Cedric asked in another forum within MSDAOL, "What are the fundamentals of following Christ on which we must agree in order to call ourselves "Christians"?

As a result of that question, I have created a new topic to focus on answering that question here.

The Faith I Live By---- Conversion And The New Life-----PG- 130

The question you need to put to yourselves is, "Am I a Christian?" To be a Christian is to be far more than many understand. It means more than simply having your name upon the church records. It means to be joined to Christ. It means to have simple faith, unwavering reliance upon God. It means to have childlike confidence in your heavenly Father through the name and merit of His dear Son. Do you love to keep the commandments of God, because the commandments
of God are God's precepts, the transcript of His character, and can no more be altered than can the character of God? Do you respect and love the law of Jehovah?"

In Heavenly Places--- True to Our Name----PG- 57

We bear the name of Christian. Let us be true to this name. To be a Christian means to be Christlike. It means to follow Christ in self-denial, bearing aloft His banner of love, honoring Him by unselfish words and deeds. In the life of the true Christian there is nothing of self--self is dead. There was no selfishness in the life that Christ lived while on this earth. Bearing our nature, He lived a life wholly devoted to the good of others. . . . In word and deed Christ's followers are to be pure and true. In this world--a world of iniquity and corruption--Christians are to reveal the attributes of Christ. All they do and say is to be free from selfishness...."

Amen Charlene.

To me to be a Christian means to be Christ like in everything I do, say, and feel, etc. To follow Jesus is all that He requires of me. A Christian will be happy to keep and follow ALL His commands.

To enlarge a little on the intent of the question, I want to know what teachings, doctrines, dogma, beliefs, etc., are those on which we all must agree, ie. subscribe to or adhere to, to be called "Christian".

One for example, is found in I John 5:5 "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." So we must believe that the historical man "Jesus" was in fact, in some way, the Son of God, and Divine. (There are other texts to support this, but that is not the purpose of this post.)

We cannot simply offer opinion for a definition of Christianity, since by this process anyone who wants to claim Christianity may set up their own criteria and claim the name.

If we all believe in a Power outside of and above ourselves to which we must adhere, what does this power define as "Christianity"

Therefore, having said that, and without going into the reasons thereof, I personally subscribe to Scripture as that Authority and prefer to see responses supported by such.

We must believe.

quote:

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Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

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I think I have presented enough references to show from the Bible that belief is on of the true and required fundamentals in order to be called a Christian, however, it is important on not just on whom we believe but also on how we believe as the following verse confirms:

quote:

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James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

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I think I said enough in this post.

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Formatting corrections only. - Daryl

[ September 14, 2004, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: Daryl Fawcett ]

We can say "I believe " until the cows come home but until we know what it means "to believe" we have nothing but cheap Grace. Now we need to know how is this belief manifested and what does it mean "to believe.

Cedric: To post quotes from the SOP is not voicing an opinion. It is the word of God through the Last Day Prophet, Ellen White. Her words are truth.

Faith and Works---- Obedience and Sanctification ----PG- 89

" From the pulpits of today the words are uttered: "Believe, only believe. Have faith in Christ; you have nothing to do with the old law, only trust in Christ." How different is this from
the words of the apostle who declares that faith without works is dead. He says, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22). We must have
that faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Many seek to substitute a superficial faith for uprightness of life and think through this to obtain salvation."

Lots of religions believe that if they "believe", they can keep on sinning and still be saved.....that is why we need to show how belief is manifested.

That being said, I completely agree that we must believe. The question actually is what must we believe. If someone goes to church on Saturday and another goes to church on Sunday, is this critical to salvation? If one believes the dead sleep and another believes they go to heaven, is this critical to salvation?

It is critical to salvation if....

If the Truth of the Sabbath has been brought to their mind and they denied it and died in that state.

Romans 3:20
Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

The Bible has given us not 9 commandments, but ten. If we know the Truth and do not keep it, then how can we expect God to take us to heaven when we don't even love Him enough to follow His will for us. The truth of the matter is that we would not even be happy there if we are not willing to follow Him here. For there we will not sin. Is not keeping the 7th day sabbath a sin? The Bible says that sin is the transgretion of the law. So yes, it would be a sin if we know that Truth of the Sabbath. And that makes it a Salvation issue.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

With this said, there will however be many people that lived their life close to God that knew not the Sabbath truth, being deceived by their leaders. But their "relationship" with God was good and God will indeed save them. There will be many we are told, that will have their first Sabbath on the way to heaven. So we know from that, that there good solid Christians who have never seens the SAbbath truth but they will be saved.

However, "James 4:17
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin".

The difference is if we know better.

I saw that God's people were coming into the unity of the faith, and those that believe that the seventh day is the Sabbath, are united in their views and understanding of the Bible truths in all important points and that they believe and speak the same things. But those who oppose the seventh day Sabbath are cut up and divided; there are hardly two agreed. One comes forward in opposition to the Sabbath commandment and declares it to be thus and so, and at the conclusion calls it settled. Then a second comes up and tears the first down, and declares it to be some other way. But they will not have it, any of them, that the seventh day is the Sabbath. They do not agree among themselves, but are blind and dishonest and are standing out against the Sabbath commandment. {6MR 169.1}

The mystery of iniquity, which had already begun to work in Paul's day, will continue its work until it be taken out of the way at our Lord's second coming. The climax of the working of iniquity will soon be reached. When the land which the Lord provided as an asylum for his people, that they might worship him according to the dictates of their own consciences, the land over which for long years the shield of Omnipotence has been spread, the land which God has favored by making it the depository of the pure religion of Christ,--when that land shall, through its legislators, abjure the principles of Protestantism, and give countenance to Romish apostasy in tampering with God's law,--it is then that the final work of the man of sin will be revealed. Protestants will throw their whole influence and strength on the side of the Papacy; by a national act enforcing the false Sabbath, they will give life and vigor to the corrupt faith of Rome, reviving her tyranny and oppression of conscience. Then it will be time for God to work in mighty power for the vindication of his truth. {ST, June 12, 1893 par. 12}

The Sabbath is a test of the last days. Will we stand? If we know the truth and do not follow it......will it be a Salvation issue then?

Heading Home

There are those who understand the argument in favor of 7th day observance but are honestly not convinced. They firmly, and in good faith, accept Sunday as their day of worship.

(PLEASE, let's not make this into a debate on Saturday vs. Sunday. That is not the intent of the question.)

The point is, some intelligent, honest people, sincerely seeking to do God's will, hold ideas counter to SDA theology. Are these people "Christians". This is the original question. On what fundamentals must we agree?

If we (individually, you and I) want people to grant us the position that we are intelligent, sincere, and honestly seeking to follow God's will, we must grant this same assumption to others who also claim to be "Christian". To say they are "not sincere" or "misguided" is, first of all, not to understand either them or their position, and second, is theologically dishonest, as it makes any and every position subject to our own personal system.