Comments on: “You’re not a Christian if…” (Part 1)

By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:17:40 +0000

Yes, I’m still planning to continue it. I just haven’t written the rest of it yet.

Thank you for the encouragement to finish it up.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

P. S. You probably saw this but in case you didn’t, I do have a part 2 already posted.
bondChristian\’s latest: 3 steps to creating your own version of how to make a friend

By: Human Nature

Human Nature — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:25:10 +0000

Thanks for your insights. The death and resurrection of Jesus is an important piece of any statement of faith or creed. I hope you will continue your series and tell us what the other elements of salvation are.
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By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 06:14:51 +0000

Yeah, that’s exactly why I started this series… to try and sort this out a bit. I only have up to the second part so far, but I’m looking forward to adding to it.

One of the biggest “secondary” beliefs that changed my thinking on all the others was the virgin birth. I totally believe that Mary, Jesus’s mother, had never had sex with a man prior to Jesus’s conception… and I think that’s pretty fundamental to Christian thought in general. But it’s not absolutely necessary. And I’m convinced of that because when I first accepted Jesus into my heart, I was only five years old. I didn’t even understand virginity. But I have no doubt that I actually did become a “Christian” in that moment.

From there, you’re right… it blows the doors right open because it reveals how gracious we can be with people who don’t believe the same things we do.

It means the rest of those beliefs, the “secondary” ones, only matter insofar as they help us know God more fully and help us minister to others. They might distance us from God if we mess them up, but they won’t disconnect us completely.

God’s cool like that, you know?

-Marshall Jones Jr.
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By: twistedxtian

twistedxtian — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:01:39 +0000

Perfect. There is a line and you stand on one side or the other. Now the tough part comes when you do decide to stand on the side of the line that is belief (even if lacking understanding). What comes next? What else is absolutely essential to being a Christian?

I view it as cake and icing. Belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus is part of the cake, an essential part of being a Christian. Whether you believe in a literal 7 day creation, or interpret it a little more figuratively is part of the icing (in my opinion). So see right here, we are already getting into opinions, and this is where I start to struggle. What else is required to stand on the side of the line that says, “Christian”?
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By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:08:58 +0000

Thanks, bro. It’s a good one to keep in mind.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: @bibledude

@bibledude — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:06:26 +0000

amen, brother, amen. you totally nailed it on this one.

By: Realizing

Realizing — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:07:46 +0000

[...] Christians, we know God exists, loves us, and sent His Son to die and come back to life for us. But we don’t realize it. Most of us don’t [...]

By: bondChristian

bondChristian — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:28:53 +0000

I hear you, man. I’ve working on a post for a while now about “realizing”… which I define similarly to how “belief” probably should be defined. Because yes, that’s the hard part, especially considering were pretty much guaranteed to not understand everything.

-Marshall Jones Jr.

By: Bernard Shuford

Bernard Shuford — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:45:19 +0000

Often, the “I believe it” versus the “I understand it” confounds me, because I’m an “understand it” kinda guy.

I do believe it, and sometimes I have to work harder than I would like to convince myself of that. Make sense? I’ve never seen the empty tomb, I’ve never seen Jesus walking around, I’ve never touched His scars, and I never saw Him fall under the cross. I didn’t see Him rise up into the sky, and sometimes, quite honestly, I subconsciously say to myself “Do I really even believe that?”

Yet, I know in my heart that I could never deny it, because I do believe it. My eternity is staked on it. I may look foolish sometimes, and I definitely don’t have all the answers. I can’t explain it, even to myself, and I don’t know how to flip the switch to help all the atheists also believe it. My trust is in Jesus Christ crucified and risen, even as screwed up as I am. Even in the times when I don’t feel so freaking spiritually “victorious”, whatever that is, I’m determined that I trust in Jesus Christ crucified and risen.

By: “You’re not a Christian if…” (Part 2)

“You’re not a Christian if…” (Part 2) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:13:57 +0000

[...] have to believe Jesus died then came back to life to be a Christian. I mean that literally, not like some metaphoric tale from a long time ago in a [...]