How non believers may view Christian's.

Ahh, so it's the name "Christian" you object to. The New Testament said they were called Christians which simply means followers of Christ. They were called other things too; but I see no problem with the designation Christian. Now tell me all the reasons I'm wrong; I see you have a lot of issues you're working out, so I'll leave you to it.

I do, because christian doesn't identify a follower of christ. Christianity identifies a religon. The fruit of religon is bad and follows the advisory, because it spreads hate and devision.

Thanks for realizing im working out a lot of issues and being willing to give me space. Thats a very christ like thing to do.

If that is really what you believe, I have to repeat what I said earlier: It seems you REALLY need to find a better church.

We have service Sunday starting at 10am and Wednesday starting at 7pm (CST) if you're ever in southwest Tennessee.

A Christian is one who follows Christ, just as an Epicurean is one who follows Epicurus. If you believe Epicurus was correct you adopt his philosophy and try to pattern your life and choices after his. If you believe Christ was right you adopt his philosophy and try to pattern your life after his.

I am a Christian and proud to be one.

Sure there are other people who call themselves Christians but don't do anything anywhere close to what Christ did. That does not invalidate the term Christian as it applies to my life. If a few wannabe Christians made the term Christian useless, I could make all ducks repudiate the term "duck" if I claimed to be a duck but could not fly. Same logic.

Talking about greek philosophies though... You might be a Diogenian. I think the philosophy of Diogenes would appeal to you strongly. You seem to already believe it, even if you have never heard of him before.

Whats the name of the church.

I can't tell the name of it in open chat. It's generally considered unwise to pinpoint your location when you're online.

It's a Pentecostal church in southwest Tennessee. If you're ever in the area, drop me a line and I'll guide you in.

Thank you sir.

Thanks. My issue is christian identifies a religon and not one who follows christ. Therefore the meaning behind christian is different then what it ment in the 1st and 2nd century. I personally would not want to be identified as a follower of a religon. As a pentecostal do you consider presbyterians as brothers considering you branched off through wesly and dont accept the 5 points of calvinism and hold more to the Armenian doctrine.

Why would it matter? Let them handle what they believe. I'm not their watchdog, nor is it my place to consider them as anything.

Is a Presbyterian going to stand behind our pulpit and preach? No.

Are they invited to our church dinner? Sure!

I'm not really concerned with who I consider a brother or not a brother. Don't really care what they think about me either. Please pass the potato salad.

Lol ok. This is the heart of the issue im discussing. You bolth belive in the creed but if you told your pastor your considering converting to presbyterianism im sue he would not be in your corner. Different doctrine and different belife. You bolth should be supportive of each other because your core beliefs through the creed are the same and you bolth want to follow god. Your brothers.

I know what I believe, I know why I believe it, and no Presbyterian friend is going to shake my belief.


But if the Presbyterian friend keeps arguing about the part we disagree on every time he sees me, I will probably start not wanting to talk to him any more. We can only be friends if he doesn't argue a lot.

Lol, yah they love to argue over stuff that has nothing to do with salvation and following christ don't they.

No idea. We don't argue about it.

I used to think all Church of Christ argued a lot. All the ones I knew about sure did like to argue. Then I found out a cool cow*rker I had known for three years was Church of Christ. Well... That shoots my theory in the foot. I sure am glad I learned he was a cool dude before I found out he was Church of Christ.

Well if im in the area I'll reach out. Thanks for sharing.

hey there, please forgive me if i was terse the other day. i sense you're really frustrated and i didn't mean to add to it.

i don't know (because i haven't been there) what the pastor's saying. i do agree merely walking an aisle without a heart change doesn't make anyone a Christian. i believe when you referenced "the narrow path", you were talking about this?

Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Mt 7:13-14)

what the Lord is telling us is that there are lots of ways to get to hell, and only One Way to avoid it. HE is the narrow gate; we must enter by Him. does that make sense?

i think the truth claim of Christianity isn't altered by people's behavior. it stands as is.

faith without works is dead, eh?

yes, those with faith in Christ will bear fruit.
a caveat: it may not appear so at all times to you, or to me. there will be growth spurts, and dry seasons. we have to allow for these things with patience, and grace for our fellow believers. yet we can know our Lord Jesus began a work in His people, and He will be faithful to complete it.

Paul adjures us in Philippians to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling... not everyone else's.

I will keep that in mind.

Paul's writing on the theme of salvation is profound.

Thanks for the apology. I'm not trying to get on anyone's bad side or be a hindrance, just so you know in the first and second century they didn't walk down aisles, they walked to their death. That Jesus requirment to follow him is to die. Correct, the only way is through Jesus Christ. What this means is that only Jesus Christ knew and was able to reveal the father.This wasn't even revealed in the Old Testament.
Jesus christ also replaced yahweh as lord. Most people don't even know what it means to accept and follow someone as their lord. The reason why they make it so easy now for someone to become a Christian is because their interested in growth, conversion, and profit. This has nothing to do with following Christ. During the first and second century they were very selective about who they chose to represent god. Now just about anybody has a pass to represent god. This is a problem, and this is not walking the narrow path. The requirement to be saved according to the Christian faith now, is not how we are taught to be saved according to Jesus and the apostles.