Christians of any denomination, help me please?

Question

I've been having an interesting debate through e-mail with a fellow Y!Answers user (who I will leave anonymous out of respect for him) about what qualifies as a "Christian" these days.

I say Catholics, Protestants, Methodists, Lutherans, Mormons, JW's, etc are all under the Christianity heading, while he says that there is only one true sect of Christianity and the others aren't even considered Christians.

Who do you think has the correct argument here?

Answer 1

Jesus said: "There will be many false prophets in the last days...By their fruits, you shall know them".

In other words, many people will state their allegiance to Christ's teachings. However, regardless of their confession, it would be their actions (acting like Christ would and did) that would differentiate them.

A true Christian is anyone who, despite of their denomination, truly and honestly follows after the example of Christ.

God bless you!

Answer 2

Anyone following the teaching of Christ, including believing that he was the messiah sent by God would be categorized as a Christian. I'm finding confusion on this site in that many only pray to Jesus, thinking that he is the God instead of the mediator. They really need to get a clue, God is too Glorious and Mighty to come down to earth in the form of a human and then let himself be beat up by a bunch of idiots. Of course it's that trinity three headed thing again. It was a great sacrifice for Jesus to do that. Something is sacrificed to something. Usually a higher power.

You don't mention what that sect is so how can we comment accordingly.

After reading some of the comments I have to add: Many say just believing in Christ makes you a Christian. Read your dictionary. You also have to be following in his footsteps by observing the things he taught. And also, God's congregation cannot be found in an alley. It would be a great organization just like the original Israelites were in a great organization with certain rules and regulations. That was the first covenant , so we would be the second. YHWH is a god of order and his organization also would be orderly.

Answer 3

All Denominations are identified under the title of Christianity or Christendom. Jesus says concerning his Church. John 15:19; If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Jesus Church, the New Testament Church is and has always been made-up of the Born Again, that's Spirit Born and Spirit Baptized.

Just because some confesses to be a Christian, doesn't make them one!

Remember, Satan has transformed himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is of no great thing if his ministers are transformed as ministers of righteousness.

Righteousness being; That which is right in God's Eye!

There's an old saying that's been around for years - You can paint over the strips on a tiger; But that doesn't change its nature and characteristic's.

Falsehoods Of Christianity

http://wings-of-an-eagle3.com/wings4

Answer 4

Can somebody please tell my why Catholics are not considered Christians? Before Martin Luther and Henry IIX, the ONLY Christians were Catholic! It was a synonym! (Okay there was the eastern Orthodox, but Rome even today recognizes them.)

"And upon this rock I shall build my church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail upon it." Are you all saying that Jesus was WRONG in this prophesy, that the world fell into apostasy until the protestants came along and set it right?

Catholics do not pray to Mary as a Goddess, or to the saints as inferior Gods. Catholics do not pray to idols. There may be Catholics who think this way and do this, but it is not what the church teaches.

Anyone who ever served in a military hierarchy would understand the infallibility of the Pope. Your drill sergeant is always right, even when he's wrong. Same thing with the Pope. It's not a matter of being right, it's a matter of authority. If you follow the Teachings of the Pope, and he's wrong, he takes the rap, not you. Don't follow him, and answer for yourself.

Penance does not absolve you from sin. The Catholic church teaches that only Jesus can do that, as he did on the cross. Penance is a means of reflection and atonement, for personal healing. It is not the path to forgiveness. At the end of confession, before you do your penance, the priest releases you by saying (as Christ's representative, Matt 18:20) "Your sins have been forgiven. Go and sin no more."

I laugh when people claim that Catholics are not Christian. When you do so, you show your ignorance, your prejudice, and a complete lack of awareness of your own ecclesiastic history. You are listening to lies and misconceptions and taking them as fact. Read the Catechism of the church before you condemn.


Amazing how fast the thumbs down here happen. No prejudice here!

Answer 5

The definition of a Christian is found in the Bible. Acts 11:26 states the disciples (those taught by God) were first called Christians in Antioch. A disciple or Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ according to his teachings. God set the terms for the method whereby we can become a Christian in his word. That is the standard by which we can know if we are following the truth. The early church was comprised of members who were called Christians. To follow Jesus is to be obedient to him (Jn. 8:31-32 & Jn. 10:9; Jn. 14:15). The obedient are the ones who are saved (Acts 2:47). Jesus has one body of believers, his church, the called out, and which is comprised of those who have obeyed the truth (Heb. 5:8-9). It is fitting, therefore, that his followers should want to be obedient and to be called by no other name than Christian since their allegiance is to no other either in their relationship to the Christ or in the doctrines they believe and follow.

Answer 6

Belonging to a Christian organization established by man , does not make you a true Christian. All of the organizations which you mentioned have a beginning brought about by some man. Luke 17:20-21, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation::::: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, the kingdom of God IS within you". Acts 2:47, "...And the LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH daily such as should be saved". Hebrews 5:4, "And NO MAN taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is CALLED OF GOD, as was Aaron". James 1:27, " Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, TO VISIT THE FATHERLESS AND WIDOWS IN THEIR AFFLICTION, AND TO KEEP HIMSELF UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD". We know a Christian by his fruits and not by where his name was written by man on some earthly church record. God alone holds that POWER.

