question regarding the church and your opinion

[Mark2005]

I tend to define "Christian" rather broadly. Others seem to limit it to one group or another. An "us against them' mentality.

I've heard it for many years: Catholics aren't "real Christians", mainline demoninations aren't "real Christians", pentecostals aren't "real Christians", Mormons aren't "real Christians", etc. It's always "MY church is the right one and everyone else is a false religion". Yes, I get upset with my Mormon friends when they say the same thing. It's just as wrong for them to claim exclusivity as it is for anyone else to claim that.

I tend to accept people at face value. If you wish to claim Jesus as your savior, that's fine with me.

[Floatingaxe]

Up to this point in time, the Church's finest hour was its inception. The best is yet to come when we, the spotless Bride, are united with our glorious Bridegroom!

[Guest HisG]

I hold great respect to the disciples of Jesus who spread His Word whilst living in an atmosphere of oppression, rejection and persecution.

To think that because of their loyalty to the Good News, (and all those faithful to Him after them) I get to know Jesus in 2012!!

They did well and I am thankful.

[ayin jade]

I tend to define "Christian" rather broadly. Others seem to limit it to one group or another. An "us against them' mentality.

I've heard it for many years: Catholics aren't "real Christians", mainline demoninations aren't "real Christians", pentecostals aren't "real Christians", Mormons aren't "real Christians", etc. It's always "MY church is the right one and everyone else is a false religion". Yes, I get upset with my Mormon friends when they say the same thing. It's just as wrong for them to claim exclusivity as it is for anyone else to claim that.

I tend to accept people at face value. If you wish to claim Jesus as your savior, that's fine with me.

Its not an "us against them" mentality. The goal of Christians should be to spread the gospel. In order to do so, we do need to recognize who needs to hear it and who doesnt. So if a mormon claims to be Christian, yet holds to beliefs that are in salvational error, I cant just say ok you are a Christian and walk away. He or she is someone who needs to hear the gospel. I do not see myself as better than they are. Or in any way feel superior to them. I do not see them as people I need to avoid.

One big salvational error in the mormon religion is that Jesus alone doesnt save. Mormons think the only way to be with God is to believe in their religion, in the things Joseph Smith has said. They place their faith on a man, not on Jesus. When they say Jesus saves, they mean 1) Jesus makes it possible for everyone, lost and saved, to be resurrected where they will then face judgment based on their works; 2) that the only way to be with God is to believe in the things Joseph Smith's religion teaches, that their works saves. That is a big salvationally wrong viewpoint.

[AnotherSinner]

I tend to define "Christian" rather broadly. Others seem to limit it to one group or another. An "us against them' mentality.

I've heard it for many years: Catholics aren't "real Christians", mainline demoninations aren't "real Christians", pentecostals aren't "real Christians", Mormons aren't "real Christians", etc. It's always "MY church is the right one and everyone else is a false religion". Yes, I get upset with my Mormon friends when they say the same thing. It's just as wrong for them to claim exclusivity as it is for anyone else to claim that.

I tend to accept people at face value. If you wish to claim Jesus as your savior, that's fine with me.

That Mark is something I have noticed too. That is why ....that is something that our Creator alone can truly declare. For He knows our hearts. The truth is written in God's word. Jesus was the word of God. He is the only way to God the Father. Not going to worry so much about the religion a person declares, but rather the place Jesus has in another person's heart and work on sharing the truth with others in the hope that Jesus will be let in.

Everyone needs to hear the words of the Gospel. Believing and non-believing alike. Believing so that way they can continue to learn and grow in faith. The Non-believing so that way they might come to know the truth of Jesus and let Him into their hearts and begin to work in their lives.

May God Bless You

Dani

[Mark2005]

There's not a "Mormon Jesus", a "Catholic Jesus", a "Pentecostal Jesus", an "adventist Jesus", etc. There's only one Jesus. What differs is our own ideas about him. We may have many different opinions. But there is only one Jesus.

[ayin jade]

There's not a "Mormon Jesus", a "Catholic Jesus", a "Pentecostal Jesus", an "adventist Jesus", etc. There's only one Jesus. What differs is our own ideas about him. We may have many different opinions. But there is only one Jesus.

There is only one real Jesus, but too many have a false view of who He is, and place their faith on a false view.

So if mormons believe that Jesus was only a man who became a God, who was in fact created and is the spirit brother of a fallen angel called satan, is that the same Jesus as the one Christians believe in? The Christian Jesus is one person of a triune God, who was through whom all things were created, including the created fallen angel satan. Are mormons believing in the same Jesus as Christians? No they do not believe in the same Jesus.

[MorningGlory]

I tend to define "Christian" rather broadly. Others seem to limit it to one group or another. An "us against them' mentality.

I've heard it for many years: Catholics aren't "real Christians", mainline demoninations aren't "real Christians", pentecostals aren't "real Christians", Mormons aren't "real Christians", etc. It's always "MY church is the right one and everyone else is a false religion". Yes, I get upset with my Mormon friends when they say the same thing. It's just as wrong for them to claim exclusivity as it is for anyone else to claim that.

I tend to accept people at face value. If you wish to claim Jesus as your savior, that's fine with me.

It goes to the lowest common denominator, Mark. Regardless of the denomination you belong to if you don't accept Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Savior you can't be a Christian. Christianity's foundation is Jesus Himself; that's why it's called CHRISTIANITY. I have a simple rule I live by.....if it's not Biblical, it's a lie. This makes finding one's way SO much easier and closes the door to false theology.

[gdemoss]

This sparked a lively discussion in chat. What do you think is the church's finest hour?

Acts chapter 2-4, from there its hard to find another account of them acting completely like Christians.

And as far as who is and isn't a Christian,

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh

Rom 2:29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.

Christians are no different to understand. You either are or are not circumcised in heart, in the spirit and therefore have praise of God. One who is such has no need to worry about what denomination/church body he begins in or passes through as the spirit which is in his temple will guide him into all truth while carnal uncircumcised in heart people will twist scripture until the cows come home and never find the truth.

Gary

[Matthitjah]

I tend to define "Christian" rather broadly. Others seem to limit it to one group or another. An "us against them' mentality.

I've heard it for many years: Catholics aren't "real Christians", mainline demoninations aren't "real Christians", pentecostals aren't "real Christians", Mormons aren't "real Christians", etc. It's always "MY church is the right one and everyone else is a false religion". Yes, I get upset with my Mormon friends when they say the same thing. It's just as wrong for them to claim exclusivity as it is for anyone else to claim that.

I tend to accept people at face value. If you wish to claim Jesus as your savior, that's fine with me.

Actually, Jesus spoke in exclusive terms that were in fact all inclusive. This is called a Paradox. He spoke of His being the Doorway to the Father and no other, yet the invitation was to all.

Jesus spoke of folks who on the Day of Judgement who would claim to know Him, and to have had fellowship with Him, and who had even done supposed Good works, but would be sent away because He did not know them.

Our Statement of Faith at Worthy will give you a good description of Orthodox Christian Faith.