To all the Christians saying that Atheists weren't "really" Christians....?

Question

Paul says in Romans that all someone has to do to be saved is to confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord".

Are you saying that there's more to it than that? 'Cause, if there is, I think we should fix the Roman Road NOW before anyone else slips through the cracks.

Also, I reckon you should let the church know that Paul was wrong and that you have the REAL "low-down" on salvation. Jesus will be grateful that you caught that little slip-up.

http://contenderministries.org/romanroad.php

And I'll add what I wrote to a Christian who emailed me on this topic:

"It's not about us wanting to call ourselves ex-Christians. It's about the arrogance of invalidating decades of our lives by claiming that we just weren't 'doing it right'. For you to claim that you know anything about our minds and our hearts is to set yourself above God. Good luck with that."

Oh, yeah, and thanks for all the Thumbs Down. Quoting the Bible is really unpopular these days, isn't it? :p

Answer 1

*laugh* I spent nearly 2 decades confessing to the divinity of Christ. Just because I've seen the error of my ways doesn't mean I didn't do what was necessary to be considered a Christian for all that time.

See all the Christians saying that you didn't REALLY mean it? That you must've just SAID it without actually backing up the words with conviction? Tsk tsk tsk... they just don't get what you're saying. We DID feel it to our bones. That doesn't mean it was any less real now that we no longer believe as we did.

Answer 2

Due to my faith and personal relationship with Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior I will respectfully submit an answer. You do have to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and that is "ALL" you have to do. But, not in the LITERAL sense. In order to confess something you have to believe it. To believe it you have to live it. As Christians, we strive to please God daily thru our actions. We allow Christ to live in us. To speak through us. We witness to others so they they too may come to know Christ. The Bible also states we must be "born again" meaning that we become one with God through a spiritual birth. Also, unless you give your heart to God, you can read the Bible but you really wont have a clue what you are reading. The Bible comes alive when you are a Christian. Everyone has a right to their own beliefs and I certainly would not want to push "religion" or beliefs down anyones throat. I can only speak for what I personally know to be the truth and share my personal experiences of what God has done for me.

Answer 3

confessing Him as Lord is more than just praying this prayer. If you go back to the greek, the verse is saying that if you confess Him as Lord then you want to serve Him with your whole life. Lots of people pray and prayer and nothing happens. Lots of people pray a prayer and go through the motions, and then end up leaving.

If you truly are saved, then God will keep calling you back to Him. 1Corinthians 3 says that beleivers will be tested by what they do on this earth for Him. Some believers works will be burnt up because they didn't serve Him the way they should have. It says they will suffer loss, but they will be saved.

You and God are the only ones that truly know, but God also told belivers that we would know other believers by their fruit. Matthew 7

Answer 4

I was a Christian. I became one as an adult. I spent 15 years being as sincere, believing and active as you can get. I meet all of responder Tim's criteria. I worked as an evangelist, taught bible study, gave up full-time work to work for the church. I believed.

I am an atheist.
And though I understand the technical theological point some Christians feel they need to make, they need to understand that, yes, you can be a confident believing Christian and still decide to become an atheist.
I'm hardly alone.
(Hello, Zero Cool and others)
(my e-mail is open)

And being told "You never really did it." IS a definite irritation. Anyone saying that has never been inside my mind.

Answer 5

Being saved isn't merely through lip service. When Paul said to confess Jesus as Lord, it isn't just the words, it's a conversion of the heart. We don't lift just one verse out of the bible, you need to take things in context. That means, this entire sentence needs to be looked at: "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart if God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved".

Answer 6

It is the first step but not all that there is.
Like your analogy of a road, it is a process to get from where we are to where we will be.
We need to repent of our sins and realize that we need a Savior, then we call on Jesus to save us and be our Lord, then we try and do every thing He has told us to do in the Bible (with the help of God).

Answer 7

The "real" christian idea is simply a way of Christians making themselves look better by weeding out everyone that may cast a bad light on them by doing something their religion considers wrong or simply leaving the religion. They think christianity = perfect, they don't want to believe that one of their own could do wrong, so if it's found out, they have the magical "They were never *really* a christian, because a *real* christian wouldn't do that" fallback. Utter nonsense, and I hope everyone can see that.

Answer 8

Exactly. I tell them I was a Christian because I accepted Jesus (which is all you need to do) and they tell me I was not a Christian.

Answer 9

It is possible for a Christians to become an Atheist, and it is also possible for an Atheist to become a Christian.

Answer 10

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." (Matt. 7:21)

It is clear that you do not understand what it means to confess that "Jesus Christ is Lord."