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Can an agnostic be a saved Christian?
I am asking this question only to those who know what I am talking about. An agnostic is one who does not think that anything can be known about God. The distinction is that they do not think it can be KNOWN about God. The issue it knowledge. Does belief in Jesus Christ necessitate knowing that He did what he claims and is who He claims? Can their be belief apart from knowledge? If not then what does it mean to believe with your whole heart? Thank you for those of you who know what you are talking about and have taken the time to answer. :)
EDIT:
He would claim to believe Christianity and to be a Christian, but not claim to know that Christianity is right from knowledge.
EDIT: I need more than a yes or no... What is the reason for your answer? Thank you those of you who have answered so far :)
thank you not myself right now and nondescript :) You are answering with some reasoning.
Thank you Didymus:
That is very close to what I am looking for. However, I may need to clarify a little more.
The person in question is educated with a minor in Bible and knows all the tenements of the Faith. Can the person be saved if he does not KNOW for certain that the Bible and all it teaches is true? He does chose to believe it and live his life in the way prescribed though.
Tyco:
I may be incorrect about what an agnostic is, but it seems to me that we really said the same thing. I am saying that an agnostic doubts the existence of God based on a lack of ability to Know that it exists. I do agree that it is a doubt about the existence of God, but I also infer the same doubt to the identity of the God that he believes (not knows) is the correct God.
Didymus:
Thanks for putting so much effort into answering this question I will vote your answer as best. Would could you clarify if my next statement summarizes what you are telling me?
This person (who is myself lol) can not truly believe without knowing (a mental understanding that is 100% certainty on the issue) that Jesus it the Truth and the way.
Also would you mind if I continue this discussion a little through the email you provided? I read your profile and you seem like a person I could glean incite from. I would be interested to hear these questions that you think will shake my faith. :)
Again thank you so much for the time you are putting into this.
7 Answers
- 9 years agoFavorite Answer
You cannot be agnostic (by definition) and a Christian at the same time.
Christ said that the top two most important commandants were to love the Lord with all your "heart" (which you said) soul MIND (which is the thing in question) and strength. and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.
I'm trying to wrap my mind around this, idea of "knowing" God without "Knowing about God". I don't think it's possible because you need to know that Jesus died for your sins and trust in His sacrifice in order to be a Christian.
If the alternative were true (if I'm reading you right) Christian's wouldn't need to evangelize about Christ.
Is that what you were looking for?
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Oh! I almost forgot your second question. To love God with all your heart is to love Him with all your passions. This puts Him as a desired (not necessarily successful at first but it can happen or else Jesus wouldn't have said it, but only through the Holy Spirit) uppermost desire. This isn't an obligation anymore but something you want with your everything. It's intense!
Didymus
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Response
The problem here is that if the person in question is truly believing in Christ then He would know that He is the only way (Jesus said that, but I don't remember where, I can google it if you want).
I don't know if your bud is going to heaven or hell. Unfortunately we can't know his heart. God does- but from what I can tell his foundation isn't very stable right now.
I could shake His faith pretty easy with a few questions and he could denounce God if He doesn't know it to be true. Your friend is missing out on the attributes as things are. He will be tossed around like the waves of the sea. How can He make disciples when He himself doesn't know the Bible to be 100% true? If claims to say that He does know that then He has to accept what I said earlier thus making your friend not agnostic.
Source(s): Jesus Questions: nin10dotom@yahoo.com - nondescriptLv 79 years ago
Sure, you can believe in the Christian mythos while acknowledging that none of it is actually demonstrable. Religious agnosticism is reflected by statements such as, "God works in mysterious ways", "You cannot know the mind of God", or "You have to have faith". All are acknowledgments that "God" is not something for which you can present evidence. It is something that people believe more for emotional reasons than logical ones. An unfounded belief or unprovable belief is still a belief.
Religion is superstition, but that does not stop people from believing it.
- 9 years ago
YES, I guess they could be saved...BUT. I do have to correct you... An Agnostics is one who DOUBTS the existence of god, it has nothing to do with... WHAT is known about God. There is a lot KNOWN about God, Agnostics want PROOF of God. So with that being said... It would depend on the individual and what proof they found for themselves, that would make them believe.
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- 9 years ago
Not really. Agnostics say we can't possibly know one way or the other. Christians are supposed to "know" with every fibre of their being.
- Anonymous9 years ago
no cuz when he is saved he will say he is a Christian.