How can Christians...?

Question

I've heard some fellow Christians tell others that they are not true Christians. This actually happened at my church two years ago--the reason I don't go and prefer to worship God in my own way. I've also been told that on Y!A. How is it that a Christian can tell another that they aren't "true?"

That's my point. How can a Christian (remember only God knows who believes in their heart) tell another person what they do or do not feel?

Answer 1

Actually, only God knows for sure who are true or false. We can have assurance of our salvation by believing the promises that Jesus made to us.

"Everything the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never turn away." (John 6:37)

Now, as to the others who are deciding your fate, that is a problem. Unless you are in unrepentant sin (real sin, and not a disputable matter) then they are the ones sinning by judging your fate. In Matthew 7, when Jesus said not to judge, He used the term which we translate "judge" in the context of "condemnation."

In other words He told us not to judge who was saved. Judgment is permitted in the church as it relates to sin. Paul used an example of the man who performed the horizontal polka with his father's wife (probably his step mom). See I Corinthians 5.

Now, here's some Scripture that you can use to stop the one from judging you over disputable matters: Romans 14. We are not to judge someone else's servant. You are the servant of Jesus, and not them. They need to shut up.

Now, you have some issues that you need to deal with as well. Staying away from a church body is disobedience to your Lord. He is the one who established the church as His instrument on the earth, and deliberately staying away from a body of believers is disobedience on your part.

“And let us continue to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day coming nearer.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

John Calvin and Martin Luther, both of whom were important figures in the Reformation of the Church, believed so strongly in corporate worship that they made comments like, “Apart from the Church, salvation is impossible.” (Martin Luther) And, “So highly does the Lord esteem the communion of the Church, that He considers everyone a traitor and apostate from religion who perversely withdraws himself from any Christian society which preserves the true ministry of the Word and Sacraments.” (John Calvin)

"Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (I Peter 5:8) If we separate from the Body (the church), we are alone in the faith. The devil and his minions are like wolves, hyenas, coyotes and other animals that hunt in packs. In the wild, these animals rarely attack a herd or flock. They wait for one or two to get separated from the rest. They go for the stragglers, who are usually the weakest, either from the journey or illness. Then the predators attack. It's never fair. Five or six to one. And the attacked animal almost always loses.

Likewise, the Christian who separates from the church, is alone. Without a constant diet of solid biblical preaching, and encouragement from other (and stronger) believers, this Christian becomes weak and malnourished in the Word. Their defenses are down. Then the devil and the demons attack. Since the Christian is alone, weak and malnourished, he/she has nothing to defend themselves with, and they succumb to temptation or become disillusion with the faith, and fall away. Their testimony gets damaged, their faith is in shreds, and they wonder, "Why bother?" and quit. Then the devil is satisfied.

It is like this: If the devil can't have your soul, he will have your walk and testimony, if you let him. And skipping church is a sure fire way to go down that road.

Answer 2

There is only one way to be a true Christian. You have to accept Jesus as your lord and savior, ask forgiveness of your sins, and invite him into your heart to save you from an eternity in Hell. That is what I was brought up to believe anyways.

I think what the people who say this about people not being real Christians, is like when someone says that they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and have been "saved", but then 5 years later they have totally turned away from their beliefs. I heard someone on here say that their mother was a Christian and that some years later, after some hard times, she had become an Athiest. Now, I do not believe that that persons mother was a true Christian, or she would not have been so quick to turn from God.

People can fall out of Gods grace though, and that doesn't mean that they are not a true Christian.

Answer 3

A true christian is someone that dosen't judge someone or stalk anyone hmmmm..... anyhow if you believe truely as a christian you would have the holy ghost in you and they believe in not having tv's and they believe in going forth and multiplying.

So you think someone is a christian if they come to church wearing a dress 2 days out of the week then running the roads and burning it up with different men or women? Or cussing or drinking on the days they aren't in church? Well if you do this but then go to church on sundays then NO YOU ARE NOT A CHRISTIAN.

Being a nice person will not get you into heaven. You have to go by how the bible says for you to live and practice what is being preached to you but i don't know 1 christian that has said they are a better one than the next one so obviously you don't live the life as a christian. I can tell by how you answer questions, how you act better than the next person well wake up cause no one is better than anyone.

