Can Someone Please Define What a Christian is?

[Brakelite]

When you realize that the Jews were able to calculate when Messiah was due to make his appearance in 29C.E. from the prophesy in Daniel.....they were waiting for him.....but the Jesus that presented himself was not what they had been told to expect. They were expecting a strong political figure who would liberate his people from the yoke of Rome and establish his Kingdom on earth.

But Jesus showed in his prophecy pointing to the conclusion of the system of things, that Jerusalem would be “trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the Gentiles” were fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)
“Jerusalem” represented the Kingdom of God because its kings were said to sit on “the throne of the kingship of Jehovah.” (1 Chronicles 28:4-5; Matthew 5:34-35) So, the Gentile governments, represented by wild beasts, would ‘trample’ on the right of God’s Kingdom to direct human affairs and would themselves hold sway under Satan’s control. (Luke 4:5-6)

So how long would those governments be permitted to exercise this control before Jehovah gave the Kingdom to Jesus Christ? Daniel 4:16 says “seven times” (“seven years,” AT and Mo, also JB footnote on V13). The Bible shows that in calculating prophetic time, a day is counted as a year. (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34)
How many “days,” then, are involved? Revelation 11:2-3 clearly states that 42 months (3 1/2 years) in that prophecy are counted as 1,260 days. Seven years would be twice that, or 2,520 days. Applying the “day for a year” rule would result in 2,520 years.

When did the counting of the “seven times” begin? After Zedekiah, the last king in the earthly Kingdom of God, was removed from the throne in Jerusalem by the Babylonians. (Ezekiel 21:25-27) Finally, by early October of 607 B.C.E. the last vestige of Jewish sovereignty was gone.

How, then, is the time calculated down to 1914?
Counting 2,520 years from early October of 607 B.C.E. brings us to early October of 1914 C.E.
The first feature of the sign given by Jesus to indicate that he was ruling in his Kingdom was unprecedented war. (Matthew 24:3-14)
The Great War of 1914 was the first war in history to draw all the nations on earth into a global conflict. The last days had begun, and other features of the sign become evident....food shortages, disease epidemics, great earthquakes, increase in lawlessness, and love of neighbor dwindling down to nothing.

So we know when the last days began...we just don't know when they end......God knows. (Matthew 24:36-39)

Your exegesis reads like a mix and match at the local salvos. Cheap, with the odd brand name but all over the place.

 

[bbyrd009]

those who are emotionally connected to Jesus have his spirt; they are his and he is theirs.

i dont often disagree with you, hmm...

 

[quietthinker]

i dont often disagree with you, hmm...

believing the gospel does not just stay as a cerebral exercise bbyrd, it involves the whole person just as when love grows between people.....and when love is fully grown one will give ones life for the other. Isn't that an emotional investment of the highest order?

 

[Aunty Jane]

Your exegesis reads like a mix and match at the local salvos. Cheap, with the odd brand name but all over the place.

If you say so.....there is only one truth and the “wheat” have it......the “weeds” do not.
So which is which? There is criteria......

1) They would all belong to one brotherhood who all speak in agreement, (1 Corinthians 1:10) no matter where in the world they live, because the declaration of the “good news of the kingdom” was to be global, so no local churches out on a limb with their own version of things and with no connection to their brothers in the rest of the world, will have the truth. The true “church” has no nationality. It is one truth for all.

2) They would be preachers of Christ’s message about the Kingdom, that he said was to be “preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations” before “the end” came. (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19-20) So being active in spreading the message was also required. (Acts 20:20; Acts 5:42)

3) They would have love among themselves, (John 13:34-35) meaning that no political issues could divide them because being a citizen of God’s Kingdom means not being involved in the politics of the world ruled by the devil. (1 John 5:19; Luke 4:5-7)

4) They would all be taught by the “faithful and wise slave” whom Jesus appointed to “feed” his fellow slaves their “food at the proper time”. (Matthew 24: 45) We have to find that “slave” and feed at his table, because there are only two tables at which to obtain spiritual “food”.....one provided by God and Jesus Christ through his appointed “slave”....and the other with attractive but poisoned “food” provided by the devil. (1 Corinthians 10:21)

5) They would expect persecution of the sort meted out to Jesus and his followers. (John 15:18-21)
Being hated for no valid reason, Christ’s genuine followers are model citizens in whatever nation they live, but they will not under any circumstances cave in to the demands of any government to abandon their Christian principles, which would include participating in bloodshed, (wars or military service) or participating in any commercial venture that involved providing or producing weapons or things that are known to be harmful to their fellow man.
True Christians are politically neutral.

