What makes a christian.?

Question

Let me explain.

I have been going to evangelical churches and leading them for almost 20 years.

If I for example believe in asking the saints to pray for me , infant baptisim, transubstansiation, confession BUT also believe that Jesus died for my sins and that it is a free gift received by grace - am I a christian.

Do I have to get rid of the other stuff. Now some people will say that its not biblical blah blah blah.

I could argue and prove almost anything from the scriptures, I am sure I could have most of your heads spinning. However I want to see if we can agree that the other stuff isint that much of an issue.

I dont have to be like you and you dont have to be like me, I can say all the Hail Marys i want as long as Jesus is saviour as it doesnt negate or improve my salvation.

Do you agree?

By the way to the people who think they are being led by the holy spirit.

What makes you think you are, you have no proof, you just have a feeling and at best thats almost like sorcery.

Again we get the catholic bashing, by having your heads spinning I mean through a bible I can argue the case for everything in the Catholic church and also disprove fundementalisim.So whats the deal.

If you are saved through Christ then "asking" mary to pray for you isint an issue.

Doesnt the bible tell you to confess your sins to people.

Answer 1

well, I don't think that you could have my head spinning.

I am led by the Holy Spirit, and He knows the word pretty well. I have learned to rely on him, and not argue little stuff with men.

edit: I have the confirmation through the Word, that what I am "feeling" and hearing is the Holy Spirit. I have had confirmation in church through my pastor as he preaches.
I find it quite arrogant that you would assume that people led by the Holy Spirit must be dealing in sorcery. Do not make the mistake of taking away from the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy and critical spirit is quite a devastating place to put your self in.

Answer 2

Strange set of mixed answers from folk who call themselves 'Christians' .I am not a Christian but here is my answer:-

A Christian is one who believes that Jesus was the Son of God!!
A Christian is also one who believes that Jesus was (and still is) God.
A Christian is one who also believes the above, plus the bit that God the Father and God the Son, (who are are in fact one and the same thing) Are collectively the 'Holy Ghost' Or the 'Holy Trinity'!!
Al the rest about praying to Saints etc etc is not really important, the 3 in one is the important bit!
I am an atheist, why do I know that and your answers don't??
And now I come to think of it , if you are a Church leader of whatever brand of Christianity why don't you know that?
I have read many scriptures all the meanings are debatable you personally cannot 'prove' for an absolute fact that any are true, can you actually 'prove' who the authors of the Gospels 'According to' Matthew-Mark-Luke-and John , were really written by?
Can you 'prove' there is a God? I can't 'prove' there is no God. no one else can prove this either way.
You can maybe explain the meaning of all the scriptures, to suit your interpretation!
I reckon I could do the same to suit mine.

Answer 3

Just one question -- do you believe lying is okay or a sin as the Bible says.

To propogate a lie is a sin. To say that Mary is sinless when the Bible expressly states unequivocally that Christ is the only sinless person to ever live is a lie. If Mary were sinless, it would stand to reason that we didn't need Christ to die for us because Mary could have been the sacrifice without blemish.
Doen't that make sense?

Transubstantiation is only in the Catholic belief system and is not scripturally based therefore it has to be a lie. There is no scripture to back up Christ's actual body and blood being taken in communion. If you take the Greek rendering of the words Christ spoke you would know it is a symbolic act that is to be done "IN REMBRANCE" as the scriptures say.

Counting beads, Hail Mary's, Our Fathers and such things if considered as ways of working off sin and time in pergatory are a lie because they deny that the work of Christ on the cross was sufficient payment for our sins. Further purgatory is not intimated anywhere in the Bible except for the Duaoy Rheims version which is influenced by Catholic theology.

The scriptures are not as the Catholic church teach "subject to the interpretation of the church using them and the authority of scripture doesn't rest with the church. Truth is that the scriptures are the authority themselves and are not in any way reliant on the church that has them.

There is no scripture that shows us that dead people can pray for us ( ie; the saints ) so that is also a lie. My Bible tells me that the only right way to approach God is to pray to my Father in Heaven, under the direction of the Holy Spirit and to ask in the name of Jesus Christ!

The idea of needing a priest to pray for me because I can't pray for myself is another lie. When Christ died the curtain of the temple was rent from top to bottom effectively eliminating the priesthood and opening the way for all believers to have direct access to God. We are to confess our sins to God Himself and receive forgiveness freely without the help of any man whatever his status or position is.

Infant baptism is another deception. The correct order is that we are to "repent for our sins first" and then be baptized as an act of obedience from a thankful heart. Since babies are without knowledge of sin - baptizing them is fruitless and has no redeeming virtue.

Martin Luther believed what you do about being saved by grace but he took it even further. He posted the 95 thesis on the door of the Catholic Church in Wittenberg, Germany and refuted all those things I mentioned above and the Lutheran denomination began. The priests tried to kill him but God would not allow it because He had a work for him to do.

I don't know what evangelical churches you are talking about, but they certainly could not be teaching you to hold on to the corrupt teachings of Catholicism. LYING IS STILL A SIN!

Answer 4

Who Jesus is to you. That's the key. There's so much crap in every denomination.

I would say in the most basic way. Give your heart to Christ. that includes repentance admittance that we are sinners and accept in his grace that he is Lord of your life.

I do think that we are called to Holiness which means some effort from us. But once saved always saved no matter what other religious rubbish comes up.

I think teaching error if one is in that position has consequences. We are all responsible for what we say. But if we set our selves up as teachers and priests then we must take the consequences of our actions when in error.

Answer 5

A person who accepts Jesus Christ [the son of God] as their personal saviour and opens there heart to him is what I would class as a Christian.
I'm an atheist so you may get some more intriguing answers !

Answer 6

To a point. And your claim to be able to make other's heads swim is a two-way street.

If your beliefs include having accepted a false gospel, then you haven't attained to salvation in the first place. After all, what did Christ say -- many would come in his name, claiming him to be the Christ; the saviour, and then deceive the many?

So to answer your first question, "what makes a Christian?"

The answer is Christ makes a Christian, and not you through your beliefs.


.

Answer 7

I believe that as long as you have a relationship with Jesus then you are saved.
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
I believe this says much.

Answer 8

Never spend time arguing or going over "disputable matters" it is a waste of precious time and it doesn't matter. What is most important is that Jesus is the living Son of God = saviour to the whole world = and is coming back soon. All I can say to everyone is................. BE READY!

Answer 9

If you believe in God and that Jesus His son died for you and your sins on the cross so you wouldn't go to Hell and asking Him into your life and heart so He can save you, and wanting to change the way you are for Him, accepting you're not perfect but He's forgiven you.

Answer 10

Okay.. I can't saved if you are or not.. are you questioning it?

But who forgives your sin , if you confess to a priest?

He is man, not God.

saying, "hail Mary' is worshipping and idol, strictly forbidden.

And infant baptism: Do babies make that choice or their parents?

Most of all, who is your saviour? And are you trusting your Saviour to provide all these things, you are doing somewhere else