Answer 7

Only one group can be right (if any!)

It then comes down to how tolerant you believe Jesus/God is to people not following the one true interpretation.

Rev. Phelps (Westboro Baptist Church) thinks that 90% of all 'Christians' are going to hell.

Dr Rowan Williams (Current Archbishop of Canterbury) probably thinks that 90% of all 'Christians' are going to heaven.


There does seem to be a deepening of the schisms between the Christian sects. Fudementalism appears to be increasing and the pope recently reitterated the Catholic We're-The-True-Church-Your-Not position.


I think you are going to get a whole range of resposes here.

An atheist.

Answer 8

Christians are those who are born again, saved by the death of Christ and justified by His resurrection. All whom the Father has called will believe. A Christian believes the basic tenets or fundamentals of the faith, has the indwelling of the Spirit and seeks to do good works because are saved, not to get saved.
Denominational ties mean little. There are believers who are Baptists, there are Baptists who may claim to be a Christian, but are not. All believers are called the Church, the ecclesia (out called ones), the body of Christ.
Mormons and JWs are not considered Christian because they as a whole reject the basic tenets of the faith.

Answer 9

Ideally, a Christian is a person who follows the teachings of Christ. Jesus said that his followers would be recognized by their love of one another. It seems to me that most of the religions you mentioned don't quite love their counterparts in other countries. Catholics, Methodists, etc., all join military organizations to kill other Catholics, Methodists, etc., according to the will of their particular secular governments. True Christians would refuse to serve in any capacity. It's called conscientious objector.

Answer 10

This is a delicate issue, but one that can be answered.
First, consider the term "Christian". It means a follower of Christ. The true Christ. There are false Christs, if you did not know that. False Christs are those that people choose to follow according to their religion's view of who Christ was, regardless of what the Word of God has to say about who He was.

According to my Bible, which is the KJV, the true Christ is Jesus, God the Son, one-third of the triune God, Jehovah, or as He is commonly referred to, the living God.
There are countless verses in the Bible that tell us that Jesus was and is the Word. God in the flesh.
There are sects of so-called "Christians" that do not believe that He was what the Bible so clearly says that He was. Among them are the Jehovah's Witnesses, and the LDS, or Latter Day Saints, commonly called the mormons.
They teach that Jesus was NOT God , but only the son of God. They are half-right. He was the son of God, but also God Himself. Also the Holy Ghost, which is also God. One God, three different persons. God came to the world this way, as a human being, to conquer sin, and reconcile Himself to man once more.
To teach doctrine other than what the Bible teaches, or to use another source, other than the Bible to teach doctrine which is called christian in name only, is wrong, which means that it is false doctrine, and therefore it's followers worship a false Christ, one that is not God. Those sects that follow these false Christs cannot truly be called Christian.

As for catholicism, they also follow false teachings, false doctrines, and pray to idols. They believe in penance for the remission of sin, and purgatory, as if the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross somehow was not enough to save us from sin. This is also wrong, and although it is probably the biggest church in the entire world, they are leading their followers straight to hell.

I do not know much about Methodists or Lutherans, as I have never studied their teachings, or doctrine. The Baptists teach sound doctrine, but their religion is dead. If you were to go into most Baptist churches and actually praise and worship God in the spirit, they might ask you to leave. I used to attend Baptist churches. I now go to a Pentecostal full gospel church. I think it is wonderful, and I like the fact that you can go in and actually praise God, or go to the altar as much as you feel the need to, and noone looks at you as if you did something terrible.

As for your debate, it sounds like the other party is closer to being right. Sorry. God bless.

Answer 11

The word Christian originally meant to be Christ-like. Although it is a start to BELIEVE, even Lucifer himself believes there is a God and that Jesus died for his sins. You must also accept him as the Lord of your life. As for the different religions, I believe that many different religions are as true as they know how to be. We are all human and each group is run by humans (hopefully with God leading them, but none of us listen all the time) and therefore imperfect. I also believe that there are many cults who Believe in God and Jesus. I also believe that there are many who are saved in all groups that believe in God. I also believe that there are many who are not saved in each of these groups. It is important that we pick a church that makes the most sense to us at the time and then check everything taught no matter how much you respect the teacher. It is even more important that we pray often and keep up our relationship with Him. If this is a new concept, it will feel weird at first, but personal relationship is of the utmost importance as christian. The Bible says that we are to work out our own salvation. This is how it is done. God will in time show us where to fellowship and who to fellowship with according to the stage we are in our lives. For some of us, we will be in the same place most of our lives; others may change more. It is also important to recognize that some of our endeavors will be for us to grow in Christ, while others are for us to help others grow in Christ.