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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/5/2008 6:28:40 PM
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fist.sensei
Posts: 126
Joined: 2/29/2008
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quote:
ORIGINAL: URForgiven
Christianity is the restoration of the Spirit of God within man.
I agree with this one.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/6/2008 12:59:57 AM
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Sammy_S
Posts: 512
Joined: 10/6/2007
From: Brampton,Ontario
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Little_1
Please define Christianity in one short sentence?
I am a wretch before a Holy God,His Holy son chose to die in my place to appease the wrath of his father and through faith in what he has done for me I am saved.
The next question is that how do you know if you have faith in him?
_____________________________
Christ saved you from the wrath of an almighty God. Hell is just a revelation of that. I always tell people this. God saved you from Himself, God saved you for Himself and God saved you by Himself."
Paul Washer
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/6/2008 2:07:41 AM
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GraceBro
Posts: 340
Joined: 12/17/2005
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"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27
Grace and Peace
_____________________________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GraceRest/
www.livinggodministries.net
http://360.yahoo.com/idog96
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/6/2008 2:55:31 PM
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Little_1
Posts: 1227
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Sammy_S
quote:
ORIGINAL: Little_1
Please define Christianity in one short sentence?
I am a wretch before a Holy God,His Holy son chose to die in my place to appease the wrath of his father and through faith in what he has done for me I am saved.
The next question is that how do you know if you have faith in him?
After almost 22 years as a Christian, I have found that 'Surrender' is the key to a Christ-like life. The Holy Spirit cannot work with us if we are full of our own desires and self-will. We may be Christians for years and yet know nothing of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives beyond salvation. This has been the REALITY of my Christian experience for the past 20 or so years - failure, disillusionment and disappointment with myself.
Last year (July) I came to the point in my life where I was fed up being a mediocre Christian with no power over sin in my life. This is not how God intended it to be and I was convinced of that. I have been a Christian since 1986. Going to church; praying; reading the Bible and trying my very best to be a good Christian but powerless in the face of many sins! I could stand it no longer. Surely God didn't send Jesus to die for my sin and leave me after salvation??? No that wasn't true because I had seen God do many things for me since I trusted Jesus as my Saviour from sin but yet remained powerless to do what the Bible teaches me.
One afternoon, I told God in prayer how I was feeling - warts and all. I was completely honest with Him. He wouldn't be shocked because He knows everything about me anyway I figured.
I told God that I wanted my life to count for something in His Kingdom. I wanted to be more Christ like and yet have never been able to achieve such. I told Him I felt like a massive failure and disappointment to Him.
I cried out to God to change me. To work in my life so that others would see something of the Father's love. I asked God to take complete control of my life and give me His desires in place of my own no matter what that may mean - just so long as my life would become a blessing to others for His glory.
About a week or so after this, there was a terrible accident. My hubby was involved in this accident and although he was not injured, a young person died. This whole sad event has turned our lives upside down. We are now in a situation where we don't know what our future holds and where once my husband's employment seemed secure for life - we are now faced with the possibility of this being terminated.
Suddenly, everything we have worked hard for all our married life and put our trust in to always be there is no longer a reality. We thought money was a safeguard but even that is threatened to disappear.
Our lives have been cruelly crossed in another families lives and we are not allowed to contact them to say how terribly sorry we are because of investigations. The media has been less than kind and reported many untruths and made a sad situation a really bad situation.
Everything we counted as security is in danger of being stripped away. Add to this the terrible burden that a young and precious life has been lost and the weight is a heavy load. However, the Lord has shared our burdens and sustained us during this awful time and I can honestly say that the Lord has been a tower of strength to us. God has led me by His Spirit to realise the power there is in praise, prayer and His Word (and the promises contained therein) - His Word has become more precious than anything I own.
Over the months since the accident, my husband was amazed how I have managed to remain calm in what is the worst thing that has ever happened to us as a couple. A few months ago, my hubby trusted the Lord himself - something that would never have happened had God not worked by His Holy Spirit and brought good out of bad - Hallelujah.
God is faithful - God is totally reliable - God is the best person to surrender your life entirely to because He knows the future. Even in the midst of this storm I can praise Him for His faithfulness and thank Him that He is teaching me wonderful truths and giving us great strength in the middle of this storm.
