I guess that would be for our maker to decide Pete, not us.
Moses did many things that resembled witchcraft. Jesus is another example.
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What does it mean to be a true Christian?
- Thread starter child of God
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Moses did many things that resembled witchcraft. Jesus is another example.
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
It's not witchcraft when God Himself is doing it.
jaareshiah
Member
Simply state, in this thread, what being Christian means to you. No need for debate here... I will start:
Being Christian means acknowledging that this is an ongoing war - the devil is constantly attacking me and the only way to defeat Satan is to turn my life and will over to Jesus Christ, by letting God into my heart. Once I do that, the battle is already won and Satan has no business hanging around.
Being Christian means loving my neighbor as myself - even non-Christians. For love is the answer and the bible says: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, not as they did unto you. God is the final judge and its not my business to judge others, even those whose beliefs or lifestyles are different than mine.
Being Christian means realizing that only Jesus was perfect - I will make mistakes and sin. The point is learning from those mistakes and repenting, by asking God forgiveness. My god is slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. He will forgive me, if I go to him. I also realize that if I forgive others for the wrongs they have done to me, God will in turn forgive me my sins.
Being Christian means forming healthy relationships - by putting Jesus first, He will put the right people into my life, at the right time. A big part of being Christian - for me - means trusting God and knowing that His will for me is good. I am finite - God is infinite. Therefore, I have no idea what He has in store for me. I just have to go to Him and trust that He will provide what I need (not necessarily what I want). He always does - albeit its not always what Im expecting.
Being Christian means thanking God every day for the many gifts He has given me. Whenever I start to backslide and put my will before His, I make a small gratitude list - I simply list the things I am grateful for. That always brings me out of my selfish mode and lets Christ back into my heart.
Being Christian means knowing that I am going to Heaven, because Ive accepted Christ as my Savior. We all crucified Jesus - If God can forgive us for killing His only Son, He will forgive us for anything. Repentance and acceptance are the key here. Jesus gave us the greatest gift of all - perhaps the only unforgivable sin is to deny that He died for us.
Being Christian means remaining humble - If I humble myself in the sight of the Lord, He will raise me up, higher and higher.
My Christian faith teaches me that Jesus was sent to be a Savior, not a judge. All I have to do is go to Him and I am saved. I do this by daily prayer and meditation.
Lastly, being Christian means attending Church and bible study weekly. I must practice what I preach - thats a serious commitment.
Thats what being Christian means to me.
Does being a Christian simply mean that one attends a church service once a week and follows certain social customs and traditions ? Logically, should not the word Christian refer to a way of life that reflects the attitudes, values, and conduct that Christ preached and exemplified? How was Christianity practiced at its inception ?
Jesus said to his followers: You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you. (John 15:14)
Since Jesus teachings affected all aspects of their lives, Christs disciples initially referred to their religion as The Way. (Acts 9:2) Soon thereafter, they were by divine providence called Christians. (Acts 11:26) This new name they bore meant that they believed that Jesus was the Son of God (not God), who had transmitted to mankind the will of his heavenly Father. This belief led them to follow a way of life that differed from that of the world around them.
Christs teachings moved his followers to follow Bible teachings, which meant avoiding fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, . . . drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 4:17-24) The apostle Paul reminded Corinthian Christians that some of them had once practiced these very things. Then he added: But you have been washed clean, but you have been sanctified, but you have been declared righteous in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.(1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Thus, a true Christian no longer commits fornication, but is wholesome both physically and mentally, no longer practices spiritism, such as using a ouija board, no longer has fits of anger, but is displaying Christ-like love to the fore, putting on the "new personality" patterned after Jesus Christ.(Col 3:10, 12-14)
Jesus told his eleven faithful apostles: "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you."(John 15:19) Thus, a true Christian will be "hated" for being "no part of the world", of it's political arena, commercialistic greed, or of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion.(Rev 18:4) Which religious organization is hated for not participating in the "world's" affairs ?
