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Am I a real Christian? See details....?
I am a Lutheran.
* I believe that Holy Communion is actually Jesus' real body and blood.
* I believe that when I confess my sins to my pastor and he gives me absolution, the words that he speaks are real forgiveness.
* If you ask me how I know that I am a Christian, my answer will be, "I know because I am baptized."
* If you ask me if I have accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I will say, "I don't use that kind of language; but Jesus has made me His, and that's far better than depending on any actions or choices of my own."
seeker of Holy God: Did you just stop at baptism and not read the rest? Hmmmm......
Just to clarify: I am not asking because I have any doubts; I am asking, to learn how people will react to the facts I gave.
kj7gs: Check out these pages:
Communion: http://www.cph.org/t-topic-catechism-altar.aspx
Confession & Absolution: http://www.cph.org/t-topic-catechism-confession.as...
The views I expressed are absolutely Lutheran doctrine.
10 Answers
- James OLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
Yes, Creed-believing baptized Lutherans are real and true Christians
as are all Creed-believing baptized (non-apostate)Trinitarians: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant
I note that some Fundamentalist Protestants seem to limit Christian only to Fundamentaist Ps or even their own particular group or experience
I did ask once"Am I Christian?" including my Catholic beliefs and practices( and professing Xp as Saviour, trusting Jesus as my sole boast and His grace as my sole merit,etc)
and was rejected as Christian by a number of FPs
Nowhere in the New testament does it define Christian as one who prayed the sinners' prayer (which is not in the Bible)or had some emotional experience of " accepting Jesus"( which i am in favour of and have had , but it is grace that makes one a Christian) and not resonding to an "altar call"( which does not involve, unfortunately either a real alter of Christ or Jesus as the Sacrament of the Altar: "whoever Eats my flesh...has eternal life")
- ccriderLv 71 decade ago
Holy Communion: I thought Lutherans believed that there was a presence "on, with, and under" but not in the elements. To me, this smacks of tying Jesus to man's conditions. I cannot do that. It's a mystery.
Confession: I don't think this is a Lutheran belief. However, I can see the logic in it. It beats the church finding out about your sin in the local paper or through gossip. Quite honestly, if your sin is something that would get you kicked out of church, best keep quiet if confession is a no-no. The inverse of this is group repentance with church police making sure your lips are moving during the prayer. The confessional solves a lot of problems, whether an absolution license is granted or not.
Baptism: whether it is performed on an adult or a child, there is always an assumption of faithfulness involved. Tell me you're baptized, and I'll assume you are faithful, or will come back to it if you have fallen away. Of course you get a hotter seat in Hell if you've been marked for Christ and spend your days embarrassing Him.
Accepting Jesus: I agree, salvation is not negotiated. It cannot be, or it makes God into a sniveling milquetoast praying to his own creation. He doesn't need salespeople to keep the program going. And, a diety who creates Hell and is sad to throw people in it, needs therapy for such contradictory behavior. Such a being is not worthy of worship in the least.
Oh. Yes, I'd call you a Christian. With some error, but you're baptized. And therefore teachable.
- Annsan_In_HimLv 71 decade ago
The first three don't prove anything other than what an individual might personally believe.
The last one is critical for determining if a person is a Christian or not. Anybody who does as is stated in John 1:12-13 has the right to call themselves a Christian. It's said there that:
"To all who received him [Jesus], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
"Receiving" Jesus, however, is not just a matter of saying some "sinner's prayer." That idea fills me with dread because it never warns people that the basis of judgement is whether we have broken God's perfect laws or not. We have all done that and, therefore, we all stand condemned with no hope of dealing with our guilt by our own efforts. That's the bad news. It has to be understood first before we can then see our utter need to flee to Christ, to be cleansed from our sins because of what He did. We dare not trust in any other means to have our sins 'hidden' from God's sight, as the two tablets of stone in the Ark of the Covenant were 'hidden' by the blood-splattered lid of the Ark on the Day of Atonement. We have to come 'under' the blood of Christ if we are to become children of God. I do agree with your reservations!
- Answerer #1Lv 61 decade ago
How would you answer the question: Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God?
I would disagree with some of the details of the practice of your religion (most notably the idea that the pastor could give you absolution...forgiveness comes directly from God, not through anyone).
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- 1 decade ago
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions,
Gal 5:21 envy, murder, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? Acts 19:2-6
- ShinigamiLv 71 decade ago
We can only go by the information we are given. We are given this information by people we trust and love, so it is imbedded within us more deeply. God takes all this and much more into consideration at the time of judgment. He is the one who will decide your heart's true condition. Not anyone here.
- ROBERT PLv 71 decade ago
To be a real Christian you have to belong to the Church established by Christ (Body of Christ) that possesses the fullness of the means of salvation. You have to confess your sins to a Catholic Priest to be absolved of your sins. (Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation)
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Sure dude whatever floats your boat...
Source(s): Your no crazier than the fundies, who will probably say your not a "real" christian