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Christian or not?
- Thread starter Eva
- Start date
I'm not so sure that you truly can. Granted, I know plenty whose life and fruit make me so sure, I'd be willing to bet the farm, as they say, but we are warned that sometimes things won't be what they seem.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Now may I ask, why are you asking?
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Now may I ask, why are you asking?
Eva
New Member
Somebody from church brought this question up in our Sunday school. So what seemed to be the most natural response would be to look at the fruit. You would know the tree by it's fruit as it was written. But how do you translate that into practical living? Would you personally look at the family? The children? The ministry?
I get it that we can't really guarantee the spiritual status of an individual. But for the sake of answering such question, how would you break your answer down in practical sense? Thanks
I get it that we can't really guarantee the spiritual status of an individual. But for the sake of answering such question, how would you break your answer down in practical sense? Thanks
3 ways to discern a false teacher
1. Their Message
2. Their Lifestyle
3. Their converts (lifestyle and doctrine)
How to discern a believer
1. What they believe and live regarding scripture. Is their message and life aligned w scripture
1. Their Message
2. Their Lifestyle
3. Their converts (lifestyle and doctrine)
How to discern a believer
1. What they believe and live regarding scripture. Is their message and life aligned w scripture
37818
Well-Known Member
Maybe. A nominal Christian who is not really a genuine Christian yet, is trusting in a combination of faith plus some kind of work or works. Genuine Christians understand the gospel and know God (2 Corinthians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 5:9-13; John 17:3; 1 John 4:7-8).
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How can a nominal christian not really be a genuine christian
People are either christians or nonchristians
It's easy to be fooled into thinking someone is a Christian. The reason for this I believe is that we cannot see what is in an other's heart. Only Christ can do this and we can be sure that He knows.
Christians are not perfect. They sometimes sin just like any other sinners. Myself I am a sinner though I've been saved by Grace. A true Christian will confess his sins regularly as do I. The apostle Paul called it dying daily to sin.
MB
GoodTidings
Well-Known Member
GoodTidings
Well-Known Member
There are a lot of people out there who think they are Christians for reasons that have nothing to do with Jesus. The problem is that in many circles, to challenge the authenticity of their claim is considered rude. So a lot of people will go to Hell thinking they are a Christian because of polite Christians who were too afraid to challenge them.
BTW, if you are an authentic Christian, you will not be offended if someone questions your salvation; for a true Christian, it is an opportunity to share your testimony. It's only those who live in the realm of religion who want to hold on to their sin that get offended by that.
BTW, if you are an authentic Christian, you will not be offended if someone questions your salvation; for a true Christian, it is an opportunity to share your testimony. It's only those who live in the realm of religion who want to hold on to their sin that get offended by that.
37818
Well-Known Member
Consider Matthew 7:21-23. They cosidered themselves Christians and Christ will tell them that they never were.
Hollow Man
Active Member
Are you saying you have no sin?. Sorry but I've never met a Christian who doesn't sin
MB
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Christians have a fish on the back of their car. Non-Christians have a fish with legs on the back of their car.
We do not know who is and who is not saved, if that is what you are asking. One person may be undergoing the discipline of a Father (God disciplines Christians, not non-Christians) for a lifestyle we may assume to indicate a life without Christ.
We are not called to know who is and is not a Christian. We are called to live holy lives, which includes judging people by their fruit. Regardless as to the person's salvation we recognize what is of the Light and what is of the darkness, and we make determinations based on the fruit.
GoodTidings
Well-Known Member
No, what I am saying is that there are a lot of people who think they are Christians because they perform the sacraments, or because they were baptized as infants, or because they were raised in Church. They belong to teh Christian "religion." They participate in the external Christian community, but have never embraced Christ and see no need to be "born again."
Those are the hardest people to reach because they are very religious. And what's really bad is that because people think it is wrong to challenge these people, many of them will die thinking they are going to Heaven, but potentially going to Hell because Christians were too polite to ask them why they think they are Christians.
We need to preach being born again and stop telling people that they are good enough. You have to get them lost, in order get them saved, as someone once said.
No one is good enough we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God.
MB
You look at what they don’t do publicly.
Remember the Pharisees all made sure their public lives were immaculate. There children were well raised, they were kind and respectful to all who mattered, their ministry was open and clearly holy for all to see, and they went to the ends of the Earth to convert a single follower. They attended all the religious services and openly gave to the poor. They followed all sexual laws and avoided all sexual taboos. They say all the right things and would never be banned from a Christian forum, Twitter, Facebook, or anything like that.
Jesus had a name for them - “White-washed tombs”.
I look at whether they live for Jesus or they live for the world. So, the first thing you have to do is completely ignore every single way the world judges a person as a success.
A person living for the world will judge a person by how much they gave, how well their children behave, how much they earn and how they earned it, how polite as oppose to rude they are, how often they repeat the values common to the community, how often they attend services, where they attend service, how often they have been arrested, how many spouses they’ve had, whether they were caught cheating, how many people they have brought to Christ, how they dress, how they cut their hair, how often they volunteer, etc.
You have to ignore all these when trying to find a Christian.
Do they treat people poorly if they can get away with it? (And I mean poorly - not rudely. There is a big difference.). Do they provide mercy on the undeserved when the situation allows for it? Do they revel in the misery and humiliation of others?
GoodTidings
Well-Known Member
As far as I know, we cannot know if a person has been born anew. We can know whether they are a professing Christian. Our prior President said he was a "committed Christian." But he advocated abortion.
In the absence of a "track record" most churches welcome professing Christians. However, many in church leadership reserve placing a person into a responsible ministry position until a track record has been established.
People come holding odd ball views, about this or that, but learning all Christ commanded, and undergoing progressive sanctification takes time, mentoring, and loving relationships.