what do you want to be called?

[David Michael Harris]

Christian is the best. It's what believers were first called, let's never let anyone take that from us. Or let others confuse us on it's meaning.

 

[zrs6v4]

I think we should all use our screen names and add "ian" or "ist"

So you can refer to me as a Zrs6v4ian or Zrs6v4ist...

nevermind

 

[Victorious]

I think we should all use our screen names and add "ian" or "ist"

So you can refer to me as a Zrs6v4ian or Zrs6v4ist...

nevermind

LOL!!! :laugh:

 

[drfuss]

John, I have no objections at all to your calling yourself a Christian, and wanting to be known as a follower of Christ.

The context of my post was the heat of debate or discussion. Imagine a discussion over Calvinism, and one of them says, "well, I'm a Biblicist." There is no other way to take that remark than that my brother is saying that he believes the Bible and I don't. It is a clear putdown.

Once a group of us was discussing Calvinism, and one of our group had no clue what we were talking about. He said, "I don't know anything about that. I'm just a Christian." I took no offense at that remark because he meant none.

It bothers me that during a discussion that such a remark as "Well, I'm just a Christian" is aimed at jabbing me or putting me down.

See the difference?

A clear putdown? Come on Tom, is it possible that you Calvinists do this putdown stuff all the time and don't realize it? Such as saying you believe in the sovereignty of God suggesting Non-Calvinist don't believe in the sovereignty of God. Or calling Calvinism the Doctrines of Grace suggesting that Non-Calvinists don't believe in God's Grace.

I don't understand how a Calvinist can object to putdowns when they do it all the time.

 

[Tom Butler]

A clear putdown? Come on Tom, is it possible that you Calvinists do this putdown stuff all the time and don't realize it? Such as saying you believe in the sovereignty of God suggesting Non-Calvinist don't believe in the sovereignty of God. Or calling Calvinism the Doctrines of Grace suggesting that Non-Calvinists don't believe in God's Grace.

I don't understand how a Calvinist can object to putdowns when they do it all the time.

Your point is reasonable, and some Calvinists should plead guilty. But context is important. We not talking about your coming up to me and asking my view on predestination.. If I answer "I hold to the doctrines of grace" or "I'm a sovereign grace guy," I'm are using shorthand (or is it longerhand) to describe Calvinism. It's answering the question about what I believe, not what you don't.

Now, if I ask you about your soteriology, and you answer, and I respond, "well I believe in the doctrines of grace" or I hold to the sovereignty of God," now you have a putdown. Context and emphasis, that's the difference.