Another distinctive sign of early Christianity was its zealous evangelizing work. Christ commanded his followers: Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Jean Bernardi, a professor at the Sorbonne University in Paris, France, noted: [Christians] were to go out and speak everywhere and to everyone. On the highways and in the cities, on the public squares and in the homes. Welcome or unwelcome. To the poor, and to the rich encumbered by their possessions. . . . They had to take to the road, board ships, and go to the ends of the earth. How many are following Jesus example in this, being zealous evangelizers, teaching individuals "the good news of the kingdom" that Jesus said would be made known earthwide (Matt 24:14) during his invisible "presence", our time period ?(Matt 24:3)
Jesus also taught to pray for the sanctification of God's name by means of the kingdom at Matthew 6:9, 10. Who are making known the unique and distinctive name of Jehovah, that is in the original Hebrew almost 7000 times in the form of the Tetragrammaton ?(It is at Exodus 6:3, Ps 83:18, Isa 12:2 and 26:4 in the older King James Bible) Jesus said, in speaking of counterfeit Christians, telling them: "Why, then, do you call me Lord! Lord! but do not do the things I say ? "(Luke 6:46)
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Renji
Well-Known Member
What about Moses Pete?
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
What about him? He had no magic powers of his own.
This is true, but that could be said about anyone practicing witchcraft as well.
The point was, bending air or water is not proof positive of witchcraft.
Our God will know what is witchcraft and what is not. He will judge accordingly, it is not our place to judge these things.
There are many faith healers in current times right now. Many are fakes I suspect, but it is not for me to judge.
jaareshiah
Member
Very simply, it is so that individuals will consider the evidence, rather than what Jehovah's Witnesses believe, like so many of the churches, who say that this "what we believe", without providing any substantial evidence. We let the Bible and evidence speak for itself, allowing people to make a decision based, not on a personal belief, but on facts, whether it be from a secular source or from the Bible.
Jesus, instead of speaking from "his own initiative" (John 5:19), rather said to the Jews: "Most truly I say to you, The Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he beholds the Father doing. For whatever things that One does, these things the Son also does in like manner."(John 5:19)
Jehovah's Witnesses examine the Bible very carefully, in order to grasp what our Creator, Jehovah God, is saying, so that "the true knowledge will become abundant."(Dan 12:4) We take very seriously our study of the Bible, not letting bias or religious traditions blur our sight.
Jesus said, quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3: "It is written, Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovahs mouth.(Matt 4:4) Hence, we do not select only certain scriptures of the Bible but rather recognize that "all scripture is inspired of God"(2 Tim 3:16), that all of the Bible is "is a lamp to (our) foot and a light to (our) roadway."(Ps 119:105)
Katzpur
Not your average Mormon
I understand. Being LDS, I know how people will reason, "Well, that's just a Mormon talking." They'll then use that as an excuse to stop listening, even if we can back up everything we're saying with scripture. On the other hand, there are so many different ways of interpreting different passages of scripture that it's possible for people with very different beliefs on a given topic to "prove" that what they believe is true, simply by focusing on certain passages of scripture while ignoring others. So yes, the evidence may speak for itself, but it may easily be countered by the evidence that is not presented. Know what I mean?
So do the Latter-day Saints. I believe that's one reason why neither of our religions believes in the doctrine of the Trinity.
jaareshiah
Member
The need is for one to know, firmly believe and apply what is true (of which the trinity goes against), in order to gain God's favor and hence life without end. Jesus said it succinctly, just before his death: "This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ."(John 17:3) Thus, to gain "everlasting life", either on earth or in heaven, requires "taking in knowledge of...the only true God." Whom does the Bible establish as the "only true God" ?
At 1 Chronicles 22:1, it says concerning David wanting to erect a house for God at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite: "Then David said: “This is the house of Jehovah the true God (“Jehovah the [true] God.” Hebrew, Yehwah´ ha·’Elo·him´), and this is an altar for burnt offering for Israel.” The true God is therefore Jehovah, a name he gave himself, for Exodus 3 speaks of Moses coming "at length to the mountain of the true God ("true God" Heb. ha·’Elo·him´), to Horeb."(Ex 3:1)
Jehovah proceeds to say to Moses: "This is what you are to say to the sons of Israel, ‘Jehovah the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name to time indefinite ("this is my name for ever", King James Bible), and this is the memorial of me to generation after generation."(Ex 3:15) So why have the churches failed to make known and stand up for Jehovah God ? They are not genuinely looking for the "truth", but put on a facade of piety.
