Is there such as a thing as a non-practicing Christian?

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Is there such a thing as a "non-practicing Christian?"

  • Yes

    Votes: 3 25.0%

  • No

    Votes: 9 75.0%
  • Total voters
    12
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Not open for further replies.
O

oopsies

Guest
#1
#1
My first thread-starter in this forum! ^_^

I have some friends who call themselves "non-practicing Christians." I said, there's no such thing but they insist that it can be that they believe there is a God and that there was a Jesus. I said, that's not enough to make you a Christian. Sadly, I didn't elaborate more on it though in retrospect, I probably should've, eh?

So, here's the poll. Do you think there is such a thing as a "non-practicing Christian?" What do you say to those who claim to be a non-practicing Christian (for whichever view you hold)?
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

Banned
#2
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
23
0
#2
No, because being a xtian is not about practicing to be one it's about actually being.
 
C

concernedguy

Guest
#3
#3
MahogonySnail said:
No, because being a xtian is not about practicing to be one it's about actually being.
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I never like the X sign replacing Christ name. It is a form of disrespect to me. I would never
use an X to replace anyone elses name and definitely not my Savior's Name. I know they
say it stands for the cross but if Christ had wanted His Name spelled that way, He would have
done it without our help.

Christ's Name is Xed out too much already. I never understood why Christians help X it out more.
 
C

concernedguy

Guest
#4
#4
oopsies said:
My first thread-starter in this forum! ^_^

I have some friends who call themselves "non-practicing Christians." I said, there's no such thing but they insist that it can be that they believe there is a God and that there was a Jesus. I said, that's not enough to make you a Christian. Sadly, I didn't elaborate more on it though in retrospect, I probably should've, eh?

So, here's the poll. Do you think there is such a thing as a "non-practicing Christian?" What do you say to those who claim to be a non-practicing Christian (for whichever view you hold)?
Click to expand...

There is only one view - God's!
As a Christian, you don't have a view. You have God's view. There is no other.

You can't be a non-practicing Christian because there is no such thing as a practicing Christian. You
are either of Christ or you are not. Christ said if I am in you and you are in Me, keep My commandments.
Christ said if you love me keep my commandments. Obviously they don't love Christ and just think
playing "pretend Christian" is cool since there is no such thing as a non-practicing Christian.
You either are a Christian or you aren't. Christ said you are either for Me or against Me. There is
no middle ground.
Satan is a non-practicing Christian if there were such a thing. Satan believes there is a God and that
there IS - not was - a Jesus. Even satan knows more than they do. They imply Jesus no longer exist.

Guess they'll have fun practicing heaven too???
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

Banned
#5
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
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#5
First of all, Christ is not Jesus's name it's a TITLE.

Secondly, if you study up about it X was used as the symbol for Christ Himself in early times.

Thirdly, as a matter of historic interest - the symbol for X was used to replace Christ in religious writings in the 15th centuary to save time printing it.
 
D

Dread_Zeppelin

Guest
#6
#6
I think there are such things as "Fall-away" Christians. But then you open the "Once saved, always saved" can of worms.
 
O

oopsies

Guest
#7
#7
Dread_Zeppelin said:
But then you open the "Once saved, always saved" can of worms.
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Oh yes, that one. It's interesting when we come up against these theological questions and we can really see just how little we understand.
 
MahogonySnail

MahogonySnail

Banned
#8
Jan 8, 2009
7,576
23
0
#8
It's interesting that two theological arguments are best described by worms .
 
S

shad

Guest
#9
#9
Dread_Zeppelin said:
I think there are such things as "Fall-away" Christians. But then you open the "Once saved, always saved" can of worms.
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Try not to look at the righteousness of God that Christ appropriated for us on the cross as a 'can of worms'. When we receive Christ we receive the righteousness of God, because Christ is our righteousness / 1Cor 1:30. We have received the person of righteousness that will never leave us or forsake us. That is not a can of worms, that is the righteousness of God. When the Father looks at us all He sees is the righteousness of His Son and He accepts us on the basis of that righteousness. We received Christ by faith and His righteousness was put on our account. The Holy Spirit seals that righteousness in us until the day of redemption, when we get our new glorified bodies. There would be no salvation without the righteousness of God. Christ was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him / 2Cor 5:21.
 
