How to become a Christian

[darwindidntknow]

Sorry if this is similar to another thread
I was reading in another thread and someone has posted that you were a Christian if had been baptised a certain way. I wanted to get some more views on this topic…What do you think makes somebody a Christian?

Personally, I believe that a Christian is someone who realizes that they’ve been seeking their happiness in things that keep letting them down. Money, family, work, cars, friends, popularity, material possessions etc… As they come to know God, they find that He is what they’ve been looking for to fill the void. He is where true happiness lies. Unfortunately, we can’t have God because we have sought our happiness elsewhere and rebelled from the one thing that will make us happy. That makes us sinners. And that’s where Jesus comes in…because of His death, we can now come to God, our true Joy. To be a Christian, you must value God above everything and acknowledge that we were made to find our Joy in Him.

Sorry if that was confusing!

<>< For His glory,
Devyn

 

[renee1258]

I see it through the objective terms of Baptism. There were days in the past where I didn’t value God, but I was still a Christian.

 

[JGC]

You become a Christian by being baptised. Holy Tradition & Scripture both agree on this, noting baptism by blood, by desire etc

 

[elzbeth99]

“To be a Christian, you must value God above everything and acknowledge that we were made to find our Joy in Him.”
I feel it is more than an acknowledgement, it is a pursuet To not lead ourselves into situations that would encourage us to find our Joy some place else.
The actuallization of our death into Christ’s death through baptism is the one thing that binds all Christian Communities together. I have not found a group of Christians who do not hold to this in some way or another. Though I know many individuals who do not think that this is needed.
Christ wants us to enjoy his Family and the support that it gives us in this life. That is why he came in flesh and blood to be our brother and bind us, through Him, to Our Father. Not just as individuals but as a whole. He loves us as individuals so much that he will not leave us to fend for ourselve without a community to supprt us. We just have to work on being open to it, and causious that it is the Community He is made real in.
God Bless you on your walk as a Christian

 

[darwindidntknow]

elzbeth99:

I feel it is more than an acknowledgement, it is a pursuet To not lead ourselves into situations that would encourage us to find our Joy some place else.

I would agree with that. That is what I was trying to say. I definitely would not say that it is a one time acknowledgement but instead a lifelong pursuit of God. It makes me sad that most “Christians” don’t pursue God but are saisfied just living as lukewarm people who assume they have a ticket to heaven. Is that what you meant or am I completely off-target? lol (I’ve been taking care of kids and cleaning all day-forgive me if I read it wrong or read too much into it!! )

As for baptism, I think it is a wonderful thing. You are right, that it draws us into the body of Christ and is a public declaration of your new faith. However, I do believe it is not necessary for salvation (as some have said), or having a personal relationship with Jesus. What if someone dies before they can be baptised? Their faith was still the same and God’s grace was still the same even though they hadn’t made that public declaration. (Of course by this I mean water baptism not baptism of the Holy Spirit.)

WishI had time to write more but I have to go…

<>< For His glory,
Devyn

 

[elzbeth99]

“As for baptism, I think it is a wonderful thing. You are right, that it draws us into the body of Christ and is a public declaration of your new faith. However, I do believe it is not necessary for salvation (as some have said), or having a personal relationship with Jesus. What if someone dies before they can be baptised? Their faith was still the same and God’s grace was still the same even though they hadn’t made that public declaration. (Of course by this I mean water baptism not baptism of the Holy Spirit.)”

