Thread: The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
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The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
Posted : 29 Jun, 2010 09:03 PM
There is a term "the essentials of the faith".
It means the bare minimum that another person would have to sign off on before you would consider them a Brother or sister in Christ.
The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits and you can NOT pretend that Christianity is whatever you want it to be.
There are many false religions that make a claim to some kind of connection to Jesus. Islam says Jesus was a prophet, some sects of Hinduism say this also.
And if you are being honest with the Text of the Bible, you need to get your definition of what a Christian is, from the Bible itself.
I know some Christians who have a long list of things you must believe before they would consider you a Christian.
I try to keep my list as short as the Bible allows, in the interest of unity.
But even then you will be drawing a line, and plenty of groups who claim to be Christian will be on the other side of that line.
For instance, say my essentials of the faith are:
1. Repent
2. Trust in Jesus ALONE for salvation.
Well, that right there puts the following groups OUTSIDE your definition of Christianity:
a. Mormons, who believe in faith plus works.
b. Roman Catholics, for the same reason.
c. Oneness Pentecostals, for the same reason.
d. Jehovah's Witnesses, for the same reason!
I know we live in a time when we are not supposed to draw lines, but Scripture draws lines, and we need to draw them in the same place.
The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
Posted : 1 Jul, 2010 12:33 PM
Yeah and you long winded people can talk or rationalize all day long till eternity ,I dont care,IF SRIPTURE DRAWS LINES SO WILL I,If you cant read the gospel and see the painfully clear truth then maybe there is a reason for that too,and this cant we all get along stuff is fine if you have the essentials opf the faith right.
The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
Posted : 1 Jul, 2010 01:57 PM
Well, you know what MOG, I don't think James are any who agrees with him truly understand what the essentials of faith really are about, and/or don't know enough to explain to those who do not know or understand, but the phrase sounds good... the "essentials of Faith.'
It would have been just as easy and meant the same thing if he had said the important qualities or things that brings a person into faith. But as I said the phrase sounds good, and is a catch phrase....essentials of faith, yeah, that sounds marvelous...
The important qualities or things of faith is not about having a long list of what someone thinks faith is about or what others says faith is about, the important things or qualities of faith is what God says it is, and what God's say it takes to come into faith.
The Essentials of faith only means WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT THINGS OR IMPRTANT QUALITIES of Faith, that a person needs in order to stir them up to have faith to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ according to what the Bible says, even before you get to repentance.
The essentials or Importnat things or qualities, or ingredients of faith, FIRST OF ALL is HOPE. iF A PERSON HAS NO HOPE, HOW CAN THEY EVEN BEGAN TO HAVE FAITH TO BELIEVE?
A person must have faith in order to believe and know, and understand the diety of Jesus Christ, that He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three in One.
A person must have Faith to belief and know that their salavtion is by God's amazing grace alone that sets him/her free from sins because of the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for the remission of their sins, and that this was His work, and not the person's good works of trying to be good or do good. Good works will not get you into heaven, although we will be judged according to our good works.
A person must Faith to believe that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave made away for our eternal life in heaven, and it also means that all believers in Christ will be resurrected from the grave to reign and live forever with the Lord in the kingdom.
A person must have Faith to believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ is for our benfit, and l it is our handbook, our manuel for godly living on earth, so that we may live a life style representing Jesus Christ in whom we say we beleive.
A person must repent of their sins, and know and understand that Jesus paid their sin debt in full through His suffering death on the cross, and there is NOW therefore, no condmenation for those who believe who are in Jesus Christ, upon repentance of sins. And they are to go and sin no more.
I would think These are the first come first served essentials or the important things , or qualities of faith that brings a person into the family of God as a Chritsian and a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ, and when these are the requirements God has set forth for might beleive, and when these essentials, or important qualities don't exist there is NO FAITH.
But if you're not teaching or preaching the gospel Doctrine of Jesus Christ, and only preaching and teaching doctrine of Calvin or another theologian, how would a person know these things in order to believe in Jesus Christ and not some other earthly man?
For faith comes by hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing, and hearing THE WORD OF GOD!... AND NOT THE DOCTRINE OF CALVIN! And what is the word of God? The GOSPEL DOCTRINE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, His Birth, His death, His burial, His resurrection, and His soon return!
The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
Posted : 1 Jul, 2010 08:11 PM
Dennis, on the Pentecostal question.
"Oneness" split the Pentecostals right down the middle, and it is a terrible thing. I live in the St.Louis area, and I know of this personally.
The reason is the "name of Jesus only" stuff.
for those reading this that do not know this, there are some Pentecostals that believe that Baptism saves a person.
They not only believe this, but they believe that you have to say the right words OVER the baptized person or their baptism, is invalid and thus they are doomed to Hell.
You are, according to them to be baptized in the "name of Jesus only", and if you say the usual "In the name of the father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit" then your baptism does not count, and you are lost!
So, they believe that you MUST say the magic words over baptism to be saved, and the bible PLAINLY teaches that we are saved by FAITH ALONE.
They have rejected the perfect work of Jesus, and instead are trusting in magic words said in a ceremony.
The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
Posted : 2 Jul, 2010 04:26 AM
I believe it goes even farther than that, are they not the ones who do not believe in the trinity? I think they are the ones who say there is no Father and Holy Spirit, only Jesus.
The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
Posted : 2 Jul, 2010 07:35 AM
Error:
Proclaiming it is not true Jo 3:16, because Calvin says they are not called because,
The word of God is truth, and whosoever can call upon the name of the lord and be saved.
Unbelief is sin in the bible.
God is not pleased with those that proclaim, the word of God as not true as it is written, That is not of faith.
Isa 7:9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah�s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.
sa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
Hab 1:5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
Mt 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Mr 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Mr 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Mr 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.
Joh 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
Joh 5:47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Joh 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Anyone who proclaims anything other than this truth, concerning being invited to the family of God is guilty of proclaiming another doctrine and creating doubt upon the hearer.
The parable of the sower upholds this simple principle and truth.
The Word "Christianity" has a definition and limits!
Posted : 2 Jul, 2010 07:46 AM
PJ,
You lost me there. I have no idea to what you are referring. If it was to another post, please let us know because what you posted doesn't make any sense in the context of what is being discussed.
