What is a Christian?

I used to be a Christian but I began to lose my faith and eventually realized that I no longer believed the same things that Christians believe about the meaning of Jesus' life and what they believe about themselves [and the afterlife] as a result of their faith in Jesus.

I finally came to terms with the fact that my faith was gone and I was longer able to self-identify as a Christian. This happened prior to when I started posting here.

A Christian is defined by his or her beliefs with regard to the life, death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

A Christian believes that God sent his son Jesus, the messiah, to save the world.

A Christian believes that Jesus was crucified and died in order to offer the forgiveness of sins and the opportunity for "salvation".

A Christian believes that Jesus rose from the dead and later ascended to heaven.

A Christian believes these things and endeavours to obey God's commandments, including those that Jesus is believed to have stipulated while he was alive, and demonstrate, by doing good works, that their faith is not dead.

This is an answer to Eladar's request on another thread.

@fmf said
I used to be a Christian but I began to lose my faith and eventually realized that I no longer believed the same things that Christians believe about the meaning of Jesus' life and what they believe about themselves [and the afterlife] as a result of their faith in Jesus.

I finally came to terms with the fact that my faith was gone and I was longer able to self-identify as a ...[text shortened]... od works, that their faith is not dead.

This is an answer to Eladar's request on another thread.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

Matthew 7 : 15-20
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Here is Eladar's definition of a Christian:

God decides what is good and what is evil. What is good today could be evil tomorrow based on God's plan. Therefore you cannot judge any action on your own as good or evil. You will never know for sure if what you do is good or evil, God will decide that. If you are a Christian then you will agree with God about what is good and what is evil. Others will claim to know good and evil but be wrong. Only God knows who is who. So who is a Christian? Just goes to show you have no clue about reality.

The word "Jesus" does not appear in his definition of a Christian.

So the question remains: Can one seriously define what a Christian is without reference to Jesus?

@fmf said
Here is Eladar's definition of a Christian:

[b]God decides what is good and what is evil. What is good today could be evil tomorrow based on God's plan. Therefore you cannot judge any action on your own as good or evil. You will never know for sure if what you do is good or evil, God will decide that. If you are a Christian then you will agree with God about what is good and w ...[text shortened]...

So the question remains: Can one seriously define what a Christian is without reference to Jesus?

Perhaps the JWs can. I cannot.

Does a Christian want to be operationally defined? Is it important to know that you are strictly adhering to the criteria required or is it important to try and find something for your own individual self with reference to a particular set of spiritual stories, ideals or philosophies? (If the lack of tone of voice comes over as anything other than genuine enquiry then please note this asked respectfully with no agenda!)

@petewxyz said
Does a Christian want to be operationally defined? Is it important to know that you are strictly adhering to the criteria required or is it important to try and find something for your own individual self with reference to a particular set of spiritual stories, ideals or philosophies?

No one is preventing you from subscribing to whatever spiritual stories, ideals or philosophies you want. Every one of us is free to try and find something for our own individual selves. Because I do not subscribe to the core Christian beliefs above, as I once did, I do not self-identify as a Christian. If you also do not subscribe to the core Christian beliefs above, and wish to self-identify as a Christian, then that is your prerogative.

@petewxyz said
Does a Christian want to be operationally defined?

"Operationally"? Well, if by that you mean what activities ["operations"?] they carry out, what they do, and what the substance of walking the Christian walk is, then that's not really what the five Christian beliefs about Jesus Christ [listed above] are about. You are leaning towards a different topic, methinks.

If a Christian wants their Christian life to be "operationally defined", without any reference to Christ - or if they believe that those five beliefs regarding Christ are "fluff", like Eladar does - then so be it.

They say there are 40,000 Christian denominations. Maybe there's a 40,001st one ~ of which Eladar is a member ~ which dismisses the five beliefs in Jesus as "meaningless".

@fmf said
I used to be a Christian but I began to lose my faith and eventually realized that I no longer believed the same things that Christians believe about the meaning of Jesus' life and what they believe about themselves [and the afterlife] as a result of their faith in Jesus.

I finally came to terms with the fact that my faith was gone and I was longer able to self-identify as a ...[text shortened]... od works, that their faith is not dead.

This is an answer to Eladar's request on another thread.

Succinctly, a Christian is one who believes God.

@secondson said
Succinctly, a Christian is one who believes God.

Eladar rejects the five core beliefs that define a Christian listed in the OP as being "wrong", "fluff", "gibberish" and "meaningless".

Do you reject them also?

See: Thread 184585

And: Thread 184601

@secondson said
Succinctly, a Christian is one who believes God.

Too succinct and therefore not helpful.

A Jew "is one who believes God" too.

And a Muslim "is one who believes God" also.

I cannot see how one can define a Christian ~ even succinctly ~ without reference to Jesus Christ.

@secondson said
Succinctly, a Christian is one who believes God.

So everyone who believes in any God.

Cool.

@fmf said
Eladar rejects the five core beliefs that define a Christian listed in the OP as being "wrong", "fluff", "gibberish" and "meaningless".

Do you reject them also?

See: Thread 184585

And: Thread 184601

I read the threads, and your accusation that Eladar "rejects" your so-called "five core beliefs" is baseless.

Try to stay focused. I merely made a generalized statement about defining what a Christian is. Simply and straightforwardly, a Christian is one who believes God.

It starts there.

@divegeester said
So everyone who believes in any God.

Cool.

How many Gods do you think there are?

@secondson said
I read the threads, and your accusation that Eladar "rejects" your so-called "five core beliefs" is baseless.

You are mistaken.

@fmf said
Too succinct and therefore not helpful.

Succinctness is clarity.