What makes somebody a Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian? It is quite clear that not everybody who professes to be a Christian is a Christian. Should Christians care about this, in the sense of doing something about it? At what point does one Christian have the responsibility to tell another professing Christian that they are not in fact a Christian at all? Or does nobody but God have the right and responsibility to declare our status, since he alone knows our hearts?
Is the Christian life a journey, or is it a one-time deal where once you're in you're in? Or is it somehow both?
Again, what makes somebody a Christian? A decision? A feeling? A thought? A lifestyle? A declaration? An act? Knowledge? Some kind of combination of two or more of these things?
What makes me a Christian? Because I pray semi-regularly? Because I got scared into salvation 14 years ago? Because I go to church on Sunday? Because I know that it's only by faith in Jesus that I am justified before God? Because I keep a pseudo-theological blog? Because I obey more of the rules than others? Because I claim to have accepted God's forgiveness and grace? Because I am constantly reading Christian literature?
A final point - if it's possible to profess Christianity and not be a Christian, is it also possible to deny Christianity and be a Christian, or am I just silly even asking that?
Anyway, let's discuss. I'm tired of feeling like I'm writing to myself all the time, even if it's true. If you identify yourself as a Christian, what makes that identity genuine? And if you're not a Christian, what do you think makes somebody else a Christian? If people respond then I'll try and tackle some of the above questions myself at some point, but if nobody responds then I'll assume disinterest amidst my readership and move swiftly on.
Is the Christian life a journey, or is it a one-time deal where once you're in you're in? Or is it somehow both?
Again, what makes somebody a Christian? A decision? A feeling? A thought? A lifestyle? A declaration? An act? Knowledge? Some kind of combination of two or more of these things?
What makes me a Christian? Because I pray semi-regularly? Because I got scared into salvation 14 years ago? Because I go to church on Sunday? Because I know that it's only by faith in Jesus that I am justified before God? Because I keep a pseudo-theological blog? Because I obey more of the rules than others? Because I claim to have accepted God's forgiveness and grace? Because I am constantly reading Christian literature?
A final point - if it's possible to profess Christianity and not be a Christian, is it also possible to deny Christianity and be a Christian, or am I just silly even asking that?
Anyway, let's discuss. I'm tired of feeling like I'm writing to myself all the time, even if it's true. If you identify yourself as a Christian, what makes that identity genuine? And if you're not a Christian, what do you think makes somebody else a Christian? If people respond then I'll try and tackle some of the above questions myself at some point, but if nobody responds then I'll assume disinterest amidst my readership and move swiftly on.
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