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What does it mean to be Christian? ?

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My boyfriend and I were having a conversation last night when the topic of h**l arose. I told him I didn't believe in h**l...I don't know why, I just dont. I believe in heaven. I believe God loves all of us and wants us to be good people. I was baptized and raised Catholic and although I consider myself a spiritual person I don't consider myself religious. This sparked an array of arguments because he said he wants to raise a christian family. He doesn't go to church, we live together, we have s*x so I'm just unsure what all this means. Part of my family call them selves christians and I had gone to church with them on several occasions growing up but at church I felt more scared than anything. The girls arent allowed to wear pants, they told me many things were wrong with the way my family lived their lifes, etc however some of my cousins were actually molested by people in the church but nobody ever did anything about it. This is absolutely not what I want in my future or the future of my children. Which is different from when I went to catholic church after wards I truly felt better about life in general. Anyways I don't know what kind of answer I'm looking for here but does he want me to automatically turn into something else after marriage? I know many different types of churchs are considered christian I actually think catholic is considered christian...i think? I truly love my boyfriend and could definitely see myself marrying him in the future but this is a major issue.

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  1. Wow... This is a big question. The good news is that a zillion couples have this same dilemma I was raised in a very legalistic religious home & my Husband was raised in a spiritual christian home. We have had some deep conversations about the same things & we have always remained open to hearing each others side. We have learned alot from one another & we have come to grow & learn in our own understanding of God. Yes, the bible should be read & done as it is written... but unfortunately because we are not God we don't have every single answer & today there are so many interpretations of what the bible is actually saying. We all come from different inevitable biases because of geographic location, child rearing, race, economic status, experiences throughout life & so on. So I guess my advice to you would be to have a personal relationship with God. Where he leads you may not be the same as the next person. As far as you and your Husband get proactive on working out solutions such as these. Do not let them go ignored. As these types of issues do not just "go away". Communication & conflict resolution is vital to a marriage. Even if you can agree to disagree. There is a couple of great books you can find at your local christian book store or just plain book store . One is called "The Five Love Languages" (There is a Men's addition)    by Gary Chapman. Another is called "Boundaries in Marriage" by Cloud & Townsend. Well, good luck to you!    


  2. it means to be scared of other religons and ways of life, and to be closed minded and refuse to accept other ideas of spirituality. Personally I Think that a lot can be learned from the bible and jesus, but the same can be said for other spiritual resources and teachers, as well as things in everyday life. I think that h**l was made up to scare people into abiding by the law (and it has worked for thousands of years,so congratulations early teachers of the law) but once you realise this you can do right for more than just the fear of the firey furnace.

  3. Catholic is not Christian. Catholic is false.

    h**l is eternal torment, and Jesus said it is.

    The only way to avoid being sent to h**l, is by believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    The Gospel of Jesus Christ:  The truth is that the only way to be saved and to get into heaven and avoid being sent to eternal h**l is by believing in faith alone that Jesus, who is God, died for our sins on the cross and rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Believe this and you are saved!

    Please pray now: "Jesus, please forgive me of my sins. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and You rose from the dead. Thank You for eternal life!" You will be in heaven with Him forever when you die :)

  4. This is one of those things that nearly every couple has to compromise on to some extent.  It sounds like h**l is the only religious issue on which your beliefs differ, so there really shouldn't be a problem.

  5. Fearful

    Ignorant

    Member of a mind control cult.

  6. I think man took this church thing the wrong way and totally missed Jesus' message.  All we do is sit around and worship, which is ok but more needs to be done.  We need to follow in Jesus' footsteps and carry out good deeds.  Help poor people, be kind and caring, lead an honest life of integrity.  Jesus knows if we truly love him so church is just a place to go to worship as a group.  But then that whole thing of communion comes up, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

    This is only done in mass.

  7. It means anointed nation

  8. hoooo boy where to start.

    To be Christian means to seek to live our lives as Christ lived his, in obedience to God. It also means we have accepted that Jesus gave his life to pay the price for our sins and we have accepted him as our Savior.

    To be obedient to God you have to know what he says and thus you need to read the bible. To help you understand the bible and how it applies to you today you need to be in Church.

    You were raised Catholic and so that is what you are familiar with but you did not say what his background was so that could be an issue between you. I would not be overly concerned with the problems the Catholic Church has had regarding sexual abuse, it happens everywhere, in and out of church. Be aware it can happen anywhere and take precautions but do not live in fear.

    Being Baptist I would of course council not going to a Catholic Church as there are some doctrinal issues I disagree with. If however you both have accepted Christ as your Savior then the rest is just window dressing really.

    This is a majorly deep issue and hard to cover completely here so if you have any questions feel free to contact me and ask away.

    edit

    And do not listen to any JW or Watchtower advocate. They are a cult that will lead you way off the path and destroy you.