I may not know what lies in the future but thankfully I know who holds the future and He has allowed this accident to happen in our lives for good reason. God never allows anything in the lives of His children unless it can be used for a greater good and blessing.
The day I realised that God is not just the God of my Salvation but the God of my sanctificatation, I realised that to surrender to God in everything is the only way to bring the Holy Spirit power into every situation I can face or be challenged with - that day was the biggest turning point in my growth as a Christian. It is no longer myself who is trying to work out good in my life but the Holy Spirit at work in me. I have found that this is not a once and for all process but that I need to empty myself daily and ask God to fill me with His Spirit afresh each day to think and do as He would and to meet each day's challenges and whatever else He wants to teach me. When I don't surrender my will to God daily, I find that I end up taking steps backwards and so I know now that surrendering my desires, ambitions, responses to things and situations, (everything) etc daily is what I have to do to please God.
I am proving the Holy Spirit in the face of adversity. I have testified of the faithfulness of God and the deep peace and even joy He gives despite our circumstances. One Christian woman broke down in tears and told me the Lord is challenging her in her relationship with Him because of watching my life and testimony over these past few months (something I was totally oblivious to). That is God's Holy Spirit working through a willing and surrendered channel. I do not boast in myself because that is ugly - but I do believe the Lord took me at my word when I realised that I needed to surrender my life to him in everything all these months ago.
I cannot imagine what it would have been like if God in His great mercy did not lead me to this realization of His Holy Spirit power working through an emptied channel - I just would not have coped. I thank and praise God for keeping our heads held up through all of this and although I don't know what the future holds - I believe the Lord is working out His plan.
To God be the glory and praise His precious Holy name.
Little_1
< Message edited by Little_1 -- 4/6/2008 3:11:50 PM >
_____________________________
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." ROMANS 12:12
Testimony
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/6/2008 4:28:49 PM
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Sammy_S
Posts: 512
Joined: 10/6/2007
From: Brampton,Ontario
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Little_1
quote:
ORIGINAL: Sammy_S
quote:
ORIGINAL: Little_1
Please define Christianity in one short sentence?
I am a wretch before a Holy God,His Holy son chose to die in my place to appease the wrath of his father and through faith in what he has done for me I am saved.
The next question is that how do you know if you have faith in him?
After almost 22 years as a Christian, I have found that 'Surrender' is the key to a Christ-like life. The Holy Spirit cannot work with us if we are full of our own desires and self-will. We may be Christians for years and yet know nothing of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives beyond salvation. This has been the REALITY of my Christian experience for the past 20 or so years - failure, disillusionment and disappointment with myself.
Last year (July) I came to the point in my life where I was fed up being a mediocre Christian with no power over sin in my life. This is not how God intended it to be and I was convinced of that. I have been a Christian since 1986. Going to church; praying; reading the Bible and trying my very best to be a good Christian but powerless in the face of many sins! I could stand it no longer. Surely God didn't send Jesus to die for my sin and leave me after salvation??? No that wasn't true because I had seen God do many things for me since I trusted Jesus as my Saviour from sin but yet remained powerless to do what the Bible teaches me.
One afternoon, I told God in prayer how I was feeling - warts and all. I was completely honest with Him. He wouldn't be shocked because He knows everything about me anyway I figured.
I told God that I wanted my life to count for something in His Kingdom. I wanted to be more Christ like and yet have never been able to achieve such. I told Him I felt like a massive failure and disappointment to Him.
I cried out to God to change me. To work in my life so that others would see something of the Father's love. I asked God to take complete control of my life and give me His desires in place of my own no matter what that may mean - just so long as my life would become a blessing to others for His glory.
About a week or so after this, there was a terrible accident. My hubby was involved in this accident and although he was not injured, a young person died. This whole sad event has turned our lives upside down. We are now in a situation where we don't know what our future holds and where once my husband's employment seemed secure for life - we are now faced with the possibility of this being terminated.
Suddenly, everything we have worked hard for all our married life and put our trust in to always be there is no longer a reality. We thought money was a safeguard but even that is threatened to disappear.
Our lives have been cruelly crossed in another families lives and we are not allowed to contact them to say how terribly sorry we are because of investigations. The media has been less than kind and reported many untruths and made a sad situation a really bad situation.