It is hard to base how we act on our faith, or encourage others in faith, based on special cases. Special cases should be left up to God’s grace and love, which is overwhelmingly aboundant and even greater for those who need it more.
I am still working on loving my neighbor, which means not leading my neighbor on, leading them to think I believe something I don’t. It is hard to explain… and very multidiminsional, in the way that I don’t think I will be able to work through it in this life time. But I don’t want to lose a single opportunity to solidify the unity that God has offered us through His Church because I lack the faith that Jesus will guide the lost sheep,(or special cases). I know so many people who get held back, not only for their lack of faith in Christ Church, but mainly the idea that not everyone seems to be able to except God’s Truth as it is revealed through it. I am not sure that this is where you are coming from, darwindidntknow.
I understand that the word “required” in general is not a positive word. But in the context of baptism and having a personnal relationship with Christ, I think of these things not as so much as requirements but awesome gifts of God through His Spirit. The hard thing is if someone does not choose them when they are offered because they don’t think it should be said they are required. That is a willfull choice not to choose God just because He is working through people, who just happen to be imperfect. I am very happy that (“water”) Baptism can be done by almost anybody, and be excepted by the Catholic Church. I think it shows great Faith in the power of God’s name. And no one is the Judge here on earth by their personnal relationship with Christ. So of all the “requirements” of salvation that I have heard, these two are not ones that I can learn about someone to find out if they are saved or not.
We will know they are Christians by their love, and learning about someone’s love takes time and effort. Not always something that is easily revealed to us by observation. We as Christian’s are called to love first, not putting ourselves at risk of sinning, but not without the risk off being stung either.
Sorry I got off topic… just a lot that I have been thinking about on my Journey
anyway…
The Joy that you mentioned is something we can look for in others but it should not be a “requirement” to whether or not we think they are saved or not We just don’t know. And it is hard. For me I appreciate that the Catholic Church does not teach that a person can be considered “saved” (forsure going to Heaven) when they are here on this earth. It would give us a false sence that we were done. It does gives us tangible encouragements every step of the way to keep us pursuing God. Whether people choose to internalize them or not, they are made pretty readily avalible.
On your journey

 

[darwindidntknow]

elzbeth99:

The Joy that you mentioned is something we can look for in others but it should not be a “requirement” to whether or not we think they are saved or not We just don’t know. And it is hard. For me I appreciate that the Catholic Church does not teach that a person can be considered “saved” (forsure going to Heaven) when they are here on this earth. It would give us a false sence that we were done. It does gives us tangible encouragements every step of the way to keep us pursuing God. Whether people choose to internalize them or not, they are made pretty readily available

First of all, I feel like this link gives the bext explanation of what I believe and gives verses to support the beliefs because the Bible is the one and only source of Truth.
desiringgod.org/library/what_we_believe/christian_hedonism.html

Second of all, we are supposed to be assured of our salvation!!!
desiringgod.org/library/fresh_words/1998/042898.html%between%

Sorry that I only used links to explain but I don’t have time to rewrite what is already being said in the links. Have a good day…
Devyn

 

[RBushlow]

I don’t think this would make you a Christian. I believe that, by adhering to that formula, you can be Muslum, Jewish, or any number of religions.

If you’d like to be a member of the Church that Jesus founded, the first Christians had no doubts about how to determine which was the true Church and which doctrines the true teachings of Christ. The test was simple: Just trace the line of Church leaders stretching back to the Apostles. We can still do this today.

 

[elzbeth99]

I read both this pages and do not understand how they support the claims you make about salvation. Neither of them claim that salvation is assured, but ask us to pray for this assurance. Nor do they directly supprt that the Bible is the only source for Truth other than the fact that it quotes it.
I understand that expressing what you believe in writting takes time. So I understand why you used these pages.

I am afraid I am worried about how the ideas of pleasure and satisfaction are used in these writting to help encourage people to believe all can actuallize the pleasures of God expressed in the Bible here on earth. I don’t think that is what the context of the scriptors protray’s and that you should be sure to “read them for yourself.” I am pretty sure that this scriptures are to give us Hope in the midst of suffering.

I know too many people who have turned from God because of the false hope that they who be satisfied by God on their terms. And I know that God wants salvation for all of us, and would not give us such a desire for Him with out giving us any way of fulfilling it. But it is not a pleasure filled road, it has it’s ups and downs. Suffering has just as an important role in our journey towards God as our Joy. Pick any person in the Bible, New or Old testament, and you will see this.

Please be careful not to think that God is not with you when you experience suffering, or to think you have done something against Him when you don’t feel that Joy that you are thinking you are assurred of. We all sin and turn our back on God. But Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life, nobody comes to the Father except through Him. He will help us stay focused on God.
My question for you is what do you think “through Him” means?
How do you incorporate His Death to have meaning in Your Life?
:bible1: