Christians, why do you consider yourself Christians before you read the whole bible?

Question

If you consider yourself a Christian before reading the whole bible, you will be bias while learning about it which will cause your learning to be flawed.

That's why most christians are no match in a debate with Atheists.

You escape the conversation by saying the following
"I have faith"
"This conversation will never get anywhere" (That's what you want)

about me http://www.listentocharlie.com

Answer 1

I have been taught not to debate with a fool. It is useless.

Answer 2

I am sorry but I must disagree with you my brother. Reading the 'whole' Bible does not make one a Christian. Look at the alternative, some have read the Bible from cover to cover many times and are no closer to being saved than the first day they picked the Word of God up. Reading the Bible in its' entirety is not what Jesus said it takes to be saved. I think that when you do what is required of you, that will inspire you to want to know all that God has to say and not only that, it gives you inner knowledge to comprehend what you are reading. May God Bless

Answer 3

A person need not read the entire Bible to be saved, born anew, and therefore "Christian". Christ's message of repentance, forgiveness and salvation is a simple one, and can in extreme cases be received even through a single conversation.

That does not excuse not reading scripture (where available), because all Christ-followers are called to grow and develop as God's children in a lifelong process. Besides, if a Christian cannot test and be confident in her beliefs, how can she know that they are true?

Of course, engaging in a discussion with less than sufficient information is a problem for people across the board, regardless of political persuasion or religious conviction (or lack thereof). A fairer question for your purposes might be, "Why do so many Christians engage in debate with atheists, when they (Christians) are ill-prepared for the test?"

Unfortunately, many new or immature Christians simply don't know better. They miss important scripture, such as Proverbs 17:28:

"Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent."

Even more than that, the prevalence of uninformed Christians largely comes down to a numbers game. There are many more professing Christians than atheists in America, so one would expect to encounter a greater sheer volume of unqualified or poorly articulated opinions. This does not by any measure indicate that Christians are any less informed per capita.

There are ancillary (and controversial) arguments to be made by atheists and Christians alike regarding their opponents' capacity for intellectual thought or perceptual depth. Personal trauma and emotional pain can be central to either viewpoint, but such factors are difficult to quantify and will certainly raise red flags if encountered in a debate.

Finally, Christians, though interested in evangelism, may naturally be less persistent by design. The following verses from scripture clearly address the problem of futility:

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.”
- Matthew 7:6

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:18

In other words, though Christians are called to go out and witness to the world, they are also called to do so with a degree of effectiveness and efficiency. Why don't many seminarians hang out on atheist message boards? What more fruitful things could they accomplish? The latter question answers the former.

If you haven't found many satisfactory responses to your questions in the past, I hope that you at least may have found some here today. Take care.

Answer 4

Your argument is like saying we must eat right, get our veggies, protein and three square meals a day, and exercise to be BORN. No, WE don't have to do a thing to be born. But to continue to grow and be healthy, yes, we must do these things.

It's the same with being born AGAIN. The initial act is rather simple. It's the growth process afterward that takes more work.

We generally know of Christ and christianity to begin with by reading the Bible. And the BIBLE doesn't say we have to read the whole thing to become Christians. But it's true we must read it to continue growing in Christ.

You've heard of John 3:16, right? It says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

It DOESN'T say, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever readeth the whole Bible should not perish, but have everlasting life."

"If you consider yourself a Christian before reading the whole bible, you will be bias [sic] while learning about it which will cause your learning to be flawed."

There is no "perfect" learning and won't be until we get to glory.

In the Bible, The book of Corinthians says,
"9. For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10. but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
11. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
12. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known."

You have NO idea what you are talking about. Pls. stop typing. Whoever can't win an argument with you just isn't trying.

Answer 5

I consider myself, no, I KNOW that I am a Christian! Because the Bible says so. Believe (plain faith, no works, He's done it all) in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved, whosoever does not believe shall not have eternal life but the anger of God shall abide on him.Come unto Me you are weighed down and I shall give you rest. Even if I don't "read the whole Bible' (that incidentally is why we have pastor/teachers) THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO EARN OR DESERVE SALVATION, AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO LOSE IT!! Yes,we make mistakes, we turn away from Him. As far as arguments with aetheists: I never had any, but I do know that there are none in foxholes. We don't NEED to argue with you, or convince you; all we need to do is give you the Message. It is up to you.

Answer 6

Umm no. Would you ever eat a lethal dose of arsenic even if you knew someone had the antidote and they were standing right there to inject you with it? Listen, a book by itself can not corrupt my soul. Neither can listening to atheist or satanistic ideas. But as a Christian, I am called to keep myself pure and holy. Somehow, I don't think reading such a text qualifies for those criteria. Same reason I don't watch porn, or drink alcohol. Oh yeah, and what was it that Satan said to Eve? Genesis 3:1-4 " 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" 2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " 4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. 5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." And guess what...Eve did die...spiritually and physically. So the answer is NO. I would not.

Answer 7

Yes, they are Christians. Paul tells us:

9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

However, that doesn't mean they totally understand their faith; only salvation.

Your assertion that most Christians won't win a debate with atheists is an opinion and biased, and therefore without merit. However, at least you didn't say "never", like I've heard other atheists say.

I am a Bible-learned, mature Christian, and I'll take you on anytime. :)

Answer 8

Dear Atheist,

Reading the entire Bible is not a prerequisite for being saved, only that you believe that Jesus died for your sins, and you begin to have a relationship with God.

Where you get that Christians are no match for Atheist in debates? Personally I don't like to debate with fools.

You and most Atheist think so much of yourself, you reek with arrogance.

It must be sad to not believe in anything.

I feel sorry for you.

Answer 9

Were you considered a human being when you were a baby, or did they wait until you reached 18 or 21 before you were called human?

Were you a citizen of your country when you were born, or were you not an American or Brit or whatever until you were old enough to vote?

Jesus considered 11 of his 12 disciples "clean" long before the New Testament was ever written.

Perfect knowledge of what you are isn't required for being what you are.

Answer 10

Cause it is about relationship with God, confessing Jesus is Lord and Believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.

We see ourselves as God sees us, when we state the above, then we are in right relationship with God.

P.s I have read the full bible.

The learning is not flawed after you become a Christian, cause it is about applying the Bible to your life.

(Yes I have seen some of the verses you know and rip out for occasions as these.)

Answer 11

first off a Christian is one who follows Christ, not one who has read the whole Bible (though I have several times)

second if athiests win so many debates why arent there a lot more atheists?

third I dont want to "listentocharlie" because charlie is making it up as he goes along