Everything we counted as security is in danger of being stripped away. Add to this the terrible burden that a young and precious life has been lost and the weight is a heavy load. However, the Lord has shared our burdens and sustained us during this awful time and I can honestly say that the Lord has been a tower of strength to us. God has led me by His Spirit to realise the power there is in praise, prayer and His Word (and the promises contained therein) - His Word has become more precious than anything I own.
Over the months since the accident, my husband was amazed how I have managed to remain calm in what is the worst thing that has ever happened to us as a couple. A few months ago, my hubby trusted the Lord himself - something that would never have happened had God not worked by His Holy Spirit and brought good out of bad - Hallelujah.
God is faithful - God is totally reliable - God is the best person to surrender your life entirely to because He knows the future. Even in the midst of this storm I can praise Him for His faithfulness and thank Him that He is teaching me wonderful truths and giving us great strength in the middle of this storm.
I may not know what lies in the future but thankfully I know who holds the future and He has allowed this accident to happen in our lives for good reason. God never allows anything in the lives of His children unless it can be used for a greater good and blessing.
The day I realised that God is not just the God of my Salvation but the God of my sanctificatation, I realised that to surrender to God in everything is the only way to bring the Holy Spirit power into every situation I can face or be challenged with - that day was the biggest turning point in my growth as a Christian. It is no longer myself who is trying to work out good in my life but the Holy Spirit at work in me. I have found that this is not a once and for all process but that I need to empty myself daily and ask God to fill me with His Spirit afresh each day to think and do as He would and to meet each day's challenges and whatever else He wants to teach me. When I don't surrender my will to God daily, I find that I end up taking steps backwards and so I know now that surrendering my desires, ambitions, responses to things and situations, (everything) etc daily is what I have to do to please God.
I am proving the Holy Spirit in the face of adversity. I have testified of the faithfulness of God and the deep peace and even joy He gives despite our circumstances. One Christian woman broke down in tears and told me the Lord is challenging her in her relationship with Him because of watching my life and testimony over these past few months (something I was totally oblivious to). That is God's Holy Spirit working through a willing and surrendered channel. I do not boast in myself because that is ugly - but I do believe the Lord took me at my word when I realised that I needed to surrender my life to him in everything all these months ago.
I cannot imagine what it would have been like if God in His great mercy did not lead me to this realization of His Holy Spirit power working through an emptied channel - I just would not have coped. I thank and praise God for keeping our heads held up through all of this and although I don't know what the future holds - I believe the Lord is working out His plan.
To God be the glory and praise His precious Holy name.
Little_1
Wow to God be the Glory!It is indeed true when the bible says that to those who love the Lord all things end up for good..Thank you for sharing that it inpires me to follow my Lord even more so.
But I would like to add that I hope you don't think that I was questioning your salvation,I wasnt sure if you were a person who was thinking about salvation or a person who was already saved and asking the question so i threw out the question so that my answer may not confuse anyone.
_____________________________
Christ saved you from the wrath of an almighty God. Hell is just a revelation of that. I always tell people this. God saved you from Himself, God saved you for Himself and God saved you by Himself."
Paul Washer
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/6/2008 7:05:39 PM
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URForgiven
Posts: 929
Joined: 3/22/2008
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Little_1
After almost 22 years as a Christian, I have found that 'Surrender' is the key to a Christ-like life.
To God be the glory and praise His precious Holy name.
Little_1
Amen sister. We must die to ourselves, our self effort, and allow the Holy Spirit to conform us into the image of Jesus. What is impossible for us is so very easy for God. God is good!
_____________________________
"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/6/2008 7:10:03 PM
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Prairiehiker
Posts: 1407
Joined: 12/11/2007
Status: offline
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It's a world view designed by God as lived by Jesus Christ.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/7/2008 2:58:45 PM
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rcjames
Posts: 5245
Joined: 7/15/2005
From: Oklahoma
Status: offline
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quote:
Define Christianity?
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
A Christian is obedeint to the New Testament (all of it without question) or that person is something; but not a Christian.
