all practicing catholics are christian

  • Thread starter Thread starter traillius
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

traillius

Guest
Any catholic that doesn’t ‘accept jesus as their personal lord and savior’ is not a practicing catholic, or at least not an obedient catholic. If some others define christians as those who have ‘prayed the sinner’s prayer’ then I would like to see the biblical evidence for that prayer. Not all christians are catholic, but EVERY practicing catholic is a christian.
The definition of christian is any one who admits that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, believes that Jesus is part of the triune God,and seeks to obey the Triune God. Since all practicing catholics do all three of these, all practicing catholics are christian.
 
traillius said:
Any catholic that doesn’t ‘accept jesus as their personal lord and savior’ is not a practicing catholic, or at least not an obedient catholic. If some others define christians as those who have ‘prayed the sinner’s prayer’ then I would like to see the biblical evidence for that prayer. Not all christians are catholic, but EVERY practicing catholic is a christian.
The definition of christian is any one who admits that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, believes that Jesus is part of the triune God,and seeks to obey the Triune God. Since all practicing catholics do all three of these, all practicing catholics are christian.
Click to expand...
Well, sure. If a person is Catholic, he’s been confirmed (the Catholic version of having made a decision for Christ) and believes the contents of the Nicene, Apostles’, & Athanasian Creeds. Seems perfectly Christian to me.
 
Here is something that really frustrates me. I was at a Catholic retreat the other night and was involved in discussion group. Several of my fellow Catholics kept referring to themselves as Catholics as opposed to being a Christian. I It seems that many Catholics are not aware that being Catholic means to be a Christian. It really doesn’t help the cause when discussing the Church with non-Catholics when Catholics are not even aware that we belong to the original Christian Church.
 
I’m missing the point. Of course all Catholics who profess Christ Lord are Christians irregardless of their degree of “practice”. Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants who profess Christ as Lord and Savior are as well. 🤷 This is the unity of which I preach. 👍
 
Some non-catholic christians take the viewpoint that only a catholic who has " made a decision for christ " is a christian. They don’t view baptism, or confirmation, as such a decision. They mistakenly believe that any other catholic follows something other than Jesus and the bible. I don’t think most believe this. Its only a small proportion. Although martin luther, for instance, was misguided, I am sure he meant well. That doesn’t make what he did right, only explainable.
 
traillius said:
Some non-catholic christians take the viewpoint that only a catholic who has " made a decision for christ " is a christian. .
Click to expand...
What lies underneath this is the idea that conversion is a magical flash which instantly turns you from sinner into saint. This is not true–conversion is something you work at (or, more precisely, that God works at) all your life!
 
traillius said:
Some non-catholic christians take the viewpoint that only a catholic who has " made a decision for christ " is a christian. They don’t view baptism, or confirmation, as such a decision. They mistakenly believe that any other catholic follows something other than Jesus and the bible. I don’t think most believe this. Its only a small proportion. Although martin luther, for instance, was misguided, I am sure he meant well. That doesn’t make what he did right, only explainable.
Click to expand...
Oh ok. Well yes I see that point. I don’t agree with those who take that viewpoint obviously. 🙂
 
traillius said:
Any catholic that doesn’t ‘accept jesus as their personal lord and savior’ is not a practicing catholic, or at least not an obedient catholic. If some others define christians as those who have ‘prayed the sinner’s prayer’ then I would like to see the biblical evidence for that prayer. Not all christians are catholic, but EVERY practicing catholic is a christian.
The definition of christian is any one who admits that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, believes that Jesus is part of the triune God,and seeks to obey the Triune God. Since all practicing catholics do all three of these, all practicing catholics are christian.
Click to expand...
Interesting.

