What, exactly, is a True Christian?

[His_Disciple]

You know what bothers me is all the apostates running around you either believe the Bible or not! What is with these people do they think they are better than Jesus that they can teach their own theories to appeal to the tv viewers, population at large? This guy ronald weinland gives out this free book and he says No one is saved everyone dissentigrates and believes we are reincarnated later when Jesus returns for our TRUE chance for salvation yeah where is that in the Bible buddy? :gaah He says God reveled to him that he is a prophet in the end days and claims to be one of the Two witness in revelation. There is probably too many apostates to name and they claim to be "christian". Sad really...

For Apostasy I recommend this view
http://www.gotquestions.org/apostasy-salvation.html

[HeIsEnough]

What is the necessary criteria to be qualified to be a true christian?

Shalom Doxie. It is good to see you again.

In Paul's opinion, it is to believe in ones heart that God raised Christ from the dead, which will bring the confession to our mouths. I suppose it is better seen as a point in time, in that if someone did this and was promptly hit by a train, they would be saved. Though we know much learning and growth would follow if that didn't happen.


Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Jesus Himself placed importance on that part.


Matthew 10:32
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

The confession can perhaps be unreal (merely mouthed, but we understand Christ is speaking towards those who confess truth), but the belief part cannot be faked, by definition.


What are the doctrines one must turn away from so that apostasy does not creep into our lives?

Thats a long list. Best just to stick to the scriptures. With the Spirits guidance, not to many things will be too far out of phase, imo.


Can a person have an imperfect faith in Jesus Christ and still be saved?

Absolutely. Primarily because that is probably every one alive today.


what happens if I go through a period of sinfullness? Lost, or never saved? Must I leave a church if I find out the pastor has some doctrine I think is not scriptural?

I believe it puts you in much the same boat as everyone else.

[Hootmon]

Good post, HIE.

'Belief in the heart' (aka 'heart knowledge') is the experiential knowledge that Christ's resurrection was real.

If you dont believe that, I mean really believe it as fact, then no amount of professing of Christ as 'saviour' or 'Lord' will save you.

Mere 'head knowledge', even if accompianied with a 'lip profession', isnt enough.

[Stinker]

Ah, but not everyone agrees as to who should be on that list. You are right, it is my obligation to myself to search.

Not everyone can do extensive study. They may be too scared by their church's teaching to stray; they may be too busy taking care of too many babies too soon; they may be too ill to have the energy. So they stay in limited knowledge.

Stinker, your answer is a little confusing to me. Are you saying that OSAS is or is not the case? Please , I hope I do not get the standard answer of"well if you are such a sinner you were never saved to begin with" because that just goes back to my OP. Does not God expect us to constantly consider the sin we commit daily and to repent?

And, has not Charles Stanley and Jack Kelley appeared on some of these lists? Seems, everybody is called an apostate by somebody. That is the problem Along with the myriad of theogies.
Thanks

Without a doubt, I believe in OSAS.

You have to remember that people are at different points in there walk with
Christ. Some believers are brand new, and some have been walking with Christ for a long time.

Since this is true, there will be different opinions concerning "What exactly is TRUE Christianity?" some will believe in tongues, some will believe a certain Church or denomination, some will not see any need to grow and search for themselves, they are fine being told what truth is.(and your right..maybe they are too busy with..just...life...to search any further)

Here lies the challenge, how does God get people to grow and search?
Sometimes its through hardship and trials, when they come, people search, if
they do not come, people become apathetic. (it makes one think that the
wealthy might not be so well off as we would think.. for they seem to be
doing just fine..why the need to search for God?)

So, the believers who have accepted christ...ARE SAVED... nothing can
change that, but there is the issue of remaining in the vine(so the fruits of the spirit can be produced THROUGH you) which some believe is walking the Christian walk.

and the rewards we will receive(or not) when we stand before the Father.

SIN, in the life of the believer no longer fits who we are in Christ, and SIN will disrupt our connection to the vine. That connection is restored when that believer confesses there sin, repents of it, asks for help not to fall again to it.

When the believer does this, our connection to the vine is restored, and the process of fruits being produced in us , flows again. Ones salvation was never in doubt, it was our connection to the vine, and the possibility of rewards being lost that is in question at that time.