Thanks
RC
_____________________________
Just a country Preacher's humble opinion
Read the first chapter of my latest book here;
http://www.deliveranceofsara.com
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/7/2008 3:08:14 PM
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blue1914
Posts: 415
Joined: 6/21/2005
Status: offline
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Deuteronomy 6:4-5
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
It's a long sentence, but it answers the question.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/16/2008 1:01:51 AM
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mikemattice
Posts: 2
Joined: 4/16/2008
Status: offline
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 One short sentence... wow, brevity's never been my strength... okay, here goes:
God restored us to Him, through Jesus' sacrifice, because He loves us and wants to be with us.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/16/2008 3:18:19 AM
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TheHermit
Posts: 7
Joined: 4/16/2008
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Walker311
Losing self completely in Him.
Could you please explain what you mean by losing self. That hit me as very new age. I don't remember anything about losing ourselves in God as being a part of Christianity. Shouldn't we find ourselves in Him? Shouldn't we find who God created us to be in Him? Maybe I have misunderstood what you were saying, or taken it too philosophically.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/16/2008 7:15:56 AM
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makarizo
Posts: 2934
Joined: 4/13/2005
Status: online
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these definitions are all great, but unfortunately the definitions of the word Christianity (or in some cases x-ianity) are shared, diverse, rampant, convenient, twisted, stylized, idealized, overlooked, divisive, sometimes ridiculous,
it can be so 'off course' that I have observed that when someone tells me "yeah.... I'm a Christian" it doesn't always mean what it is supposed to mean.
I tell people I am a believer, but rarely say "yeah i am a Christian".
if I said that, I have no idea what they would hear.
< Message edited by doer -- 4/16/2008 7:40:15 AM >
_____________________________
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/19/2008 12:00:09 AM
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Prairiehiker
Posts: 1407
Joined: 12/11/2007
Status: offline
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I rarely say I'm a Christian. I say I'm a Christ follower. When non Christians hear the word "christian" all they hear is religion. Saying that I'm a Christ follower might open up the conversation more to what and who it is that I'm actually following.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/19/2008 12:59:00 PM
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yustme
Posts: 399
Joined: 5/2/2007
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Walker311
Losing self completely in Him.
To be Christ like.These two go together perfectly.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/19/2008 2:04:22 PM
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Carleejoan
Posts: 968
Joined: 9/1/2007
From: Canada
Status: offline
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You can know for sure where you're going after death as Jesus promised eternal life. People who are not practicing believers say "you can never know for sure." Well once you've made that decision to trust Christ as your Lord and Saviour you have that assurance and nothing can take that away.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/19/2008 2:27:26 PM
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Ephesians4_32
Posts: 1795
Joined: 4/30/2005
From: The Crossroads of America
Status: offline
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I would define Christianity as the Gospel of Christ.
Galatians 1
8But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
2 Corinthians 4
3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/19/2008 8:35:54 PM
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Dakotasunbeam
Posts: 1039
Joined: 6/2/2005
From: Midwest USA
Status: offline
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Follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/24/2008 10:38:11 PM
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missleyna
Posts: 19
Joined: 4/23/2008
From: Virginia
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Little_1
Please define Christianity in one short sentence?
There's two songs:
"God is in control" (add: of my life).
Or
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path"
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/25/2008 9:19:50 AM
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SinnerSaved
Posts: 306
Joined: 10/28/2007
From: Belfast, N. Ireland
Status: offline
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quote:
Define Christianity?
'I'm just a sinner, saved by grace. When I stood condemned to death - He took my place. Now I live and breath in freedom with each breath of life I take. I'm loved and forgiven. I'm back with the living. I'm just a sinner, saved by grace.'
_____________________________
"No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."
John Donne
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RE: Define Christianity? - 4/25/2008 9:33:16 AM
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drmark
Posts: 3265
Joined: 7/10/2006
Status: offline
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quote:
quote:
Define Christianity?
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
A Christian is obedient to the New Testament (all of it without question) or that person is...not a Christian.
Amen, Brother James! I also like Christ's statement in Matt 7:21 - "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."
_____________________________
Jeremiah 31:31-34. The time is NOW, fellow saints!
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RE: Define Christianity? - 5/2/2008 7:08:53 AM
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pmilst
Posts: 60
Joined: 2/22/2008
Status: offline
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Christians were 1st called Christians at Antioch due to their Christ likeness, so Christianity can most easily be defined as those who are most like Christ in word and deed.
Sorry that it took a long sentence.
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