How do you feel when some other Christian tells you that you are NOT a Christian, because you don’t agree with him on some point of doctrine or other?
 
traillius said:
Some non-catholic christians take the viewpoint that only a catholic who has " made a decision for christ " is a christian. They don’t view baptism, or confirmation, as such a decision. They mistakenly believe that any other catholic follows something other than Jesus and the bible. I don’t think most believe this. Its only a small proportion. Although martin luther, for instance, was misguided, I am sure he meant well. That doesn’t make what he did right, only explainable.
Click to expand...
Its not that the belief is that a Catholic follows something other then Jesus and the Bible in my opinion but does his confirmation ceremony rites and rituals truly reflect his heart. Or did the teen just play his assigned role and go through the motions to keep peace with his parents.

You will notice that at many Evangelic services an alter call is made even though everybody knows one another and may have even seen each other baptized. The call is made for that seeker, perhaps a senior church member, who went with the crowd without the true heartfelt belief. Leaving aside the rest of the movie/book for another thread in Left Behind, the assistant pastor who misses the rapture had probably been baptized, said and led others in the sinner’s prayer on many occasions but in his heart, did not actually believe. In his case he lived the Christian lifestyle but in the end was not a Christian. It is not Catholics, who questions are asked about it is the individual Catholic, baptized and confirmed who may or may not truly believe who the question “are you really a Christian” is asked of.
 
originally posted

by walt4lori
Click to expand...
Here is something that really frustrates me. I was at a Catholic retreat the other night and was involved in discussion group. Several of my fellow Catholics kept referring to themselves as Catholics as opposed to being a Christian. I It seems that many Catholics are not aware that being Catholic means to be a Christian. It really doesn’t help the cause when discussing the Church with non-Catholics when Catholics are not even aware that we belong to the original Christian Church.
Click to expand...

Welcome to the Forums!
 
4Squarebaby said:
Its not that the belief is that a Catholic follows something other then Jesus and the Bible in my opinion but does his confirmation ceremony rites and rituals truly reflect his heart. Or did the teen just play his assigned role and go through the motions to keep peace with his parents.

You will notice that at many Evangelic services an alter call is made even though everybody knows one another and may have even seen each other baptized. The call is made for that seeker, perhaps a senior church member, who went with the crowd without the true heartfelt belief. Leaving aside the rest of the movie/book for another thread in Left Behind, the assistant pastor who misses the rapture had probably been baptized, said and led others in the sinner’s prayer on many occasions but in his heart, did not actually believe. In his case he lived the Christian lifestyle but in the end was not a Christian. It is not Catholics, who questions are asked about it is the individual Catholic, baptized and confirmed who may or may not truly believe who the question “are you really a Christian” is asked of.
Click to expand...
One can only assume another is genuine, unless external contrary evidence exists. In any case, no one can truly know what is in someone’s inmost being. If someone says they believe Jesus is God, and that Jesus forgives their sins, I have to accept, until shown otherwise, that they are christian. Even if they sin, including habitual sin, if it can be explained, thi doesn’t change that belief.
 
traillius said:
Any catholic that doesn’t ‘accept jesus as their personal lord and savior’ is not a practicing catholic, or at least not an obedient catholic. If some others define christians as those who have ‘prayed the sinner’s prayer’ then I would like to see the biblical evidence for that prayer. Not all christians are catholic, but EVERY practicing catholic is a christian.
The definition of christian is any one who admits that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, believes that Jesus is part of the triune God,and seeks to obey the Triune God. Since all practicing catholics do all three of these, all practicing catholics are christian.
Click to expand...
With all due respect…your definition of “Christian” isn’t exactly accurate.

Now in truth I agree with you that all practicing Catholics are indeed Christian. That’s not the problem. The problem seems to be that your definition excludes everybody who is NOT a practicing Catholic.

Oh, and your definition isn’t found in the dictionary. True, you can define a word you are using in any fashion you wish to, but if your definition is different from everyone else’s, your communication is going to be, at best, spotty.

According to the dictionary, a Christian is someone whose belief system centers around one Jesus of Nazareth, called Christ…and who claims to be a Christian. He may be all WRONG about what he believes, but since his belief is ABOUT Christ, he is a Christian.

