church said they were catholic that DOES NOT have anything to do with the Roman Catholic Church.
2006-07-12 18:21:59 · answer #2 · answered by Jen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Often people use the word Christian when they mean Protestant.
Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox are all Christians. Gnostics may even qualify as Christian.
If you believe in Christ as Messiah you are a Christian.
The real oxymoron is the better the Christian the bigger the sinner. The more Christ can forgive you for the closer to Christ you are.
I prefer the title follower or disciple of Christ. It pull the church/denomination/religion piece out of it and represents what I believe.
2006-07-12 18:36:48 · answer #3 · answered by mike g 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would like to answer your question by saying that anyone who believes that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again from the dead is a Christian. There are many ways to interpert the Bible and what it means. I have one with the words of Christ printed in red. I can't count all the quotes from him telling his followers not to judge each other. Not to cast stones. He preached love and forgiveness. Not judgement and especially against our neighbors( our fellow christians). I am Catholic and I have accepted Jesus Christ as my savior. I have a very personal relationship with him and he has walked me through some of the roughest times in my life. I never felt like he was going to punish me when I die because my belief was a bit different than my christian brothers and sisters. I have felt the love he has for me and it is the strongest love I have ever known. I feel a kinship with any human who believes in him and loves him. I have noticed that there is a huge prejudice from other christians when it comes to being Catholic. This directly goes against Christ's teachings. I focus on me and my actions not on others and determine who goes where when they die. I have no idea who will go where accept me because I only have power over myself . Also the word catholic does mean universal. Universal includes everyone without judgement.
2006-07-12 19:21:25 · answer #4 · answered by Theresa Rose 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
catholic with a small "c" means universal
Catholic with a capital "C" means a specific denomination.
So the early Christians were all catholic - as they were all (universally) followers of Christ.
Even today - in the general use of the term, all Christians are catholic (little "c"), but not all Christians are Catholic.
Does that help?
You are right - it is confusing.
2006-07-12 18:30:35 · answer #5 · answered by Freeadviceisworthwhatyoupayfor 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer is both. Some people mean it to say "I'm not Jewish, and I'm not Muslim, and I'm not any other religion, therefore I am Christian"
The correct phrase would be to say "I am a beliver in Jesus Christ"
As far as the term "early Christians" - in a few hundred years they will probably refer to us the same way" But when people say that I assume they mean the people of the Bible.
I ASSUME SO.
but you're right. It took me a while to figure that one out too.
2006-07-12 18:25:41 · answer #6 · answered by helpme1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Born again Christians have decreed that Catholics are not Christian and that other brands of Christianity are bogus.Your confusion probably stems from the fact that they forget to use sticky notes on everything they are labeling.
Yet they are busy going around putting names and labels on everything and everybody and insisting that their newfangled description of the world comes from the bible. It comes from both the new and old testament unless something in the old testament doesn't fit with their current schemata. Then they only respect the new testament.
2006-07-12 18:27:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christian now means is any belief in Christ that is not Catholic. Thank King Henry VIII of England mostly for the confusion.
2006-07-12 18:24:49 · answer #8 · answered by kitt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Catholicism is a denomination of Christianity. So when they're saying, I'm Christian, it doesn't necessarily mean that they're Catholic, although they could be Catholic.
2006-07-12 19:04:18 · answer #9 · answered by lalasnake 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"I'm a Christian" means that you accept as true the basis of Christianity:
1. The Holy Bible is holy.
2. Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament.
3. Jesus was the son of God.
4. Jesus was sacrificed to atone for the sins of humankind -- including yours.
Furthermore, you've:
5. Accepted the gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus, and prayed to God to be forgiven for your sins in the name of Jesus.
==
Catholics are Christians.
2006-07-12 18:29:02 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry much when you don't get somethings. Just wait and watch with patience, it will happen some day, because what's there in your BHAV (Thinkings) must happen some day to you. So try to think good always.
Rest about religions, I want to point out is that those are all SHOPS (Trading Centres) of someone to confuse public and to run their businesses and make profits. That's all is my view. The religions in the WHOLE WORLD hasn't given peace to even a single man internally. Due to those millions died every where.
2006-07-12 18:30:21 · answer #11 · answered by davinder1966 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