Do you think that the christians of today are any thing like the ones in the bible?

Question

I am only interested in answers from people whom have actually read the bible and have some sort of understanding of the message that comes from the word.

I am talking about the Christian's from the book of Acts?

Answer 1

Joyful,

I hope you ignore the first answer entirely. It wasn't worth reading and he spoke of ignorance while displaying his own...the consumate mark of a FOOL!

Anyway, I think Christians today are exactly like the ones in the bible as far as how they become (at least real ones) a Christian, and concerning what is available to them in God's grace and enabling power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christian life as He intends it to bel lived.

But,unfortunately I'd have to say Christians today are really NOTHING like the ones in the bible as far as faithfully walking out the life they have been called to live.

Jesus said of his followers that we have been counted worthy to fellowship in His suffering. How many believers do you know that willingly embrace that as a blessing?

He said in His Kingdom the first shall be last and the last shall be first...that we need to decrease and Him increase...that we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him...that we need to prefer others over ourselves...that if we were not willing to forsake everything else to follow Him we are not worthy to be His disciple...that if we say we love God and do not love our brother, we are a liar and God is not in us...and on and on goes the biblical description of the sacrificial life of following Jesus...i.e. being a Christian.

These marks were reality for the first century Christians, but for us today they are the very things we work the hardest to avoid and even try to suggest that they are culturally irrelevant actions that won't fly in this post modern world.

No, sister, Christians today are not anything like those of the bible. Oh...I forgot to mention that they also had all things in common and none of them considered anything they possessed as being their own. Try that one today!

The Christian Church today...at least in Western Civilization...is exactly what our culture produces at its highest level of acceptability. It is driven by the need for major visibility, accumulation of sufficient finances to show the world its powers of success, fame, fortune and power of influence.

The fact is, living the Christian life by the methods and means most popular in today's Church, has produced a Church that is so much in bed with the world that the only value it is even recognized for is the degree to which it is able to ENTERTAIN!

By using the methods for starting and growing Churches today that are espoused by the BEST SELLERS in Christianity, I could start and grow a humongous Church, filled with thousands every Sunday, and worth millions in the market place...even if God Himself were DEAD! God, His Son Jesus, and certainly the Holy Spirit, are not even necessary ingredients (except in name only) to building a successful Church today! And because that is truth, and reality concerning the activity of Christian Leaders and their message today...it is also truth and reality in the lives of most of their followers.

The choice is yours though. Go with the flow and find a way to excuse and justify it. Or, break from the religious masses of the so called "Culturally Relevant Church", be real in your faith and walk, set your heart toward intimacy with your Father and follow after Jesus. But if you do...you WILL FELLOWSHIP IN HIS SUFFERING!

Answer 2

I think the obvious answer is no. The proof of that is found throughout the book of Acts. You rarely see healings like those in the bible or people falling dead like Ananias in acts 5:5. I think it comes down to faith.
Although there is a difference in the times, there are certainly many devoted Christians today. Things are done a little differently, but people are still being saved.

Answer 3

Actually I'm fully convinced that Christians of today are very similar to the Christians of age. I see so many even on this forum who will say just about anything in hopes of a thumbs up or 10 points. At least Judas held out for silver. Then there are those, like me, who tell it like it is and don't worry about friendship.

Answer 4

Yes I do, most christians today are just like alot of the Hyprocrites that Jesus faced in the New Testement.

For he says, to pray in silence, and do good without notice.

Instead, many do not do this, and are like the Hyprocrites. Careing what there Faith looks like to others instead of to God.

Not realizing that God sees the poor man, who doesn t go to church, has more Faith and does more good , then even a Preacher at the most well known church.

Few are the numbers today that are true followers, and yet the Hyprocrites even turn Them away from God in there darkest hour.

.

Answer 5

Well, they all have something in common. They love God for one thing. All Christians and non-Christians alike are all sinners. Christians, like myself, are not set apart from non-believers. God said that all men are created equal. The Christians of today are probably not as virtuous as the ones in the Bible. Back in those times, sin wasn't as great or easy to commit. Now there are more temptations like having relationships before marriage. God bless you and I hope that my answer will help.

Answer 6

Christians of today have lost a lot of faith.If we had half the faith of early believers this world would see great things going on in churches all over the world when we get back to the basics of christian living laid out for us in the book of ACTS we will see great things but till that time we just need to study pray and put our trust in God

Answer 7

In some ways I think we are exactly the same. You know how Paul talks about the war inside between wanting to do good and wanting to sin? I think every Christian deals with that all the time. In other ways, I don't know if we are the same. In the NT, the Christians were strong in their message, but still were willing to love and not completely condemn sinners. Overall though, I think we are the same, dealing with similar issues.

Answer 8

Somewhat. There were characters in the Bible that were so full of themselves, so proud of what that have invented, accomplished, etc just as they people are today extremely proud of where they live, go to school, buy their clothes, etc.

There is the instance where the young man felt he could not relinquish all he has accomplished to follow Jesus. The same happens today.

Most do not have time for Jesus because they are usually working to improve the social status instead of their spirituality.

Answer 9

I do. I was on a trip with about three hundred other Christians, we went on a ship to Ephesus, Athens, Corinth, Philippi. It was called the "footsteps of the apostles" cruise. We studied the bible onboard and then went and learned about each site. I would stand back, from time to time, and watch these people. One day we were standing beside a stream and I saw them praying and just being quiet, or reading their bibles. I thought, "it's like the first church". In the beginning of those who followed Christ, it was simple; learn of Him and be a doer of His word. Not that we always succeed, but I know many, many Christians who desire to live that way.

Answer 10

Oh No way! the early Christians were much much different! very very different. Infact they were never full sure exactly what to believe until the bible was established and written down. The earliest Christians were persecuted and they had to worship in private. It was a much different time. Plus most of them were former Jews. who mixed both customs together.

Answer 11

I think we are. Many of us are like Moses-too scared to speak up when God wants us to. Some are like David who committed adultery with Bathsheba. The Christian divorce rate is too high. Some of us are like Esther-willing to speak up even when afraid for our lives. The Psalms are filled with David's depression, anxiety and fear-things we suffer from today. Adam blamed Eve for his sin-plenty of us do that, too. I hope you understand what I am saying. Bottom line-there is no difference. Through the ages, humans are humans. That's why what God says in the bible applies to us today. And thank goodness!!!