He may not be SAVED, but he’s a Christian…and do not get the two concepts confused. “Saved” and “Christian” are not synonyms.
 
dianaiad said:
With all due respect…your definition of “Christian” isn’t exactly accurate.

Now in truth I agree with you that all practicing Catholics are indeed Christian. That’s not the problem. The problem seems to be that your definition excludes everybody who is NOT a practicing Catholic.

Oh, and your definition isn’t found in the dictionary. True, you can define a word you are using in any fashion you wish to, but if your definition is different from everyone else’s, your communication is going to be, at best, spotty.

According to the dictionary, a Christian is someone whose belief system centers around one Jesus of Nazareth, called Christ…and who claims to be a Christian. He may be all WRONG about what he believes, but since his belief is ABOUT Christ, he is a Christian.

He may not be SAVED, but he’s a Christian…and do not get the two concepts confused. “Saved” and “Christian” are not synonyms.
Click to expand...
And according to Webster, all Christians are Jews.
a person belonging to a continuation through descent or conversion of the ancient Jewish people
But Christ kind of put the kibosh on that idea.

He also showed us that If you add to or substantially change something, you will likely change the name for it to be more fitting. That is why Christianity is not a sect of Judaism.
 
I now always refer to myself as a Catholic Christian rather than as just a Catholic or just a Christian. I have non-Catholic Christian friends and we do often disagree about whether Catholics should be classed as Christians or not. In my opinion, we follow Jesus Christ, therefore are Christians. End.
 
dianaiad said:
Oh, and your definition isn’t found in the dictionary. True, you can define a word you are using in any fashion you wish to, but if your definition is different from everyone else’s, your communication is going to be, at best, spotty.

According to the dictionary, a Christian is someone whose belief system centers around one Jesus of Nazareth, called Christ…and who claims to be a Christian. He may be all WRONG about what he believes, but since his belief is ABOUT Christ, he is a Christian.

He may not be SAVED, but he’s a Christian…and do not get the two concepts confused. “Saved” and “Christian” are not synonyms.
Click to expand...
Absolutely they are synonomous. One cannot be a Christian and not be in union with Christ. I don’t care what the person happens to think of him or herself. In order to be in union with Christ, there are certain things about Christ which one must believe. If those things are not believed, no participation in Christ is possible.

The Scriptures define what a Christian is, not the dictionary.
 
PerfectTiming said:
I now always refer to myself as a Catholic Christian rather than as just a Catholic or just a Christian. I have non-Catholic Christian friends and we do often disagree about whether Catholics should be classed as Christians or not. In my opinion, we follow Jesus Christ, therefore are Christians. End.
Click to expand...
See, now I would just refer to myself as Christian. I don’t think I have ever identified myself according to a church.

I have protestant in the upper right corner here so people will know I am not Catholic on this Catholic Forum (rather than try to explain it every single time).
 
Xavierlives said:
And according to Webster, all Christians are Jews.
a person belonging to a continuation through descent or conversion of the ancient Jewish people
But Christ kind of put the kibosh on that idea.

He also showed us that If you add to or substantially change something, you will likely change the name for it to be more fitting. That is why Christianity is not a sect of Judaism.
Click to expand...
No, because Christians do not, in general,wish to refer to themselves as Jews—but we are certainly all belong to the Judeo-Christian Tradition, do we not?
 
I personally do not like the term Catholic Christian. To me the word “Catholic” doesn’t have to and shouldn’t have to be explained. Are we worried that we might be confused with Catholic Islam or Catholic Hindu? We are the original Church and it was the ONLY Christian Church on the face of the earth for the majority of Christian history. We’re as Christian as Christian gets.
 
dianaiad said:
No, because Christians do not, in general,wish to refer to themselves as Jews—but we are certainly all belong to the Judeo-Christian Tradition, do we not?
Click to expand...
Christ was a Jew and we follow Him. He is the fulfillment of the Jewish faith. The Jews are our elder brothers and sisters in the faith. I agree completely.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top