Weighing a Christian

[seveneight]

Hello,

My name's Drew. I'm not going to talk as an atheist, or as a Christian  I'm simply going to say what the Bible says, just like I would read the Koran and say what it says, or just like I would read the Lord of the Rings and say what it says.

I've been personally reading and studying the Bible and really starting to learn what the God of this Bible ask of his believers. The Bible says that you will know a true Christian by his fruit (his actions) - Matthew 7:16. There are many people that, I believe, call themselves Christians and the Bible would call them something else. The Bible is very full with details about what a Christian should be doing and what a Christian looks like.

The subject title: Weighing a Christian describes what I would like to further post about. There is a way according to the Bible to know if the person that is professing to be a Christian is really a Christian or atleast close to one.

Of course, I understand that this is my first post and because of this I would like to ask everyone if you would like me to continue with this topic or not? I do not want to be rude.

Thanks
Drew

[tacoma_kyle]

You arent really specific on the topic---so I'm kinda confused...

Its not rude that any of us are concerned with. It is being a pest.

Your far from.... Carry on!

[Will]

So you're proposing a Christianity litmus test based in scripture? Sure, I'm game.

[seveneight]

Yes, a litmus test persay.

[SteveS]

This in interesting to me --- I guess the way I see it, most established churches set themselves, rather than the bible, as the ultimate authority --- and they seem to "interpret" scripture to do so.

This is the thing that made by Jehovah's Witnesses friends interesting to me --- they scrapped the authoritarian church thing and tried to read/use the bible as the authority.  I don't agree with them that the bible is the true word of god, or even that there is a god whose words were recorded in the bible, but I thought that if one was going to go about following the god of the bible then at least their approach made sense to this extent.

My only comment so far, seveneight, is that this topic might have more properly belonged in the "Religion" folder rather than "Philosophy", but I don't really don't care very much about that.  So I say sure, lay it on us man!

[Eris]

Hello Drew!

In your reading of the Bible, have you really found a consistent definition of what makes a "true Christian"? Can you summarize it for us?

I'd never found it to be such an easy thing to define, myself. It may have involved something like blind obedience (aka - "faith"), loving god, and loving others. But there's a lot in the Bible that serves to confuse people. So it's no wonder to me that no one can agree on basic Christian morality.

If the Bible was easy to grasp, people would understand it by now, don't you think?

[McQ]

By all means, continue to expound on this, Drew. It's a subject worthy of delving into. I especially like how christians make excuses for when their fruits seem to indicate that they are not christians.

Go for it, dude!

[Will]

BTW, when I saw this thread, my first thought was "240 lbs.".

[Whitney]

Hello Drew!

In your reading of the Bible, have you really found a consistent definition of what makes a "true Christian"? Can you summarize it for us?  Not a definition of the qualities...but a definition of the signs they should show

Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 16:18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 16:19  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 16:20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Matthew 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

^Those are two of the parts I know of which define how to tell if someone is a true believer or not.

[tacoma_kyle]

BTW, when I saw this thread, my first thought was "240 lbs.".

Just goes to show that he is in fact, wel...


....full of shit.

Great one Will.

[Eris]

Hello Drew!

In your reading of the Bible, have you really found a consistent definition of what makes a "true Christian"? Can you summarize it for us?  Not a definition of the qualities...but a definition of the signs they should show

Mark 16:17  And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 16:18  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 16:19  So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 16:20  And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

Matthew 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

^Those are two of the parts I know of which define how to tell if someone is a true believer or not.

Thanks, Laetusatheos!  

How primitive people must be to believe this stuff.