> General Discussions
Being a Christian is bad?
kweli:
Hello everyone.
I dont feel good about this thread and it appears I may have dragged it on unnecessarily. For that I truly apologize. Because of a desire to live the truth and not just know it for sport or kicks, I thought using the name Christian is something to look into as one of the things we ought to do.
I believe David and Marques are right on the money. it's not in the name outwardly. Whatever we are, it is so inwardly. Matthew 6: 1-18 is about doing things inwardly for that is where the reward is, or more importantly where God (not man) sees. Yes we are not to be unequally yoked with nonbelievers. But it ought to be inwardly, otherwise we are to get out of this world, which, as Paul said, is not what is meant by not being unstained from this world.
Christian is a name, a word which indeed could cause division if we are to entertain or discredit it. However, the meaning of the word (follower of Christ) which is the real battle, ought to be what we are more concerned of, I think.
All Glory to Him
Roy Coates:
Another heart felt post.
I believe all have spoke their heart on this matter, and I am truly greatfull for everyboby's time, energy and thoughts.
I am a Christian, I have left my boat and nets to follow Jesus. I do not follow the man made doctrines that run rampit through Christendom or any other religion. I dispel the lies when the Spirit moves me to dispel them. I share the Truth with any one who will listen and even sometimes to those who won't. I serve God and Jesus, God's children, the lost, widows, fatherless, and hungry. Regardless of their social standing/local church/race/creed or religion.
My continued prayers for all my brethren. May God's will be done in everybody life. May blessing be poured out on this ministry and all ministries as God see's fit.
Roy Monis:
--- Quote from: kweli on May 12, 2008, 05:03:20 AM ---Hello everyone.
I dont feel good about this thread and it appears I may have dragged it on unnecessarily. For that I truly apologize. Because of a desire to live the truth and not just know it for sport or kicks, I thought using the name Christian is something to look into as one of the things we ought to do.
I believe David and Marques are right on the money. it's not in the name outwardly. Whatever we are, it is so inwardly. Matthew 6: 1-18 is about doing things inwardly for that is where the reward is, or more importantly where God (not man) sees. Yes we are not to be unequally yoked with nonbelievers. But it ought to be inwardly, otherwise we are to get out of this world, which, as Paul said, is not what is meant by not being unstained from this world.
Christian is a name, a word which indeed could cause division if we are to entertain or discredit it. However, the meaning of the word (follower of Christ) which is the real battle, ought to be what we are more concerned of, I think.
All Glory to Him
--- End quote ---
Hi! Kweli
There is no reason to feel bad about this. Being called a Jew is no different than being called an American, Englishman, German or French for that matter. Being called a Christian is totally different. On the 11th of May I posted this:
Hi! Marques
I regret to say brother that discussions on this issue will get you nowhere other than getting the PMs blocked.
My opinion, for what it is, is just my opinion and I will stick by it. I believe that in accordance with God's Master Plan from the very beginning, the Church that Jesus Christ founded has become corrupt in keeping with that plan. This is the platform from which He can now "call out" those of us whom He has preserved for Himself from the very beginning in accordance with that original Master Plan. Nothing is out of place everything is going perfectly as He intended.
The word Christian first appeared at Antioch and all belonging to that Church were called Christians. That title has come down through the centuries to us today. But now is the time, now is the acceptable hour for His chosen to come out of her. We are just a small part of those yet to answer His call and we are still Christian but there is another command in there which seems to be getting overlooked "AND BE SEPARATE". Now to me to be separate means just one thing and that is to completely alienate oneself from the original. We are God's Chosen/elect and cannot be confused with the corrupt.
"Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever?" (1Cor.6:14,15)
God is all wise, He knows that a good fruit left in a barrel of rotten fruit won't make the rotten into good but the good will go rotten, so in His Wisdom He calls us out. Now that we are completely separate we of necessity need an identity. Still a Christian (believer in Christ) but now a New Christian ; a true better under a new name " The Body Of Christ". Just my humble opinion.
God bless
Love in Christ Jesus
Roy
And I stand by everything I've said, being SEPARATE means divesting yourself of all Christendom's idols of the heart, the name Christian, being one such idol.
"Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Taking the idol of our heart, the name Christian, out of Babylon with us is precisely what Israel did when they were called out of Egypt, they took the Egyptian idols of the heart out with them which caused them to stumble. We are now New Creatures in Christ ALL THINGS ARE NEW. This is why we have a new name "The Body of Christ" to distinguish us from the corruption we have come out of. Reference Ray's "Lake of Fire Chapter V111 'The Church In Pergamos.'" “Therefore, come out from their midst and be [b]separate, says the Lord. [u]And do not touch what is unclean;[/color] [/u]
God bless.
love in Christ Jesus.
Roy UK
mharrell08:
Hello All:
So let me see if I understand this thread from reading through all the comments:
(1) Some people who have responded to this thread believe the title Christian is of Babylon and if one assumes this title he/she has not "come out of her" and keeps this as an idol of the heart.
(2) While others who have responded believe that the title means a follower of Christ and refer to themselves as such because of its original, Scriptural meaning.
First things first, like David and myself stated again and again, this matters causes division as you can see. But let's really get to the "meat" of this issue: Will anyone be bold enough to state that if one refers to themselves as a Christian that that person WILL NOT be in the first resurrection?
Let me make a clear point: If ANYONE refers to themselves as a follower of Christ (whether they call themselves Christian, Spiritual Jew, Member of the Body of Christ, etc.) then a member of Babylon will ALWAYS assume that this person believes in the same Babylonian doctrines as them!
That is the reason why I stated again & again that a name or a title is insignificant.
The only idol of the heart that I have seen from these posts is the people who "care" what members of Babylon think of them. That is the only thing a title represents: what people see/think of you outwardly. A title has no bearing of what you are inwardly. Do you really think the Lord will or will not call you His Own because of some silly title? If one is a true (Christian, Spiritual Jew, Member of the Body of Christ) inwardly, then does the Lord really care which of these "titles" you call yourself? Are we really this blind and carnal to not see past this silly issue? This is truly a matter of babes! A 4 page thread on the title Christian!
I'm sorry, I tried to restrain myself from responding to this issue but I caved. But the reason is because of the silly division that this thread created. And if you don't see it, just read through its entirely again. Nonsense!
Marques
UncleBeau:
--- Quote from: mharrell08 on May 15, 2008, 09:05:21 AM ---That is the reason why I stated again & again that a name or a title is insignificant.
--- End quote ---
Oh really?
John 4:42
42.) And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
It's the name or title that makes us who we are. We pray in the Name of Christ...Hollowed be Thy Name..."God" is the title that Jesus has been given. I will say that whatever name we give ourselves is not neccessarily the name that God has given us. In Hebrew, everything was named according to what it was. Men were named according to their surroundings, appearances, etc. Why would have God changed Abram's name if it didn't matter what he was called? What about Saul?
I really don't see "division", I see differences of opinion. People are learning more and more truth and are trying to figure out what they should be called. It's a learning process. We're trying to get what's on the inside to show on the outside. We're human, that's what we do. We just aren't quite sure what's on the inside sometimes. In my personal opinion, I define what a christian is by the actions of christiandom as a whole. I don't like what I see, so I choose not to be called that. That's all. You might think that names don't mean anything, but christiandom, will tell you what "being" a christian means to them, in retrospect, people "make" names mean something. We ALL make our names mean something. When someone you know hears your name, they get immediate pictures of you and a feeling that reminds them of you. In science, everything is named so we know what it is. God had Adam Name every creature. Was it in vain? Those are my comments.
-Beau
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version