  9. if you believe this whwhy would marriage be a major issue if your a sppiritual person than you will let him believe whatever he believes, god doesnt tell you personally that you have to believe in a specific religion! Society does thats the dispute with religion is according to whos preaching it you have to believe their way is the right wayor your going to h**l if your a spiritual person then let him believe what he believes why should it conflict with your beliefs Ill tell you why its the ego that needto be right so the other can be wrong, you still seem like you have along way to go before youre truely enlightened!

  10. this is what it means to be a Christian:  you acknowledge that you(all people) are a sinner. Jesus is God's son who came to earth, died on the cross, rose again; He did this for all mankind so that those who beleive this about Him will go to heaven.  all you have to do is ask forgiveness for sins(wrongdoing), ask Jesus into your heart and life. then go to a good bible teaching church so you can learn more about living your life to please God.  this info is all in the Bible.


  11. What it DOES mean to be a Christian nowadays and what it SHOULD mean are two completely different things.

    Christian simply means Christ-like. That's all you should strive to be if you choose to follow Christian beliefs.

  12. I am so sorry your experience with those who claim to be Christians is so confusing.  By definition a Christians is one who is a follower of Christ.  If those you are around who claim Christianity are not living as Christ would have them live, they are not truly Christians.  May I suggest that if you and your boyfriend want to be Christians then you together sit down and read the Bible together. Talk about what you learn together.  Try to forget what you were taught and have him try to do the same.  Learn the truth together and act accordingly.  This would be the best way to start a Christian family.

    One other thing.  This has to do with your living together and being sexually active.  Please consider that this is not the best environment for a long-term commitment to follow.  May I be so bold as to suggest that if you and he are planning for marriage that you stop being sexually active until after marriage.  If he is willing to wait for you, then he is worth waiting for.  If he threatens to go elsewhere for his "needs" then dump him like a rock -- he is not wanting to be Christian.

  13. You are right this is a major issue... And its very smart on both you and your boyfriend to consider this before marriage.  As far as what does it mean to be Christian...  Christ-like.. How to be Christ like?  Well, I strive to do so so let me tel you how to try..  First you got to know if you believe in God.  It sounds like you do then you know if you believe in the BIBLE. NExt, look in the BIBLE see how Jesus taught the appostles to be..  Search it out for yourself.. Everything he taught them is how he wants us to be... Notice Joel 2:28 " I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh." Jesus said before he died I will not leave you comfortless... The spirit came apon the waiting, praying disciples. Acts 2:4 There was a mighty revival in the book of Acts many thousands recieved the Holy Spirit.  God is still today pouring out his Spirit today.  and all you need to do to get it is follow What Peter told the people to do.. In Acts 2:38 The 3 Key things REPENT, BE BAPTIZED in JESUS name ( not in the titles father, son and Holyghost, but in His Name... If you are hungry for God do not push that off that is natural..

    Its sad to say, but Some churches do have problems, even catholic ones,but if you want to find a good one i can help.

    I pray everything works out for the both of you..

  14. Christian means Christ-Like......

  15. There are two schools of thought. One says all you have to do is say, "I believe Jesus to be the Christ". The other says you must Become Christ Like.

    What did Jesus do? He loved everyone. He forgave everyone. He prayed and meditated seeking ever only to do God's Will. He showed only gentleness,kindness, long suffering, brotherly love and patience with all He came in contact with. Jesus Is A Good Tree, He only bears Good Fruit.

    Not so the church. The church was founded with the intent of using the Masters Good Name to bend the minds of men so as they should give the church some of their money and power.The church teaches a false doctrine. The church has brought forth bad fruit since its inception, nothing good will ever come out of it. It's coffers are filled with the churches intent.

  16. You cannot possibly think of attending church while living together? The people might be imperfect but the institution, you have to believe, must be respected and honored.  What example are you setting for your possible children or other Christians?  How can you pick and choose like the gospel is a cafeteria plan?  Yes, I am ranting and probably need to shut up, and you have a right to do as you please.  My mind is on the breakdown of the family unit.  Lucifer is assaulting it and you have participated.  How can I get this through to people, he is tearing the family apart, the sacred organization.  A man leaves his parents and cleaves to his wife, what has happened out there?

  17. True Christians today should stand out for their distinctive way of life, just as they did in the first century. Accordingly, Jehovah’s Witnesses strive to adhere strictly to the precepts established by the first Christians. Their efforts to pattern their lives after the teachings of the Bible are noticed by others.

  18. two things.

    being a christian means being "christ like" living like him.

    in a relationship when you put god first everything else falls into place.advice; make him your top priority and all other problems will find a solution.

  19. To be honest with you, this is a major issue! I have been a Christian all my life. I tried to date a non-christian and let's just say that relationship didn't last very long... we had different views on morals, church, how to raise a family. You really need to ask your boyfriend what exactly he wants. Does he want his family to go to Church? Does he want to live by the Christian standards?

