2007-11-23 06:03:18 · 15 answers · asked by realchurchhistorian 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jesus gathered little children to him and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." (Mk 10:15)
Jesus spoke of individuals either being acknowledged by him or not. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name?' Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Mt 7:21-23) So, many claims will be found false.
Those who belong to Christ know - as a little child knows its father and family - that they are in the family of God. The Spirit bears witness with them that they have been born again (Jn 3). Any group that denies this, or tacks on additional qualifications, should be treated warily though individuals within the group may well be Christians.
2007-11-23 06:55:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christian= follower of Christ.
2007-11-23 06:07:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Church is Christ's Bride, which are those who have been born again by His Spirit. A person professing Christ bears fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Gal. 5:22-23). The fruit of the Spirit is a testimony to everyone that a Christian is who he/she claims to be, a follower of Christ.
2007-11-23 06:35:00 · answer #3 · answered by Virginia B (John 16:33) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not neccesarilly so. The cults pick and choose a few verses from the Bible here and there to throw you off track.
In Matthew 16:15, Jesus asks, “Whom say ye that I am?” Peter answers, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and for this answer Peter is called “blessed.” In 2 John 9, we read, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” In other words, Jesus Christ and His work of redemption is of utmost importance; beware anyone who denies that Jesus is equal with God, who downplays Jesus’ substitutionary death, or who rejects Jesus’ humanity. First John 2:22 says, “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.”
2007-11-23 06:57:26 · answer #4 · answered by Freedom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A group would not want to claim that it is Christian unless they believe that they follow Jesus. Anyone with a narrow viewpoint of what "following Jesus" is, will always find others that they believe act outside of this.
2007-11-23 06:14:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christ, Christian. That's the criteria for Christianity-believing in the Bible and Christ.
Usually they are a sub-group of Christianity, like Quakerism or Catholicism.
2007-11-23 06:09:10 · answer #6 · answered by Windona 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because it follows Jesus Christ, God and His word.
Loretta
2007-11-23 06:37:32 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
One is only Christian if they accept the fact that Jesus Son of God died for our sins, so that we might gain entrance into His Kingdom. I see many people claim to be Christians but do so on no basis at all. There are many false believers out there that don't realize you must be reborn and accept Christ into your life to gain entrance.
2007-11-23 06:10:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A group is Christian because they adhere to the teachings of Christ. It is not limited or exclusive to buildings with walls and a roof.
2007-11-23 06:07:24 · answer #9 · answered by L.C. 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's right. But, most of them are not true foot-step followers of Christ. Therefore, they are only professed "Christians" and not true Christians.
2007-11-23 06:12:18 · answer #10 · answered by aseptic technique 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