Jesus and his apostles taught that we must live in the world but be no part of its priorities or agendas. (John 18:36) Our focus is on his Kingdom. We cannot have dual citizenship with one foot in the devil’s world and the other in God’s Kingdom.

6) Our moral standards must reflect God’s standards. That means making no excuses for sexual immorality under any circumstances. No tolerance of unrepentant sexual offenders was demonstrated among the first Christians. The Bible reflects that any who flouted such standards, were to be expelled from the congregation in order to teach them that there is no place for such things among God’s worshippers. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13) When you water down God’s moral standards, you invalidate his word to accommodate those who want God to change his standards for them, rather than they change their standards for him...as we see in the LGBTQ movement gaining ground among some churches.

So these are just some of the things that separate the “sheep from the goats”....the “wheat from the weeds”....we all have the same freedom to choose our ‘chef’, and our ‘waiter’.....

 

[Aunty Jane]

strange exegesis and not one I see credibility in.

Your choice QT....please read my response to @Backlit above.

 

[theefaith]

A Christian is person that believes in and accepts Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

where is that in the Bible?

 

[theefaith]

One that manifests Christ.

where is that in the Bible?

 

[theefaith]

All we need is the Bible definition. So a Christian is a born again child of God (John 1:12,13). But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Children of God are followers of Christ who do what He has said.

that refers to baptism

 

[theefaith]

Believers are only catechumens not Christians

Accepting the one true faith (including church) revealed by Christ and is baptized is a Christian! Mk 16:16 acts 8:36-37

 

[theefaith]

God breathed life into Adam, gen 2:7 and we received this life from our fathers!

Christ breathed on the apostles our spiritual fathers, we receive the new covenant life of God’s grace from them thru faith & baptism! Jn 20:21-23 Mk 16:16 acts 8:36-38


Christian ritual of baptism:
Immersion, sprinkling, pour pure water over the forehead three time with the words, I baptize thee in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit! Ez 36:25-27 Mk 16:16 Matt 28:19 Acts 2:38-39 Acts 8:36-38 Acts 22:16
1 Pet 3:21

Proper intention: to make a new creature in Christ, to put on Christ, initiation into the new covenant of grace
Matter: pure water
Form: the words

Born again! Born from above!


'The Father has set his seal' on Christ (John 6:27) and also seals us in him (cf. 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:23, 4:30). Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism,

Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life." 87 The faithful Christian who has "kept the seal" until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith," 88 with his baptismal faith, in expectation of the blessed vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection.

St. Paul tells the faithful at Ephesus that they have been “sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” This is in terms of an indelible character imprinted on the soul in the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. It is not as if this invisible mark is simply decorative. Rather, through it, we are enabled to participate in Christ’s mission and in his offices of priest, prophet, and king. Eph 1:13

Sealed by God eph 1:13 sealed by God (ez 36:25-27) in the ark of salvation by baptism just as Noah was sealed by God in the ark of the flood gen 7:16

1 Pet 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us!
(Ark of Noah a type of the church, member of Christ and his church and salvation by baptism!)
(Outside the ark of Noah none were saved, outside the church (the ark of salvation) none are saved!)

Sealed in the ark, sealed in the church the ark of salvation by baptism!

 

[quietthinker]

Here is an offering AJ to give another perspective.

1) They would all belong to one brotherhood who all speak in agreement, (1 Corinthians 1:10) no matter where in the world they live, because the declaration of the “good news of the kingdom” was to be global, so no local churches out on a limb with their own version of things and with no connection to their brothers in the rest of the world, will have the truth. The true “church” has no nationality. It is one truth for all.

I'm assuming you mean by 'brotherhood' the Jehovahs Witness Organisation...is that right?
Being a brotherhood does not qualify for the right. Motorcycle gangs also have an extensive brotherhood.

2) They would be preachers of Christ’s message about the Kingdom, that he said was to be “preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations” before “the end” came. (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19-20) So being active in spreading the message was also required. (Acts 20:20; Acts 5:42)

God's Kingdom hmmm. We have had chats here re defining God's Kingdom and as I recall you had no resonance with my explanation that Jesus' reality embodied God's Kingdom, so let me ask you to explain it.

3) They would have love among themselves, (John 13:34-35) meaning that no political issues could divide them because being a citizen of God’s Kingdom means not being involved in the politics of the world ruled by the devil. (1 John 5:19; Luke 4:5-7)

Yes, love is a good thing and gives direction to a better way. You don't think God has his people in political systems attempting to alter destructive courses?

