What makes you a Christian ?

[rodger]

What makes you a Christian ?

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by rodger

What makes you a Christian ?

A Good Liarrrrrrrr Nothing More Nothing Less ! Ask Any Minister / Preacher / Pastor Behind Closed Door's While They're Counting The Sunday Take .

[TallMan]

A Christian is someone who has received the Holy Spirit because “Christ” or “Messiah” means “anointed one” and the anointing is the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8v9 states:-
“ . . . you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.”

So, it's vital to receive the Holy Spirit, but he is invisible and we cannot trust our own hearts that we are right with God . . .

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. 17v9)

(Jesus warns that many who call Him "Lord" will be told "I never knew you", he's talking about church-goers, not agnostics !). So, God must bare independant witness, the apsotles waited for this, . . . In the new testament it is known precisely when people receive the Holy Spirit, and when they hadn't. The way of salvation hasn't changed.

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit began to be given as never before, making people sons of God. The apostles reported:-
“ . . . they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. . . having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this, which you now SEE and HEAR. . . For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to ALL that are afar off, even AS MANY AS the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2v4, 33, 39)

If you were told that what you could "see and hear" (the speaking in tongues) was the promised Holy Spirit, and that this was to you and all who God would call, wouldn’t you expect to speak in tongues, or be told if this was not the case?

With the gentiles:-
“ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” (Acts 10v44)

How did he know ?
“For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” (v46)

If it is possible to receive the Spirit and NOT speak in tongues, the apostles were *wrong* to judge that the Spirit had just fallen upon people when they spoke in tongues, logically they could only say that people had *at some unknown time previously* received the Spirit . . . but they didn't.

[crackdpot]

The faith in Christ that affects the soul in such a fashion as to bring the person defined by Anthony's post to honest confession and true repentance in fearful reverence and humility before a holy God. By their fruits you shall know them.

I've finally come to realize that the only way I'm gonna' make it is fairly well summed up in this verse of an old hymn;

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Thanks for the question Rodger.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by crackdpot

The faith in Christ that affects the soul in such a fashion as to bring the person defined by Anthony's post to honest confession and true repentance in fearful reverence and humility before a holy God. By their fruits you shall know them.

I've finally come to realize that the only way I'm gonna' make it is fairly well summed up in this verse of an old hymn;

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Thanks for the question Rodger.

The Forums Are Called Discussion / Debate If You Can't Do Neither Go Sit In The Corner And Takes Notes . Back-Biteing Is The Coward Way Out .

[crackdpot]

Sorry Anthony,

I wasn't backbiting, just using your illustration of seeming contempt as a means to show that part of truly knowing Christ is being willing to admit, confess and repent of the sins which so easily entangle us.

I'm sure there are many pastors that have become greedy and many who have lied about it. Question is, was their faith in Christ real enough to effect true conviction and repentance? This, not a perfect obedience to all the laws of Moses (impossible), demonstrates the heart of a true follower of Jesus Christ.

Blessings.

[Eric Martin S.]

What makes you a Christian ?
His Blood
Heb. 9:22 - In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Bonus - WHOM makes you a Christian ?
Holy Spirit
John 3:6 - Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
Bonus - WHOM did the work ?
Heb. 9:26 - Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Bonus - What Must we do ?
John 6:28-29
Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
Conclusion:
I, Eric, after being Convicted by Holy Spirit was given insight into my Need of Repentance. For God grants repentance, also, for Godly sorrow worketh repentance.
Thankfully, i acknowledge IF life was fair...i should be placed on a cross (based on any &.or all of my actions, thoughts or words).
I do Not merely become RELIGIOUS like the multitude whom teach --->
god did his work and i am doing mine for salvation - Woe
Repent & Live - Ezk. 18:26-32
STOP being like satan whom self-proclaimed i will exhalt myself above the heavens....Ye whom insist a person can lose thy salvation, believing in your obedience, etc....keeping faith in thyself - YUK
E
**personal info is not allow in public**
Immature Believers - 1John 5:13 ....so that Ye May KNOW ye have everlasting life.

[jonnycool]

If it is possible to receive the Spirit and NOT speak in tongues, the apostles were *wrong* to judge that the Spirit had just fallen upon people when they spoke in tongues, logically they could only say that people had *at some unknown time previously* received the Spirit . . . but they didn't.

**edited by staff**

Ant.

The Forums Are Called Discussion / Debate If You Can't Do Neither Go Sit In The Corner And Takes Notes . Back-Biteing Is The Coward Way Out .

When was the last time you had a discussion or debate but you rant and rave and cut and paste. You hypocrite. (By the way, a debate is a formal discussion with rules. Go and learn English and the rules of debate and I'll show you what you are).

Immature Believers - 1John 5:13 ....so that Ye May KNOW ye have everlasting life.

That's cool Eric. If a person says he is Christian but doesn't believe he has everlasting life then he isn't a Christian or he is still a babe trembling.

john.

[Eric Martin S.]

The lose your salvation people,
whom insist on some kinda received Everlasting Life from their god,
BUT with strings attached so their god might take that everlasting life away from them
....umm, then they never had everlasting life, eh !
(John, Dan & I agree, i am sure, that this thinking is Foolish Type thinking).
Anyways, some of these people are immature believers (1John 5:13)
Most appear Unsaved to me....of course they are trapped in Pride.
Here is how, basically....they have religious knowledge, BUT they mix the salvation bible verses with the discipleship bible verses, this cancels Salvation.
Examples
Eph. 2:8-9 is salvation.
Eph. 2:10 is discipleship.
Isaiah 6:5 is repentance, 6:7 is salvation, 6:8 is discipleship.
---------------------------------------------------------
1Cor. 3:10-15 is judgement of His thankful children, ie, the least or greatest in heaven.
Even IF we do not serve Him...we remain His, as noted in verse 15.
....press on brothers,
see ya sooner than we think (for Today we live, tomorrow we die)
When telling others there need for repentance,
Remember to explain to them....
For Today is the Day of salvation, also, for Today when Ye hear His voice do Not harden your heart (like Pharoah who had 10 complete witnessing opportunities - Woe).
Eric
1 John 4:10 - His love takes Us to heaven.

[jonnycool]

It's true, I'm not alone.

Keep it up Eric.

john.