Who is a Christian?

Good question. Do you truly mean who is a Christian or do you mean who is saved?

If you mean who is a Christian then it would be people that are Christ-like.

If you mean who is saved then it would be whomever has placed their faith in the substitutionary death and shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Spotless Lamb of God.

 

I believe that a Christian is a person who truly believes that Jesus is Who He said He is and follows Him accordingly. Jesus Christ is Lord, and if we truly believe that, we act accordingly.

Acts 11:26 “the followers| were first called Christians in Antioch” (ICB|NASB).

A Christian follows Jesus Christ because s/he believes the truth about Him: Ephesians 2:8-10 “for by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For |in Christ Jesus, God made us new people| for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV|ICB|ESV).

 

What is the difference? How can one be a Christian and not be saved?

 

Are you talking about Bush? Maybe this should be in the politics forum... :laugh:

 

One can't be a Christian and not be saved, but one can be saved and not be a Christian. At least when looking at the definition of what the word "Christian" actually means.

You are saved by believing on the Lord Jesus.

You are a "Christian" by following Christ; by acting Christ-like.

 

OOoouch!!!

 

31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

 

Amen, Amy!! One cannot be a Christian and NOT be saved. One can have "a form of godliness but deny the power thereof" (2 Timothy 3:5) A person can call himself/herself a Christian and be lost. Jesus said "Ye must be born again" (John 3:7). Therefore, Amy is correct--there is NO difference between being saved and being a Christian. One who is born again will act accordingly (Christlike)

 

I'm not sure your point, but the highlighted part says it all. But, the passage is about discipleship, not about being saved.

Edited for poor grammatical structure.

 

Once again espousing a works-based spiritual salvation!

Works are works are works!

Works will show that you're a disciple, but that's not what our spiritual salvation is based upon: It's based upon the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. Believe (plus nothing) and you will (without any doubt) be saved. It doesn't say, "you will be saved and produce good fruit to prove it."

You may preach a works-based spiritual salvation all you want, but it doesn't make it true.

 

So your saying one can be saved and continue to walk or practise sin? Not theoritically, actually.

Show me one who has faith and no works? One has to be careful when absolutely preaching no works, I agree we do not work to be saved but a saved man will work.

Jn6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Many times did Jesus say there would be things we will do which shows others we are of him. Again, we don't do any of them to be saved but he clearly stated we will do them if we ARE saved.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

 

Seperate the word discipleship from Christianity for us?

 

absolutely not true!
we are saved by faith in Christ
we are Christians (followers of Christ) because of our faith in Christ.
I don't think it's either/or.
Faith without works is dead. We're not saved by our works, but our works show our faith.:flower:

 

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1)

God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:2)

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (Romans 6:3)

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

Was the Apostle Paul teaching a "works based" salvation here? Romans 6 is a continuation of Romans 5 (which is the great chapter on Justification by faith). Because we are justified by faith (when we trusted in the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins), we ARE to walk in newness of life--we don't walk in newness of life TO BE SAVED--which is a "works based" salvation. Salvation CAUSES us to live Christlike. You are twisting scripture when you say that I am preaching a "works based" salvation, which I have never done.

We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

 

You go Linda!

How is SFIC? Don't see him much these days.

 

Amen Linda!

:applause:

 

Joh 8:30-31
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

There is an obvious distinction between believing, and 'continue in my word'(works).

 

Work = Faith

29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

 

works=obedience as well