Am I A Christian?

[MaxPower]

What is a Christian, how do I join this elite club? I believe in Christ and accept Him as my personal Savior and know that only through Him can I be saved; yet my friend said that his pastor said that I wasn't a Christian.

Can someone define for me what a Christian is so that (a) I can know if I fit in this group and (b) if I want to fit in this group

[Artheos]

One thing is that I believe the LDS believe in more than one God(s).

Actually Christians believe in more than one God. Jesus is God. The Father is God. The Holy Spirit is God. Jesus is not the Father. Jesus is not the Holy Spirit. The Father is not the Holy Spirit. Three beings, each is God. Three Gods.

Doesn't that depend on whether or not one believes in the Holy Trinity?

The Trinity perspective is pretty prevalent, from what I understand. I'm pretty sure the Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, Anglican Communion all favor this view.

[jeafl]

What is a Christian, how do I join this elite club? I believe in Christ and accept Him as my personal Savior and know that only through Him can I be saved; yet my friend said that his pastor said that I wasn't a Christian.

Can someone define for me what a Christian is so that (a) I can know if I fit in this group and (b) if I want to fit in this group

But do you fully know the Christ that you believe in?

Matthew 24:23-24 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or
there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

It isn’t enough to simply believe in Christ. You can believe in Christ and still follow false doctrine and thus still be unsaved. Ultimately only God can determine whether or not you are a Christian, but in the meantime you have an obligation to seek out and follow legitimate Christian doctrine.

II Timothy 2:15-19 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

[elle]

It isn’t enough to simply believe in Christ. You can believe in Christ and still follow false doctrine and thus still be unsaved. Ultimately only God can determine whether or not you are a Christian, but in the meantime you have an obligation to seek out and follow legitimate Christian doctrine.

Romans 10:9-10 (King James Version)

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.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There is nothing in this section of the Bible that says you have to do anything more than confess Jesus as Lord and believe that he was raised from the dead to be saved. No equivocations. Sure, according to the verses you posted, God wants his followers to have an understanding of truth but I do not see the words that having that understanding is a qualification for being saved. Can you show this explicitly from the text because, Romans seems very plain and clear on this issue.

[jeafl]

It isn’t enough to simply believe in Christ. You can believe in Christ and still follow false doctrine and thus still be unsaved. Ultimately only God can determine whether or not you are a Christian, but in the meantime you have an obligation to seek out and follow legitimate Christian doctrine.

Romans 10:9-10 (King James Version)

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.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There is nothing in this section of the Bible that says you have to do anything more than confess Jesus as Lord and believe that he was raised from the dead to be saved. No equivocations. Sure, according to the verses you posted, God wants his followers to have an understanding of truth but I do not see the words that having that understanding is a qualification for being saved. Can you show this explicitly from the text because, Romans seems very plain and clear on this issue.

But who is this Christ that you are confessing? My Christ is not the same Christ that the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Roman Catholics confess. We cannot all then be Christian.

[elle]

It isn’t enough to simply believe in Christ. You can believe in Christ and still follow false doctrine and thus still be unsaved. Ultimately only God can determine whether or not you are a Christian, but in the meantime you have an obligation to seek out and follow legitimate Christian doctrine.

Romans 10:9-10 (King James Version)

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.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There is nothing in this section of the Bible that says you have to do anything more than confess Jesus as Lord and believe that he was raised from the dead to be saved. No equivocations. Sure, according to the verses you posted, God wants his followers to have an understanding of truth but I do not see the words that having that understanding is a qualification for being saved. Can you show this explicitly from the text because, Romans seems very plain and clear on this issue.

But who is this Christ that you are confessing? My Christ is not the same Christ that the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Roman Catholics confess. We cannot all then be Christian.

I am not confessing any Christ, so let's clear that up right away.

I am trying to what you are saying. Are you saying that if people believe different things doctrinally about Christ, then they may not be confessing correctly? If so, how do you know that it is not you who is wrong instead of those from other denominations? Do you believe that God requires you to have perfect knowledge of Jesus in order to claim him as Lord? If so, how can you as a Christian ever be sure that you're saved?

[jeafl]

I am trying to what you are saying. Are you saying that if people believe different things doctrinally about Christ, then they may not be confessing correctly?

This is exactly what I am saying. Believing a false doctrine about Christ will send you to Hell just as surely as rejecting Christ outright will.

II Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Turning God’s truth into heretical fables is precisely what false christians following false christs do.

If so, how do you know that it is not you who is wrong instead of those from other denominations?

I do not carry any denominational label, but neither can I claim to know or follow the truth except as a matter of faith. Whether or not I am right or wrong will depend on where I have placed my faith.

Do you believe that God requires you to have perfect knowledge of Jesus in order to claim him as Lord?

We must have a perfect understanding of whatever knowledge God chooses to reveal to us about Jesus- otherwise we do risk following a false Christ.

If so, how can you as a Christian ever be sure that you're saved?

Faith.

[TXatheist]

It isn’t enough to simply believe in Christ. You can believe in Christ and still follow false doctrine and thus still be unsaved. Ultimately only God can determine whether or not you are a Christian, but in the meantime you have an obligation to seek out and follow legitimate Christian doctrine.

Romans 10:9-10 (King James Version)

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.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

There is nothing in this section of the Bible that says you have to do anything more than confess Jesus as Lord and believe that he was raised from the dead to be saved. No equivocations. Sure, according to the verses you posted, God wants his followers to have an understanding of truth but I do not see the words that having that understanding is a qualification for being saved. Can you show this explicitly from the text because, Romans seems very plain and clear on this issue.

But who is this Christ that you are confessing? My Christ is not the same Christ that the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses or the Roman Catholics confess. We cannot all then be Christian.

There is a good chance that your Christ is not the same as the person's sitting next to you in church on Sunday.

[McCulloch]

If so, how can you as a Christian ever be sure that you're saved?

Faith.

Please explain to me how it is that faith is a valid means of acquiring knowledge. What is faith?

[samuelbb7]

I have a problem with the idea that we must know everything correct before we are saved. Over and over in the Bible we find people who were not perfect or understood perfectly yet they were still used and called followers of GOD.

Eleven of the apostles were confused and did not totally understand JESUS yet they were filled with the HOLY SPIRIT and saved.

I see the test of faith that JESUS gives as not doctrine but do you love others and act on that love. Do you follow the example of JESUS. In Matthew 25 I do not see JESUS asking questions on doctrine but instead how did you treat others.

Do not get me wrong I think doctrine is important. We act on how we think and believe. But the standard of will we be with JESUS in heaven questions on doctrine are never mentioned.

Now the Trinity doctrine which I believe states one GOD three person. In the LDS church there are many different gods. According to them GOD was once a man and worshipped the GOD who created him. But now He is our GOD. So they by definition are polytheists since they believe in multiple gods.

[kayky]

This is exactly what I am saying. Believing a false doctrine about Christ will send you to Hell just as surely as rejecting Christ outright will.

This cannot possibly be true since every denomination out there has some doctrine that separates them from the others. Are you saying there is only one true denomination? Which one?

II Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Turning God’s truth into heretical fables is precisely what false christians following false christs do.

How can we tell which "fables" are heretical and which are not?

I do not carry any denominational label, but neither can I claim to know or follow the truth except as a matter of faith. Whether or not I am right or wrong will depend on where I have placed my faith.

So there's a chance you could get it wrong and wind up in hell?

We must have a perfect understanding of whatever knowledge God chooses to reveal to us about Jesus- otherwise we do risk following a false Christ.

God has revealed to you knowledge of Jesus?

Faith.

So neither the Mormans nor the Roman Catholics have faith?