Is it possible to be an Ex- Christian?

Question

Many people say that they were once a Christian, but are now atheist, agnostic, or otherwise.
But if we look at some BIBLICAL qualifications of being a TRUE Christian, we find that this CANNOT be the case. For example:
A GENUINE Christian is indwelled permanently by the Holy Spirit.

Jhn 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Unless a person receives the Holy spirit, they are NOT a Christian.
This is not my OPINION, this is what the Bible says.

NH Baritone:
Interesting choice of words: You "imagine".

NH Baritone:
Interesting choice of words: You "imagine".

Ethel:
The question was not is it possible for someone to CLAIM or even BELIEVE that they were once a Christian; but rather, considering the fact that according to the Biblical definition of a Christian one must recieve the Holy Spirit, How can a person genuinely say that, "Yes, I recieved the Holy Spirit of God" (Thereby acknowleging God's existence) and then say "But now I'm an atheist.
I think the only accurate asessment of the situation is that the person was not a true Christian to begin with, even though they may have thought they were.

Connor:
You said it yourself- You "thought" you had the Holy Spirit (but really didn't) so you weren't really a Christian, were you?

Answer 1

POPPYCOCK. The argument of a "true" Christian is only to further propogate the belief that Christianity is the only way.

"This is not my opinion, this is what the Bible says."

Everyone does not believe in the Bible, my friend, so this is not evidence to support your opinion.

Answer 2

To a large degree it doesn’t matter whether you Christians think we were really Christians, although I think such a view is very ignorant. So if you’re a Christian and you think we were never Christians in the first place, don’t harp about it. It’ll do you no good. It’ll just produce tension and frustration between us. You see, we know differently. It'd be like us claiming you really do not believe as a Christian. Who am I to make that judgment?

It’s very interesting to us that Christians will reject our personal testimonies to the contrary and at the same time believe the personal testimonies of ancient superstitious people in the Bible who claim to have experienced miracles, even though their testimonies are all contrary to our experiences in the modern world, where there are no miracles happening today on the same scale.

Christian, you can always investigate our claims. You can talk to people who know us (including past preachers and teachers, parents, siblings, friends, and people we ourselves converted to the Christian faith!); you can listen to our sermons; and you can read our Christian writings.

So, to answer your specific question, were we ever really Christians? Yes. Many EX-Christians can describe ourselves as having truly been Christians, in that we experienced salvation, regeneration, the Holy Spirit, and answered prayer. We had accepted Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross for our sins, and believed he bodily arose from the dead and would return to earth in the parousia. We repented from every known sin, again and again. We confessed “Jesus is Lord.” We prayed the non-Biblical sinner’s prayer (where is that in the Bible?) by inviting Jesus to come to live inside us. We had a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ. Like you do now, we tried to live a spiritual life in gratitude for God’s grace by reading the Bible and obeying what we read in it. So we evangelized, tithed, attended worship services, Bible studies, and became leaders in our respective churches.

For you to reject our testimony you will probably have to reject the testimony of someone you know right now in your church whom you look up to as a Christian who may reject Christianity in the future. The problem is that you just may not personally know someone like that. But the chances are that you will. Then what will you think?

Answer 3

LoL where is your evidene that you are imbodied by the holy spirit. The old age argument that people are different then you because your smarter then them is really ******* old. I was once a christian and were just like you bashing atheist's and i thought i was embodied by the holy spirit i even spoke tongues. But then after getting older and learning about the world around me i realized i was a complete idiot. Why do you quote the bible it was written and edited by thousands of people. Why do you think somehow it was written by god. Maybe they were not embodied by the holy spirit themselves. Maybe you should grow up and think for yourself and not be a victim to ignorance. I wish you luck and please call me a idiot after reading this i prefer that insult. Or ignoramus is a nice word yea use that one. Because right now i know your reading this and telling yourself i am that very thing.

Answer 4

No; if you were truly born again; you cannot be "unborn" Those that THINK they used to be Christians and are now something else are what is known as NOMINAL Christians. Christians in name only; but they never had an encounter with the Saviour; never TRULY repented of their sins, and NEVER were given a new nature by God, THAT'S Biblical Salvation!

When you meet God; He never leaves you in the same condition He found you in!

2 Corinthians 5:17
King James Version (KJV)

17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Answer 5

I believe that once a person exercises saving faith in Jesus Christ, he or she is forever in the family of God. God never kicks anyone our of his forever family. A number of Scripture passages support this view. For example, in 1 Corinthians 12:13 we are told that at the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit places us in the body of Christ. Once we are infused into the body of Christ, we are never excised from the body. In fact, Ephesians 1:12 and 4:30 indicate that at the moment of believing in Jesus Christ for salvation, we are permanently "sealed" by the Holy Spirit. At that point, we are God's everlasting property. That seal guarantees that we'll make it to heaven.
Moreover, we read in John 10:28-30 that it is the Father's purpose to keep us secure despite anything that might happen once we have trusted in Christ. Nothing can snatch us out of His hands. God's plans cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 14:24). Further, Romans 8:29-30 portrays an unbroken chain that spans from the predestination of believers to their glorification in heaven.
Another fact we need to keep in mind is that Christ regularly prays for each Christian (Hewbews 7:25). With Jesus interceding for us, we are sucure. (His prayers are always answered!)
Of course, the fact that a believer is secure in his salvation does not mean he is free to sin. If the Christian sins and remains in that sin, Scripture says that God will discipline him or her just as a father disciplines his children (see Hebrews 12:7-11).
Source(s):
The Complete Book of Bible Answers by Ron Rhodes

Answer 6

I have been baptized,
I have had my first holy communion
and my confirmation ceremony. (wich is receiving the holy spirit)
So in the eyes of the church i am a Catholic.

Although some years later, i expaned from my faith.
Answers were not met. And i found what was so natural to me was Paganism, I have been though my self dedication and practiced my faith now for over 13 years now.

So i say i was raised Catholic but i have followed my path and found Paganism.

But if you want to label someone, a True catholic or True Christian, i feel that comes down to there manner and respect not only for themself but for others around them.

BB. ALD

Answer 7

Only in terms of the organization, not spiritually. You can change to the point that you outgrow the church. And many followers will no longer trust you. But the Holy Spirit may still dwell within you and guide you. You are not considered a Christian in terms of the letter, but in spirit.

Answer 8

Jesus said we must be Born Again "by water and the spirit" - that is Holy Baptism. Baptism changes us - makes us Christians - only God can do that - it is not of ourselves ("lest any man should boast" - St. Paul, Ephesians 2:8-9) Baptism makes us ontologically different - it is an indelible mark placed on us by God. That can never change. We can be very bad Christians or very good Christians - but - the fact does not change - we are still (and always) Christians once we are Baptized.

Answer 9

i think it is possible, what if you begin to worship satan, then I think the Holy Spirit leaves you. What the bible says is true you have to recieve the Holy Spirit in order to become a Christian.

Answer 10

I have yet to meet a "true Christian" as defined by the bible.

So based on biblical scripture and the definition of a "true Christian" and the lack of ever meeting one yet, I would say yes it is completely possible.

Answer 11

Welcome to the idea of free will - also in the bible, correct?

Saying you are a Christian, or a plumber or a treefrog is all just labels. Why do you worry so much about the label instead of looking at the individual or thing and finding thier true worth?