4) They would all be taught by the “faithful and wise slave” whom Jesus appointed to “feed” his fellow slaves their “food at the proper time”. (Matthew 24: 45) We have to find that “slave” and feed at his table, because there are only two tables at which to obtain spiritual “food”.....one provided by God and Jesus Christ through his appointed “slave”....and the other with attractive but poisoned “food” provided by the devil. (1 Corinthians 10:21)

I am again assuming that your understanding of “faithful and wise slave” means the Jehovahs Witness adherents?
I'm certain the Roman Church would apply the same principle to themselves.

5) They would expect persecution of the sort meted out to Jesus and his followers. (John 15:18-21)
Being hated for no valid reason, Christ’s genuine followers are model citizens in whatever nation they live, but they will not under any circumstances cave in to the demands of any government to abandon their Christian principles, which would include participating in bloodshed, (wars or military service) or participating in any commercial venture that involved providing or producing weapons or things that are known to be harmful to their fellow man.
True Christians are politically neutral.

I'm certain genuine lovers of Jesus are found in every nook of life, even where you least expect them but if you are applying this to mean exclusively JW's, I think your argument is wanting. I'm certain there are folk out there who do not belong to your ranks who are opposed to bloodshed or the manufacture of WOMD...even hated for no valid reason.

6) Our moral standards must reflect God’s standards. That means making no excuses for sexual immorality under any circumstances. No tolerance of unrepentant sexual offenders was demonstrated among the first Christians. The Bible reflects that any who flouted such standards, were to be expelled from the congregation in order to teach them that there is no place for such things among God’s worshippers. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13) When you water down God’s moral standards, you invalidate his word to accommodate those who want God to change his standards for them, rather than they change their standards for him...as we see in the LGBTQ movement gaining ground among some churches.

I'm not in favour to watering down any moral standards but let me take your statement at face value and apply only two angles. Do any of your parishioners qualify on a heart level (because thats the only level that matters according to Jesus and his Kingdom)?
and ....do you sit in judgement of all who don't come up to scratch.....I mean, is there such a thing as mercy in your ranks?

 

[Enoch111]

that refers to baptism

Thankfully I do not see the word "baptism" in that passage. Which means that it refutes your ideas.

 

[amigo de christo]

Believers are only catechumens not Christians

Accepting the one true faith (including church) revealed by Christ and is baptized is a Christian! Mk 16:16 acts 8:36-37

according to the CC . but christains are Those who BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST .

 

[bbyrd009]

believing the gospel does not just stay as a cerebral exercise bbyrd, it involves the whole person just as when love grows between people.....and when love is fully grown one will give ones life for the other. Isn't that an emotional investment of the highest order?

i guess it could be characterized that way...
Maybe it's just me, but thinking with the thalamus has always struck me as a bad idea, associated with Eve, etc
dunno

 

[MatthewG]

A Christian is a believer in the Gospel of Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection. They will make that know to you, if the time is needful and right to present it.

 

[quietthinker]

A Christian is a believer in the Gospel of Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection. They will make that know to you, if the time is needful and right to present it.

the devils believe Jesus died, was buried and resurrected....does that qualify them as believers?

 

[MatthewG]

Depends on if you look at human beings as devils or not, @quietthinker. Being demonic is (demon (like)demons loved darkness. Human beings naturally possess darkness, and it involves our human intent on ones temptation which all people struggle with especially without God, even more so.

 

[MatthewG]

It’s amazing that people will really look at other people and judge them becuase they are not like themselves. When I first became a Christian I was like this. Looking at everyone else and judging them. Saying they aren’t reading the Bible like me, they aren’t praying like me, they are all sinners.

My life changed when I started looking more inside the darkness of my own soul, @quietthinker

 

[MatthewG]

And I’m not perfect either I still have times when I can become irritable and angry, sad and lonely, and all of these emotions that everyone else feels. Just as Jesus felt to, glad he experienced what it was like to be a human, and he understands our weaknesses. @quietthinker

 

[quietthinker]

Depends on if you look at human beings as devils or not, @quietthinker. Being demonic is (demon (like)demons loved darkness. Human beings naturally possess darkness, and it involves our human intent on ones temptation which all people struggle with especially without God, even more so.

The devils which motivated men to crucify Jesus where at the crucifixion, you can be certain of that and I don't think they went to Barbados for a holiday afterwards. They would have been witness to the resurrection also