PS( there is a very important aspect to producing the fruits of the spirit, and walking the Christian walk that some believers never find )

What was the topic again? Oh ya, the list. To keep it simple: This board seems to have wise people running it, and who have done there homework.

Those who have walked the Christian walk for a while, find it easy to pick out the bad apples, and help the younger believers see the BAD...in those apples.

So the answer is, ALOT of wisdom, a BUNCH of homework, a big chunk of experience, and a slice of opinion.

I better spell check this one :lol2 I usually do not take the time.

[Sing4Him]

Even the demons believe.

And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ. Luke 4:41

Shocking! They know who Jesus is! Are they saved? Absolutely not!

Why do we call Jesus "Savior"? Why are we in desperate need for The Savior?

We are wretched sinners in need of forgiveness from God.

Jesus, the Son of God, came in the flesh to earth to bear our horrible sins, on the cross for us and because of his shed blood for us (should have been us instead) we are clean in God's eyes and He has given us eternal life!

This is the salvation message. It is not simply easy believism.. is it repentance to the Savior.. a "Turnaround" for the sinner to a New Life in Jesus Christ.

No man does this for us, no soothsayers, philosophers, no traditions of men, no mystics, no chanting, no mantras, no emptying your minds, no dual redemptrix, no idols, no works.. ONLY Jesus and HIs shed blood for us--once blinded by our sin, now we see..

[Hope]

I think I am going to disregard these lists of apostates because they seem to me to be unreliable. Too many people with too many opinions. It leads me to distress whereas I want calm. This is the chaos I was referring to.

Hi Doxiemom! I can really identify with your frustration. TOO, too many voices out there all with their own brand of theology. I went through shear agony over this several years back. Seems like you have to be a Bible scholar to be able to figure all the different doctrines out! And what happens to the not-so-smart, or those who cannot read very well? Are they left out? How do they find a church. How do illiterate people in other parts of the world find a church? Aren't these the very people for whom Christ died?

These are monumental questions! I won't share my story here because it is a pro-Catholic story, and I don't think my testimony would be allowed or appreciated. Suffice it to say, I just could not and still do not believe that Christ intended his people to have to cypher through chaos to find a church. And yet we are commanded to church, the question is which one? I found through historical "evidence" and mounds and mounds of it, that that Church is the Catholic Church. Now, others here will disagree, and that there is their choice, but there is no evidence whatsoever from an "evidentiary" standpoint that she is not who she says she is.

Peace to you Doxiemom, and may the Lord shine His light on your pathway, and plant your feet on a sure foundation.

Hope

[Sing4Him]

God's Word, His inerrant Word, the Bible surpasses man's (historical) evidence.

The Bible is sufficient.

If the church you seek preached what I posted.. which is directly from the Bible, then it should be a good church.

[Hope]

The Bible is sufficient.

I agree! It's just the various interpretations of God's Holy Word that cause the problems.

[Sing4Him]

The salvation message does not need man's interpretation.

[Stinker]

Hi Doxiemom! I can really identify with your frustration. TOO, too many voices out there all with their own brand of theology. I went through shear agony over this several years back. Seems like you have to be a Bible scholar to be able to figure all the different doctrines out! And what happens to the not-so-smart, or those who cannot read very well? Are they left out? How do they find a church. How do illiterate people in other parts of the world find a church? Aren't these the very people for whom Christ died?

These are monumental questions! I won't share my story here because it is a pro-Catholic story, and I don't think my testimony would be allowed or appreciated. Suffice it to say, I just could not and still do not believe that Christ intended his people to have to cypher through chaos to find a church. And yet we are commanded to church, the question is which one? I found through historical "evidence" and mounds and mounds of it, that that Church is the Catholic Church. Now, others here will disagree, and that there is their choice, but there is no evidence whatsoever from an "evidentiary" standpoint that she is not who she says she is.

Peace to you Doxiemom, and may the Lord shine His light on your pathway, and plant your feet on a sure foundation.

Hope

The Church is the body of believers who have accepted salvation, no matter
what they call themselves.

The Catholic church, the Lutheran church, the Baptist church.....can all call themselves the true church.

But in reality, Christ calls his Church, the Body of Christ. You, me, and all the believers who have come before, and who will come after.