After reading many of the question & answers that...?

Question

it seems that many here on Yahoo Answers are confusing the term 'Christian' with... Catholic... Baptist... Methodist... Mormon... or other groups or denominations.

Just as not all Christians are Catholic or Baptist or Methodist or Calvanist, etc., not all Catholics or Baptists or Methodists or Calvanists, etc. are Christians.

Christians are those who believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross as atonement for OUR sins, was buried & resurrected three days later.
The name Christian was first used as a deragotory term for those who chose to follow Jesus & His teachings. Later, it came to be known as those who are Born Again Believers; those who by believing in the death & resurrection have chosen to die to their old selves & be reborn [spiritually, not physically] in Christ.

Being Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Calvanist, etc. is the way in which people choose to express their religious beliefs, believe is the correct form of worship, best interpretation of the Bible, etc.

Also, Christians don't believe that just being a member of a certain group or denomination is your free pass to Heaven. Since Christians believe that the Bible is the Holy & Inspired Word of God, and spells out exactly what is required of us to gain Heaven, we don't equate church membership with Salvation.

NOTE: I'm capitalizing certain words because these seem to used by many people as 'key' words. If anyone would like to email with me about any of these words, or my own personal beliefs, I would be thrilled! ;)

Also, some of those who are obviously angry with God, or with organized religion really should take some time with a good study Bible. It would answer many questions about the so-called fallacies, or consistencies. I use a McArthur Study Bible & my husband uses a Nelson. Both are good by themselves but even better when used together with a good concordence.

To Brett A., Sun & Kallan,

Thanks for your posts! This explanation is not merely mine. It is explained quite clearly in the Bible, from which each church's or denomination's doctrine should come.
However, just as you can tell two different people the exact same phrase, using the exact same intonation & inflection & yet receive two different interpretations of what you meant, you can have different interpretations of the Bible. That's not God's or the biblical writer's fault, that's our own human failings.

Not everyone who identifies with a certain group or denomination believes in the death & resurrection of Christ. My own neighbors are very wonderful people, were born into the Catholic Church, will tell you that they are good Catholics, but neither of then are believers in Jesus' offered salvation. They earnestly believe that just being Catholic & having gone through First Holy Communion is enough to get them to Heaven. This is just one example.

Rev. Kip,
Are you really a priest? I've talked with quite a few priests in my time & have heard them espouse the exact same concept that I'm trying to explain.

Also, I don't believe that I even intimated what you accuse me of saying.

To those who would like to disagree on the timing of the use of the term 'Christian', please get hold of different translations AND interpretations of the Bible from the original language used straight to modern English [or whatever your first language is]. Then, check out some of the historical records of the Romans, Greeks & Jews to learn more.

Interesting responses. Thanks!

At no time was I being judgemental towards any group or denomination. Since I'm not God who is Onmiscient, Omnipotent & Onmipresent, it's not my place to determine who has chosen to go to Heaven & who hasn't.

My only reason for even posting this was to educate those who really seem to be confusing being a Christians with religious or denominational affiliation. Also, we must remember that just because someone says that they or their group is Christian, or members of the bigger group Christianity, doesn't mean that they are. People can say anything that want; believe anything that they want. But do they live it out? Do theirs live show this? AND, we're Saved, not perfect. We make mistakes just like everyone else.

Faith & Belief are very personal things between us & God; everyone needs to do their own talking with Him; praying. The best that we can do is learn from those wiser than us in whatever doctrine we feel closest follows the Bible.

Andy H.

Please explain why you feel that I'm being patronizing & arrogant. I didn't mean to be & would to prevent others from feeling that way in the future.

Answer 1

"not all Catholics or Baptists or Methodists or Calvanists etc. are Christians." ... Your MERE Assertion sounds UPPITY and Self-Righteous and is thus INSUFFICIENT.

CITE Please! ... A NON-Xian Catholic??? (My wife is RC.)

[Edit]: Contrary to your addition, IT IS a MERE ASSERTION and *you* simply cannot accept others for their belief (which is basically what you say, but you dance and try to justify.) Though you may not care, I counsel tolerance for what you describe as a grossly intolerant denomination or sect. I and likely the REST of the WORLD will continue to IGNORE you.

Re Your Email, Kathy M...
"My assertions can be backed up."
I've asked for a CITE >9 hours ago... Nothing.

"Also, I am very tolerant of people..."
Great, if true. But you VERY MUCH do NOT sound it, and I'm by no means the only one to point this out to you - Please Try *listening* instead of claiming you and yours - in your own special group - are the only ones on the entire planet with a lock on truth. ... (I'm sure you feel this... but it's ugly.)

"my kids... refusing to do what I ask them to."
So wha'd'ya do? Tell them they're going to burn in Hell like the rest of the riff-raff outside your particular sect?

"I can NOT tolerate any group that tells ... to kill anyone"
No? Well, maybe you use a different book. The ‘Holy’ Bible *I* know advocates the KILLING of 2/3s of ALL HUMANITY - KILL UNBELIEVERS...