    If he does want to go to church, I would say you and him check out some churches. Go to a different one every Sunday for a month. Sounds like you had some bad experiences growing up, but not all churches are like this. I can wear pants, halter dresses, whatever i want! Try a non-denominational church, they are the most lenient.

    But seriously, this is a very important topic. You need to figure out if you and your boyfriend want the same thing in life before you decide to marry him! Been there... done that!

  20. ok, you want to know what it means to be a Christian.

    First of all, the root word of "Christian" is "Christ", and "-ian" as a postfix, gives the meaning "to be like" or "to be part of".  The point is, the word "Christian" is all about Christ Jesus.

    Secondly, it's true that Lord God Almighty is a God of love. That's why he incarnated Himself, and called Himself Jesus. "Christ" is a Greek word "Christos" which means "Anointed" and "Messaiah"...  Since God (Jesus) cursed His creation after Adam sinned (Gen 3), He promissed to redeem/save Mankind, practically in the same cursing breath.  Approx 4'000 years later, God incarnated Himself, called Himself Jesus.  Being fully God, He did His thing, age 33 He let Himself be crusified, for the sins of each and everyone who accepts His offer.

    Thirdly, the Crusifixion offers the opportunity to be saved from the CURSE of sin (Gen 3), layed on mankind.  That curse dooms everyone to h**l, by default {John 3:16-18}.  If you whish to escape that damnation, then you have to be Christian {Romans 10:9-13}.

    Fourthly, a Christian is someone who is "following the teachings or manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ" -- WordWeb5.  In order to become a Christian, you have to CONFESS Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart God (Jesus Himself) raised Him from the dead {Romans 10:9-13}.  It pointless to believe in a dead punk, like all other religions do.

    Fifthly, it's true MANY, and shamingly admit this, of which I am guilty myself, do SIN.  If you look closely at the teachings of Christ, then you would very quickly and clearly see, that He NEVER said you MUST be sinless in order to go to Heaven, He ALWAYS taught that the ONLY way to Heaven in through JESUS Himself.  You FAITH in Jesus to be the SON of God, being ALIVE at this very moment you are reading this text, and that He SAVED you from the curse of sin.  This is the only way to Heaven.

    Sixthly, regarding h**l.  Think on this: Why do every aspect of life have both a possitive and negative, except Heaven?  Batteries have a possitive and negative polarity, magnets as opposite poles (north and south), cars can move in opposite direction (forward and backward), life has opposites (alive and dead), people can be good or bad (opposites), day and night are opposites, fast and slow are oppisites.  Then, why would God be without an opposite, Satan? Then why would Heaven be free from an opposite, h**l?  Apart from the logical conclusion that Satan and h**l exist, Jesus Christ made it clear in His teachings regarding the existence of both.

    Seventhly, in conclusion, the only time where Christians be free from sin, is when they are in Heaven.  Then, and only then, they will be free from the possibility of sin...  Pathetic? Uhm, why do you WANT Christians sinless? Would that convince you to change your mind and leave the pleasures of this world?  While s*x and drugs give so much joy?  Or is addiction REALLY joyfull? {I ask from experience}  

    What I am saying is: The purpose of this life of yours, at the very moment, is to CHOOSE between accepting Jesus as your God and confess Him as such before any other (and go to Heaven), or condemn Him as lunatic and a selfcentered punk (and ultimately end up in h**l).  Christianity was from the beginning about the acceptence of Jesus as God and confess Him as Such, and NEVER been about laws and regulations.  It's true that from Genesis to Exodus contains 613 laws! As a Christian, believing and confessing and following Jesus, I know that when I do sin, and confess to God Jesus, He would forgive me.  Even though I do live a sinful life, I know I would go to Heaven, because the "narrow way" He spoke of, is this strict access to Heaven {John 3:16-18 and Romans 10:9-13}.

    I invite you sweetheart

    @}'-,-'-,-

    PS: I'm available for email correspondence

  21. h**l is real you better believe it  

  22. Christians who follow the teachings of Jesus are warm and embracing, like Jesus.

    The Paulianity fundies are hate filled and ignorant.  Yes, sad but true.  It is the ignorant fundies who think that Catholics are not Christians.  Now you tell me, do you want to be a part of hate like that?

    I agree with you, let your children decide for themselves what they believe and I pray it is not Christianity.

    You are correct, there is no h**l.

    *Special thanks to Chris for showing this lady just exactly what Paulianity is about*

    LOL!!!

    "May I be so bold as to suggest that if you and he are planning for marriage that you stop being sexually active until after marriage."

    LMAO!!!

    Now can anyone think of one logical reason why two people who love each other cannot make love?

    Just another example of how asinine religious dogma can be.  Man made c**p invented to use fear as a means of control.

