What is a "real Christian?"?

Question

The reason I ask is because I know a lot of people who used to think they were "real" Christians, but now that they are atheists and agnostics, people say they were never "real" Christians. They thought they believed in Jesus, prayed and went to church, tried to love their enemies, read the Bible and always deferred to "God's word" when it came to the tricky bits. Well received in churches, they fit right in with "the brethren." But if one day someone wakes up and realizes that they don't really believe in Jesus and the Bible anymore, all of a sudden they "never were Christians." So, what happens to these poor souls who really thought they believed but apparently, according to popular evangelical doctrine, never really did? I know a lot of people who fit this description. Bottom line: they cried out to God and he did not answer.

Conan, that's funny as hell since I don't believe in Jesus or the Bible.

Tuberoot - I agree: It's the Sower's fault.

William D - your position requires that I begin with the premise that the Bible is God's word and contains the truth. Kind of putting the cart before the horse, I think.

Thanks for all the answers, but how can someone believe if they don't believe? These people I'm talking about THOUGHT they believed. They BELIEVED that they believed. Whose fault is it if they can't believe? I know you're going to let God off the hook here; you have to.

Answer 1

Mat 7:22-23 (Jer) "When the day comes many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?' Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!"

In most cases, those who have "fallen" away from their faith were never really Chrisians in the first place. It maybe at the time they "accepted" Christ that it was all based on how they felt at that time, or everyone else did it and they didn't want to be left out. If they became Christians based on the spiritual feeling of the moment, it will be evident because someday those feelings will be gone. Another reason would be that they were not properly taught how to defend their faith and crumbled under the logic of those who researched what they believe.
You can tell a Christian by the fruits of their spirit. Once a new Christian becomes saved, the Holy Spirit comes onto him and begins the change within that will lead him to strive to live a Christ-like life. And everyone around him will be able to notice a major change.
If they became Christians based on the spiritual feeling of the moment, it will be evident because someday those feelings will be gone.
I hope this helps and if you want to ask me more about it leave a note on here. (I don't trust people to not spam me.)

Answer 2

"What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sower?"

Answer: The Parable of the Sower (also known as the Parable of the Four Soils) is found in Matthew 13:3-9; Mark 4:2-9; and Luke 8:4-8. After presenting this parable to the multitude, Jesus interprets it for His disciples in Matthew 13:18-23; Mark 4:13-20; and Luke 8:11-15.

The Parable of the Sower concerns a sower who scatters seed, which falls on four different types of ground. The hard ground “by the way side” prevents the seed from sprouting at all, and the seed becomes nothing more than bird food. The stony ground provides enough soil for the seeds to germinate and begin to grow, but because there is “no deepness of earth,” the plants do not take root and are soon withered in the sun. The thorny ground allows the seed to grow, but the competing thorns choke the life out of the beneficial plants. The good ground receives the seed and produces much fruit.

Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower highlights four different responses to the gospel. The seed is “the word of the kingdom.” The hard ground represents someone who is hardened by sin; he hears but does not understand the Word, and Satan plucks the message away, keeping the heart dull and preventing the Word from making an impression. The stony ground pictures a man who professes delight with the Word; however, his heart is not changed, and when trouble arises, his so-called faith quickly disappears. The thorny ground depicts one who seems to receive the Word, but whose heart is full of riches, pleasures, and lusts; the things of this world take his time and attention away from the Word, and he ends up having no time for it. The good ground portrays the one who hears, understands, and receives the Word—and then allows the Word to accomplish its result in his life. The man represented by the “good ground” is the only one of the four who is truly saved, because salvation’s proof is fruit (Matthew 3:7-8; 7:15-20).

To summarize the point of the Parable of the Sower: “A man’s reception of God’s Word is determined by the condition of his heart.” A secondary lesson would be “Salvation is more than a superficial, albeit joyful, hearing of the gospel. Someone who is truly saved will go on to prove it.” May our faith and our lives exemplify the "good soil" in the Parable of the Sower.