Chronicles 15:12-13 (NIV) … Acts 3:23 … Deuteronomy 17:12 NLT and Exodus 22:20
You use a different Bible? ... What? ... To paraphrase you:

"You earnestly believe that just being part of *your particular sect* is enough to get you to Heaven." (or so it seems, but I'm sure there's more to it than that.)

Bottom Line: ANYONE who thinks they've got the *ONLY* WAY and thus by definition are somewhat above all others... is INTOLERANT. ... That's BASIC - Can You NOT See that?

*YOU* have NO WAY to know the TRUTH except for how you've been taught and indoctrinated and what you've learned. And *I* am EXACTLY the SAME as YOU.

Our *difference* is I accept others' truths as their truths and DO NOT CLAIM I can get somewhere THEY CANNOT GET TO. It's likely difficult for you to even see, but YOU are NOT Tolerant of others' beliefs. My RC wife (& others) NEITHER NEEDS nor WANTS YOUR Self-Righteous ILK saying they are *NOT* Xian! ... Put SIMPLY... THEY *ARE* CHRISTIAN! Live with it! And Live with Diversity w/o telling OTHERS what they are. THEN come back and tell me you're tolerant.

Answer 2

Due to the fact that these
Christians use the Protestant Old Testament which is lacking 7 entire books 2 (Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus/Sirach, Baruch, I Maccabees, and II Maccabees), 3 chapters of Daniel and 6 chapters of Esther may be one of the reasons they ask catholics so many questions.

For the Sola Scriptura this is too bad .
In the 16th c., Luther removed those books from the canon that lent support to orthodox doctrine, relegating them to an appendix. Removed in this way were books that supported such things as:

prayers for the dead (Tobit 12:12; 2 Maccabees 12:39-45),

Purgatory (Wisdom 3:1-7),

intercession of dead saints (2 Maccabees 15:14),

and intercession of angels as intermediaries (Tobit 12:12-15).

The lesson, though, is this: relying on the "Bible alone" is a bad idea; we are not to rely solely on Sacred Scripture to understand Christ's message. While Scripture is "given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), it is not sufficient for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. It is the Church that is the "pillar and ground of Truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)! Jesus did not come to write a book; He came to redeem us, and He founded a Sacramental Church through His apostles to show us the way. It is to them, to the Church Fathers, to the Sacred Deposit of Faith, to the living Church that is guided by the Holy Spirit, and to Scripture that we must prayerfully look.

Answer 3

Well put. I have been trying to get that point across for quite some time. Christianity is NOT a religion. I go to a NON DENOMINATIONAL Church. Hence - no religious beliefs. I wish people would get that through their heads. So now, when someone is slamming "Christians" it could be that they are actually slamming specific religions. That is pretty closed minded thinking that ALL religions = Christianity. Get a clue people. Thank you for your question/statement/post.

Answer 4

While I agree that not all who claim to be Christian are true followers of Christ, I think there are some who try to apply their own definition of what it means to be a Christian in such a way to dismiss certain churches. But I trust that was not your goal.

By the way, the word Christian was used by Luke in Acts and it was not in a derogatory way. The term "born again believer" didn't appear until about the 1960s.

Answer 5

What you are pointing out is various denominations/sects within Christianity. As for your definition it is a little narrow. There are many Christians who do not believe Jesus "died on the cross for our sins." When Jesus called people to come follow him, he didn't say anything about what they were to believe, only what they were being called to do, which was to love God, and love their neighbor. Christianity was earliest called "The Way" and you will see that phrase used frequently in Mark, the earliest Gospel.

Answer 6

man has formed all these denominations but there is no denomination in JESUS.

Galatians 3:28[kjv]There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:11[kjv]Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

all the beliefs of most of these are wrong and agaisnt JESUS.

JESUS loves you.Have u recieved JESUS for the forgiveness of your sins?

John 3:16[kjv] 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.

so when we believe in JESUS we have eternal life.JESUS lived a sinless life and gave up his life as a sacrifice so we can be sin free. Ask JESUS to come into your heart and forgive ur sins and cleanse ur past with the blood JESUS shed on the cross.

With a simple prayer like above u can be saved.JESUS loves u and wants u to be saved.

Answer 7

It is dependent. Honestly, usually I'm at paintings and wouldn't have time to learn the solutions earlier than posting. I'm curious as to what others say however usually I do not desire others to impact what I desire to write down/say. Sometimes, I will admit, I haven't any inspiration what the query is speaking approximately and I need to learn the solutions to achieve a few inspiration earlier than answering. Ocassionally I'll see/learn the primary reply motive it'll occur to pop up on my reveal.

Answer 8

The term "Christian" was first given to the believers at the church in Acts.

Answer 9

Most of the time, the people who are called "Christian" here are the evangelical-the Bible is the only truth and you will go to hell if you don't accept Jesus type. That is the type that most often respond to questions and the ones that are usually addressed.

Answer 10

Please be careful when questioning a person's faith. I happen to know a few in the afore mentioned organized religions who are spirit filled believers and have taught me a thing or two.
Other than that, good argument.