    Here is some  more nonsense:

    "You cannot possibly think of attending church while living together? The people might be imperfect but the institution, you have to believe, must be respected and honored. What example are you setting for your possible children or other Christians?"

    Why are they so obsessed with the bedrooms of other people?  Is it because their own are boring?

  23. Ditto on how others commented, to be a Christian is to be Christ-like.  Therefore, you must study the word of God-The Bible and see how Jesus lived his life.  Most others commented that you must be saved, born again, etc, because the Bible says: "the only way to the Father (God) is through his Son (Jesus) you must believe that he died for your sins, and rose again and lives to day at the right hand of God.  

    It is good that you and your boyfriend are having these discussions because it means that you are beginning to examine your life and how you live it and what your future looks like, and what you want it to look like.  "Knock and the door shall be opened" says the Lord.  If you truly want the answers seek Jesus, he is waiting on you to ask Him.

    The other thing about Catholic vs. Christian.  Like I stated before the only way to the Father and to get into Heaven is through the acceptance and faith in Jesus Christ.  There are many Catholics who born-again Christians, and many people who call them selves Christians but are no born-again.  It is just about Jesus and his love for us.  As someone else said, check some churches out if you feel uncomfortable, try someplace else, God will add you to the right place if you truly want answers and are looking.

    The issue about h**l.  It is real!  There are many references about it throughout the Bible.  It is eternal damnation and separation from God.  The Bible refers to it as a "firey furnace, Lake of fire" and others I would have to look up.  Now, God is a God of love but he is also a God of Wrath and we should respectfully fear Him.  His desire is for each of us to choose Him, to choose Jesus, to choose a life that is separate from Sin. Will we ever be perfect, no! When we do that we are under his protection, we can have a relationship with Him, we can call Him, friend.  I'll tell you what I don't know how I ever lived without Jesus, but I am so happy I have accepted him as my Lord and Savior.  

  24. christian is just another word for believer so a christian is a believer in Jesus Christ , find out what Jesus said and believe , and Just like that you are a christian.

  25. a christian is believing in christ and loving him!!! and there is a h**l if ur not born again then you'll be going there sorry to freak you out but believe in messiah and believe the bible its awesome read the new testament first it helps you to understand more and go on nxlyouth.com its awesome hope this will help you

  26. Being christian means embracing your faith in God and Jesus, and living by his word (the bible). Religion does NOT make you a christian. A church helps to strengthen your spirituality but it is not something you need to become closer to God. You and your b/f should read the Bible together, try to decipher the way you should both try to live, for yourselves and for each other. It is better to know the to be ignorant, but beware of this because once you find out the truth, and figure out what is right from wrong, your ingorance will not save you. You will be held accountable for things you do wrong because you now know what is right. If this is a responsibity you and your b/fare willing to take on, then go for it. Amzing things will happen if you trust in the Lord.

  27. "If you continue in my Word, then are you my disciples indeed."

    (John.8:31)

    "If any one will come after me, let them deny themselves(ie: deny your own will), and take up their own cross(ie: carry their own load and the cargo of others) daily, and follow me."

    (Luke.9:23)

  28. Just because you had a bad experience in a Christian church, you shouldn't judge christians as a whole! I have been to many churches (all baptist) because my husband is in the army and we move a lot. Every church I have ever been a part of has been very acceptable to women wearing pants in church as long as what you wear is decent and not attention grabbing. The people that your cousins came in contact with were def no true Christians or those things wouldn't have been done. It is sad to say, but non-believers use God's house to find innocent people and also make believers look bad.

    I was born in a Christian family and have been a christian since I was 9. I strongly believe that you can't raise a family properly if you aren't on the same page with your beliefs. Also if you and your b/f are living together and having s*x then he needs to reconsider his relationship with Christ. It doesnt mean he isn't a Christian. It just means he isn't walking as close to the Lord as he should.

    Good Luck!

  29. Being or Becoming a christian means that you believe everything that the bible says is true and that you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins. You also have to say a pray thanking God for sending his son to die on the cross so that your sins could be forgivin and ask him to take over your life and let him lead you to the right descions. Being a christian also means you have a open relationship with god throught prayer and just talking to him on a regular basis. Sounds hard I know but once you get in the hang of it. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and try to work on the relationship.....thats it. You have excepeted a free gift. People who say that you have to try and earn your way to heaven are wrong. I no it sounds to good to be true but it is true.

    Hope it's clear.

  30. All Catholics are Christians but not all Christians are Catholic.

    Just be all you can be! God wants you to be happy in this short life.

    God love you!

  31. A true Christian is a follower of Christ, doing what he told us to do "Go make disciples". Find the humble who are teachable'  Feeding them spiritual food.

    s*x is for the marriage bed only. Proverbs chapters 1-5

    If you want a happy marriage is suggest you use this website

    http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/article_0...
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