Recommended Resource: Parables of Jesus by James Montgomery Boice.

Answer 3

Jesus explained it here:

Matthew 13
18 "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22 The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23 But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Those that were sown on the path, or sown in the rocky places have little to no stamina. And they don't tend to realize that a Christian has to trust God, and instead fill their lives with works such as trying to love their neighbors, and going to church, but they never really practice trusting God.

Trust = Faith.

So they were ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.

Answer 4

First of all, I believe that the name "Christian" is used way to much... So I prefer to say "I am a Child of God" or "I am believer" Because anyone can say "I'm a christian" But to say "I am a Child of God" has more depth to it. Also it is not going to church, praying or even reading the bible that makes you a christian(although those are all the things that help you become a better Christian) it is asking Christ in your heart and admitting that Jesus died on the cross to take away your sin. So unless your friends took that step in asking Jesus in their heart then they were never saved so therefor they were never Christians.

Romans 10:9-10, "That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

P.S. Sometimes God answers but we don't like the answer it is either, no or wait. But we automatically think God did not answer our prayer.

Answer 5

Let us be honest. You do not know really people even though how close you are or else the Bible is a lie. Paul clearly say in 1Corinthians 2:11 that no one knows the spirit of man except that man himself....Let God be true and every man a liar (Romans 3:4) Yes even Satan believe God and trembles but he is not save becuase his sin comes from within. Theres no way for a Saviour to save. But man is savable because his sin comes from without. Generally comes from temptations as what the original man and woman was in the garden of Eden. And the grace of God reigns supreme able to save them to the uttermost. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 4:4-5' Titus 3:5, etc.)

Answer 6

It's a little unfair to lay their unbelief at God's footstep, don't you think? God always has an open invitation to accept His mercy and grace, and many a soul has fled from God and later returned chastened and longing for God's love.

Jesus also related this scenario in the parable of the seeds. Some seeds never become plants, some wither and die, and some become full and bloom, producing yet more seeds. God knows not all will turn to Him, and He also knows some will turn away from Him because they never really knew Him at all.

It is up to the individual whether they want to run to God, and should they do so, He is ready with outstretched arms.

Answer 7

It's your interpretation that they cried out to God and he didn't answer. Do you have some evidence of that? Were you able to read their thoughts?

No one knows whether I truly believe, except me and God. You cannot possibly know whether I believe, so you cannot possibly know whether your friends believed or not.

People who are called by God and respond to his call do not lose their faith. God gave us the parable of the sower and the seed. If the seed falls on shallow ground it sprouts but dies for lack of moisture. Not the fault of the seed, but the soil. The seed sown among weeds is choked out after it sprouts. Again, not the seeds fault or the sowers fault. Read your Bible more and spend less time figuring you understand everything. Instead, seek answers... learn what it is that you do not understand.

Answer 8

That is just a cop out. I have been told my fake Christians here that I was never a rel Christian because I left Christianity they either say that or they say that I will come back to God.

This is not what your question was about but a real Christian is one who reads the bible, believes it wholly and lives their life accordingly without adding to or taking away from it, but very, very few do this. People love to say they believe the bible but then they go to church that uses instruments of music which is adding to it and they refuse to say Baptism is essential which is taking away from it.

People have to say what you mentioned because they cannot admit that Salvation is a choice and we have free will and if we can choose salvation we can choose to leave it.

Once saved always saved is taking away from the bible. the bible teaches you can fall from grace and loose your salvation.
BB

Answer 9

I assume a real christian is one who is baptised, professed Jesus as Lord and Savior and asked for forgiveness. The hardest part of this, for me anyway, is walking with God everyday, obedient to his word. Everyone has a rollercoaster faith. Some days harder than others. Bottom line, God is answering we sometimes don't listen.

Answer 10

Real Christian believes in Trinity. Real Christians ask Jesus God to be their Lord and Savior.