Will the real Christians please stand up?

Question

My earlier question on prohibition brought the following response:

"Christians did NOT enact Prohibition -- it was people who said they were Christians but weren't."

Now, I grew up a Methodist minister's son, and my dad was particularly proud of the fact that the Methodists played a major role in enacting prohibition. (Funny thing to be proud of, I know.)

Here's my question: How can anyone tell if someone else's faith is false? How does one Christian know someone is not a real Christian (or Muslim, etc.)?

Answer 1

It's really very simple. If someone is unpopular they're not a real Christian. Prohibitionists aren't real Christians, Nazis aren't real Christians, crusaders aren't real Christians. In fifty or a hundred years' time anti-abortionists won't be real Christians.

Answer 2

Jesius Christ said "You shall know them by their fruits" (that is, what their lives produce - good and beneficial results or worthless and harmful results). However not all things become immediately evident. Jesus taught a parable about the wheat and the tares - tares being a weed that resembles wheat, but has no beneficial value) The only way they were finally distinguished was at the last judgment. Jesus said the distinguishing mark of His disciples would be their love one for another (John 13:35). As for true and false Moslems, I suppose you would need to go back to the writings of their prophet. It was a matter of some interest to me, with the recent resurgence of Islamic extremism in the world, to consider who are the True followers of Mohammed? The Jihadists? or those that say that is in no way a reflection of Islam. Perhaps the latter are merely like the multitude of professing Christians, about whom Jesus spoke when He said "Why do you call Me Lord, Lord and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46)

Answer 3

If good Christians had enacted prohibition, it would have included a much harsher punishment.

(Luke 12:45-48) "But suppose the servant says to himself, 'My master is taking a long time in coming,' and he then begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers."

Those who drink will go to Hell with the unbelievers. The least that should be done with them is to be 'beaten with many stripes', if not directly torn to pieces as the Bible suggests.

Answer 4

In terms of Christianity, there is not necessarily a false faith. It's good so long as they are true lovers of Christ, but it's the 'practices' where things go wrong. You must go to the Bible to find answers. If there is something in the Bible that conflicts with 'practices' of one religion, then there's something wrong. Truth is, there should only be one 'church.' But again, if you are of a different denomination, your beliefs are probably different then my own.

As for comments above, people can pretend to take alot of responsibility in the church life and such, but this could be out of his own flesh. A true believer consecrates everything to God (burnt offering in the Old Testament) and lets God work through him. This can be seen in the story of Cain and Abel, Abraham, etc. For your father to be proud of enacting prohibition is glorifying himself and his group. In the Bible God shuns people who do things out of themselves and take the credit. Without God man can do nothing.

CJjunk, what you say doesn't make much sense. You can't twist faith into what you want it to be so you can do what you want. Just because something is several thousand years old, it doesn't make it 'out of date.' And to say judging is wrong, that's wrong. If there was no 'judging,' there would be judgement when people either go with God or go to hell, there wouldn't be good or bad, or wrong or right. Like I said, what's most important is that if people really enjoy Christ, and don't follow doctrines or practices because they have to. In the Bible the Church comes from the enjoyment of Christ and the Church is a Body where everyone is a member.

Answer 5

All who come to God in The Way He proscribes and receives God's free gift of Salvation becomes one of The Body of The Church of which Jesus The Christ is The Head... Those are the ones of The True Christian Faith..... Only God and the individual knows for sure... There is no way I, or any other of The Faith, can prove our Faith to you. When we stand before Christ at the judgment of The Saved, those of The Church, we will see who else is inline. Then we will know who is... There will be no muslims in that line.

Answer 6

I can only comment on "real Christian" In the bible (as you probably know being a minister's son) it states we will "know others fruits" that is fruits of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the vine and we are the branches, Jesus is the root and if we are not "plugged into the root" then we die. We know the fruit that is of the Spirit.

NC0

Answer 7

Anyone who does something that is not liked my the majorit of christians is not a true christian, unless you are part of the minority and believe the bible to be the perfect word of God and you actually follow it, then all other christians are not true christians. damm im confused from just trying to understand it.

Its exactly the attitude these christians take (see 'seed' above me) that keeps the 'BAD' christians coming. Because other christians are ordered NOT TO JUDGE(hence, dont draw a conclusion), and that all good or bad christians are christians anyway, they will largely choose bad christians anyday over non christians. All the more reason why christianity itself must be stripped of any authority over ours and our childrens minds

Answer 8

I said that quote, and I mean it in a non-judgemental way. I will NEVER judge someone's salvation -- only God can judge that. But there is a big difference between being a Christian (like Christ) and being saved -- they are separate labels.

Christ Himself said we can know a Christian by the fruit they bear. Fruit to Christ was two things:

1. living Christ-like
2. Telling others about the perfect example of Jesus

Living Christ-like means the following:

a. Being peaceful to others -- always!
b. Loving others no matter what they feel for you -- always!
c. Being humble to others -- let them be worth more than you -- always!
d. Sacrificing your belongings and money and time, and even your life, for others -- always!

If a Christian doesn't do these things, they're not really living the life of Christ.

A Christian doesn't vote for government, because government only works through force and theft and slavery. A Christian doesn't judge others because Christ did not judge (God Judges, Christ is the final lawyer for those who accept Him!). A Christian does not hate, even if someone wants to kill them ("terrorists," murderers, whatever). A Christian always gives to others when he can when they ask, even if they use it for evil.

Answer 9

With regards to prohibition,a real christian would only impose this on himself.He would never override an individual's right to choose for himself and would not enact laws which infringe on free will.You can tell when someone's faith is false when they can point to no miracles in their life,among other things.

Answer 10

You have to pray and ask God to show you the right way. The Bible say we are known by the fruit we bear. That is by our dress our talk and so forth. The bible also says be ye seperate and come out from among the world.

Answer 11

Only the Lord knows for sure. One thing to look at is the person's life and the fruits of it. When people become born again there is a change that takes place and they become convicted of their sin.