Answer 4

Lynn's point about only those without sin throwing the first stone would be an interesting one, except scholars now know and do not doubt that this story was never told in Jesus' time, but was only added to a manuscript of a gospel after the fall of Rome! So, the bible didn't really say it (whatever that means, as it is a very complex and quite a patchwork document), but it's a good recipe for behavior.

Jesus is believed to have truly said this - "Why are you concerned with the splinter in your neighbor's eye? You should tend to the log in your own."

Of course, that seems to have no more impact on a certain strain of Christian (god bless you living in red america!) than does Christ's teaching that only hypocrites pray in public (or public schools....)

Answer 5

Honestly, I feel really bad that u have to go through that. That's Horrible!!!! And quite frankly, the way I see it, is that we all sin, including all Christians and therefore just like NO ONE is Perfect except God there is no "True" Christian either, we all screw up. so How can anyone be a "true" christian? no ones perfect. And no one should tell you how to worship because that is between you and God. It's a Personal Relationship with Him, not the people around you. Take Pentecostals for example, People think that the way Pentecostals react when God comes down is disturbing and it's really not. God can make ANY ONE speak in tounges, even a baby. God can do anything and if YOU please God and do His Works for Him and Him alone, God will Bless you so don't let people tell you anything different.

Answer 6

Don't worry about what others think...be concerned with what God thinks.

Heb. 10:25 addresses going to Church (so it must be important to God). Actually Heb.10:24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.

A true Christian (so people can tell you from the fake ones...lol, j/k) is a follower of Jesus Christ in all sense of the word "follower."

Your life and what you worship (what you spend your time and money on) and the fruit of your life will tell not only you but the world you are or are not a "true" Christian.

The only way we don't get into Heaven is if we do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Grace to you!

Answer 7

This is a common thing among denominations, Lindsey, and I encourage you to not let it bother you. The reason it happens is because when confronted with different doctrinal positions, many Christians become defensive rather than listening and making an objective assessment of the other doctrine. They do this because their faith is EXTREMELY important to them, and they can't seem to accept the possibility that good ol' reverend Billy Bob may not quite have all his facts straight. They have a deep need to believe that they are right, and they will flat out refuse to even consider that their particular denomination may be a bit off the mark. So if they are right, on ALL counts, then they must be the "true" Christians and everyone else who claims to be a Christian must just be "false" Christians... wannabees.

I commend you on dropping the church you were attending and worshipping on your own. The simple truth is that none of the mainstream Christian denominations are teaching the truth that lies "hidden" in scripture. I hope that you will exert yourself to seek it out, and I wish you the best of success with it.

Answer 8

In my opinion, the person telling another they are not Christian is the real non-Christian. As in all religions there are the people who think their way is the only way and the rest of the world should conform to their standards. Everybody sins (makes mistakes in judgement).
A true Christian will admit their mistake, ask for forgiveness and make a serious attempt to not make the same mistake again. They will not judge others and they will try to help their brother/sister in Christ overcome problems, when asked. As Dr Phil says, "You can fix what you don't acknowledge."

Answer 9

The accuser just may not be the true Christian after all. The Bible says not to judge others, lest ye be judged. We all sin, yet some seem to think one sin is worse than another. The Bible states that if you break one commandment, you are guilty of breaking them all.

Do not let the actions or words of some prevent you from worshipping in a church of your choice. Go there for YOUR benefit, not to see or hear what other members think.

Answer 10

Only God can judge the heart. If a person tells me that they are a believer I except that and call them brother or sister. If they then come up with some non christian belief I will point out what the Bible says on the subject. Still they are responsible for their walk with God not me... I too have had problems in the organized churches. I love the Lord I strive to conform my will to His. I worship in music , the word and sharing with other Christians like you.. Thanks for adding to my worship of our Lord today.... Jim

Answer 11

the only valid reason i can think of on why a fellow Christian can actually say that someone professing to be a follower of Christ is not a true Christian is by after a time of being with that person & seeing how that person lives, speaks, acts, etc. & all he sees are unacceptable then you can say that

an orange tree will not be able to bear an apple,
an apple tree cannot produce an orange,
(even though in the outside they might both look like the same tree)

...so you can tell a tree by its fruits....

but saying it in public & loud enough so that other people can hear might also show you what their fruits are.

do not put too much faith in people, but on God.