In discussing the issue of circumcision, James said that "Sym´e·on has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name."(Acts 15:14) The nation of Israel was already in a dedicated relationship with Jehovah God (Ex 19), but proved disobedient, even murdering Jesus Christ.(1 Thess 2:15) Hence, they were "abandoned" by Jehovah God.(Matt 23:37-39)
During the time of King Asa, Hanani "the seer", told him: "For, as regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him."(2 Chron 16:9) Jehovah is separating individuals to his "people for his name" during these "last days", "render(ing) judgment among the nations and set(ting)matters straight regarding many people."(Isa 2:4) Thus, Jehovah's Witnesses are a "people for his name", engaged in proclaiming "the good news of the kingdom", in obedience to Jesus command at Matthew 24:14 and 28:19, 20, before "the end comes".(Matt 24:14)
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Thesavorofpan
Is not going to save you.
No, You could say that Moses did some water bending when he parted the red sea.
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
God parted the Red Sea, not Moses.
Reptillian
Hamburgler Extraordinaire
Here is how the philosopher Bertrand Russell defined a Christian in a lecture he gave:
"Nowadays it is not quite that. We have to be a little more vague in our meaning of Christianity. I think, however, that there are two different items which are quite essential to anybody calling himself a Christian. The first is one of a dogmatic nature -- namely, that you must believe in God and immortality. If you do not believe in those two things, I do not think that you can properly call yourself a Christian. Then, further than that, as the name implies, you must have some kind of belief about Christ. The Mohammedans, for instance, also believe in God and in immortality, and yet they would not call themselves Christians. I think you must have at the very lowest the belief that Christ was, if not divine, at least the best and wisest of men. If you are not going to believe that much about Christ, I do not think you have any right to call yourself a Christian. Of course, there is another sense, which you find in Whitaker's Almanack and in geography books, where the population of the world is said to be divided into Christians, Mohammedans, Buddhists, fetish worshipers, and so on; and in that sense we are all Christians. The geography books count us all in, but that is a purely geographical sense, which I suppose we can ignore.Therefore I take it that when I tell you why I am not a Christian I have to tell you two different things: first, why I do not believe in God and in immortality; and, secondly, why I do not think that Christ was the best and wisest of men, although I grant him a very high degree of moral goodness.
But for the successful efforts of unbelievers in the past, I could not take so elastic a definition of Christianity as that. As I said before, in olden days it had a much more full-blooded sense. For instance, it included he belief in hell. Belief in eternal hell-fire was an essential item of Christian belief until pretty recent times. In this country, as you know, it ceased to be an essential item because of a decision of the Privy Council, and from that decision the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York dissented; but in this country our religion is settled by Act of Parliament, and therefore the Privy Council was able to override their Graces and hell was no longer necessary to a Christian. Consequently I shall not insist that a Christian must believe in hell." - Bertrand Russell
"Nowadays it is not quite that. We have to be a little more vague in our meaning of Christianity. I think, however, that there are two different items which are quite essential to anybody calling himself a Christian. The first is one of a dogmatic nature -- namely, that you must believe in God and immortality. If you do not believe in those two things, I do not think that you can properly call yourself a Christian. Then, further than that, as the name implies, you must have some kind of belief about Christ. The Mohammedans, for instance, also believe in God and in immortality, and yet they would not call themselves Christians. I think you must have at the very lowest the belief that Christ was, if not divine, at least the best and wisest of men. If you are not going to believe that much about Christ, I do not think you have any right to call yourself a Christian. Of course, there is another sense, which you find in Whitaker's Almanack and in geography books, where the population of the world is said to be divided into Christians, Mohammedans, Buddhists, fetish worshipers, and so on; and in that sense we are all Christians. The geography books count us all in, but that is a purely geographical sense, which I suppose we can ignore.Therefore I take it that when I tell you why I am not a Christian I have to tell you two different things: first, why I do not believe in God and in immortality; and, secondly, why I do not think that Christ was the best and wisest of men, although I grant him a very high degree of moral goodness.
But for the successful efforts of unbelievers in the past, I could not take so elastic a definition of Christianity as that. As I said before, in olden days it had a much more full-blooded sense. For instance, it included he belief in hell. Belief in eternal hell-fire was an essential item of Christian belief until pretty recent times. In this country, as you know, it ceased to be an essential item because of a decision of the Privy Council, and from that decision the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York dissented; but in this country our religion is settled by Act of Parliament, and therefore the Privy Council was able to override their Graces and hell was no longer necessary to a Christian. Consequently I shall not insist that a Christian must believe in hell." - Bertrand Russell
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
Could you find someone snootier?
Reptillian
Hamburgler Extraordinaire
Heh heh
He does have a decent definition though I think. At the very least its a good starting point for discussion.
Midnight Pete
Well-Known Member
Heh heh
Bertrand Russel ... the atheist?