# What makes someone a Christian?



## atlashunter (Feb 5, 2014)

Can someone be a christian if they reject the virgin birth, the miracle claims, the resurrection, the trinity and the divinity of christ? What is the distinguishing characteristic of a christian vs a non-christian? Is it just someone who agrees with the moral teachings of Jesus? Or is there more to it than that?

What if they don't accept the bible as the infallible and unalterable word of God?


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## Fuzzy D Fellers (Feb 5, 2014)

Philippians 1

14And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 16The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. 19For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

The bibles answer. 

Posted also in Pol. thread.


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## HawgJawl (Feb 5, 2014)

From my experience studying and discussing Christianity over the years, I would say that belief in the resurrection is required. The other things you listed are debated daily and the varying levels of importance placed upon those other things have led to many of the different denominations.


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## Artfuldodger (Feb 5, 2014)

You must believe that Jesus died for your sins and was physically resurrected.


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## hobbs27 (Feb 5, 2014)

I believe a heretic can be a Christian, but who am I to judge if a person has been born again or not?


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## Ronnie T (Feb 5, 2014)

Discipleship.
.


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## formula1 (Feb 6, 2014)

*Re:*

It was Christ who was nailed to the cross and to him who believes (trusts) Christ as God's requirement of payment for your sin, God has canceled the legal demands of your debt forever. As a result, you have the right to spend eternity with Him.

This is the Good News!  Often I fear we have forgotten the one thing that matters for the sake of our 'enlightened' minds.

John 6:29 
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Colossians 2
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross. 

1 Timothy 2
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.


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## hummerpoo (Feb 6, 2014)

Ronnie T said:


> Discipleship.
> .



The word "christian" or "Christian" is used so broadly that it is not possible to know the users meaning without foreknowledge of the users mindset, or extensive context for the use.  Your accurate definition makes those unnecessary in the ultimate sense.  Unfortunately, there are few concerned about the ultimate sense.

Interesting that "Christian" was, most likely, initially a perjorative term, then worn proudly by those disparaged; reinforcing your definition.


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## atlashunter (Feb 6, 2014)

formula1 said:


> It was Christ who was nailed to the cross and to him who believes (trusts) Christ as God's requirement of payment for your sin, God has canceled the legal demands of your debt forever. As a result, you have the right to spend eternity with Him.
> 
> This is the Good News!  Often I fear we have forgotten the one thing that matters for the sake of our 'enlightened' minds.
> 
> ...



What if someone thinks that the authors of the new testament like Paul corrupted the true doctrines of Jesus and that he was a great moral teacher but never claimed to be God or anything other than human? That the stories of the virgin birth and miracles and trinity and resurrection all came later. If you reject all of that and just follow the moral teachings wouldn't you be a real christian?


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## formula1 (Feb 6, 2014)

*Re:*



atlashunter said:


> What if someone thinks that the authors of the new testament like Paul corrupted the true doctrines of Jesus and that he was a great moral teacher but never claimed to be God or anything other than human? That the stories of the virgin birth and miracles and trinity and resurrection all came later. If you reject all of that and just follow the moral teachings wouldn't you be a real christian?



With respect of course, men are real good at playing 'what if' games and justifying all sorts of beliefs and actions and behaviors in their own mind.  It's been done all throughout history, even among Christians. If one wants to pick and choose according to earthly knowledge or possibility, would they find the truth? I wonder if the senses we know and accept do not deceive many of us along the way. Perhaps the more correct approach is to simply seek God and make every effort to find Him! For me, though He seemed unapproachable, He was not really that far away.

Finding the truth(from God's perspective) rests in a man's ability to lay down himself and what he thinks is reasonable for what God has already provided through Christ.  All men and women can do this, but pride does hinder many from doing so! Yet, at the end of self, Christ is supreme!  I wish you only the best in your search for truth!


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## Artfuldodger (Feb 6, 2014)

atlashunter said:


> What if someone thinks that the authors of the new testament like Paul corrupted the true doctrines of Jesus and that he was a great moral teacher but never claimed to be God or anything other than human? That the stories of the virgin birth and miracles and trinity and resurrection all came later. If you reject all of that and just follow the moral teachings wouldn't you be a real christian?



Following the moral teachings of Jesus would not make someone a Christian no more than taking yoga exercise classes make someone a follower of Hinduism. 
One could follow the ideals of a certain philosophy or religion without actually belonging to it.


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## atlashunter (Feb 6, 2014)

Thanks guys


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## ambush80 (Feb 6, 2014)

I don't know nuthin' 'bout nuthin' but I think that if you follow the philosophies  of Jesus then you are a Christian in the same way that if you follow the philosophies of Buddah you are a Buddhist. 

If you follow the philosophies of the Marquis De Sade that makes you a  ___________.


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## clayservant (Feb 10, 2014)

hobbs27 said:


> I believe a heretic can be a Christian, but who am I to judge if a person has been born again or not?



John 7:24
Amplified Bible (AMP)

24 Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously.


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## clayservant (Feb 10, 2014)

Romans 10:9-10
Amplified Bible (AMP)

9 Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.


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