S

Slepsog4

Guest
#10
#10
If they stop practicing, then they have stopped being a Christian. If one is not actually following and learning Christ, then he is not a disciple and therefore not a Christian.

He maybe an erring child of God... having been born again, but he is not a Christian.
 
G

Groundhog

Guest
#11
#11
MahogonySnail said:
First of all, Christ is not Jesus's name it's a TITLE.

Secondly, if you study up about it X was used as the symbol for Christ Himself in early times.

Thirdly, as a matter of historic interest - the symbol for X was used to replace Christ in religious writings in the 15th centuary to save time printing it.
Click to expand...
Just to add onto that, X is the first letter for the Greek word for Christ ("Χριστός").


oopsies said:
My first thread-starter in this forum! ^_^

I have some friends who call themselves "non-practicing Christians." I said, there's no such thing but they insist that it can be that they believe there is a God and that there was a Jesus. I said, that's not enough to make you a Christian. Sadly, I didn't elaborate more on it though in retrospect, I probably should've, eh?

So, here's the poll. Do you think there is such a thing as a "non-practicing Christian?" What do you say to those who claim to be a non-practicing Christian (for whichever view you hold)?
Click to expand...
It's interesting that they call themselves that. I've heard similar terminology used by Christians to describe non-Christians. It sounds like you're saying that they have Christian beliefs, so do they call themselves "non-practicing" because they don't attend a church? Or because they don't actually follow the teachings? Or both?
 
M

Maddog

Guest
#12
#12
As far as common usage goes, yes there are people who have been baptised and believe in Christianity, yet for whatever reason they are not active in their beliefs (eg. they don't go to church, they don't pray etc.)
 
T

tryingtofindhim

Guest
#13
#13
oopsies said:
My first thread-starter in this forum! ^_^

I have some friends who call themselves "non-practicing Christians." I said, there's no such thing but they insist that it can be that they believe there is a God and that there was a Jesus. I said, that's not enough to make you a Christian. Sadly, I didn't elaborate more on it though in retrospect, I probably should've, eh?

So, here's the poll. Do you think there is such a thing as a "non-practicing Christian?" What do you say to those who claim to be a non-practicing Christian (for whichever view you hold)?
Click to expand...
Ya, a synonym for that is a backslider. These are people who had a time in their life in which they committed their life to Christ but they are now not practicing the Christian ways like they used to.
 
W

watchmen

Banned
#15
Apr 23, 2009
2,253
5
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#15
watchmen said:
Why would you take the CHRIST out of christian?
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MahogonySnail said:
First of all, Christ is not Jesus's name it's a TITLE.

Secondly, if you study up about it X was used as the symbol for Christ Himself in early times.

Thirdly, as a matter of historic interest - the symbol for X was used to replace Christ in religious writings in the 15th centuary to save time printing it.
Click to expand...
I see you already answered my question. I guess your religion says it is ok, my relationship says it is not.
 
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G

Groundhog

Guest
#17
#17
watchmen said:
I see you already answered my question. I guess your religion says it is ok, my relationship says it is not.
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1000+ years of Christian tradition says it's OK.
 
G

Groundhog

Guest
#19
#19
watchmen said:
That is what I said, ''Your religion''.
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Sorry, I was writing my first post while you were making your post, I suppose, so that first post I made without knowing you had already made your post.

As for this comment you've just said, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you weren't a Christian.
 
W

watchmen

Banned
#20
Apr 23, 2009
2,253
5
0
#20
Groundhog said:
Sorry, I was writing my first post while you were making your post, I suppose, so that first post I made without knowing you had already made your post.

As for this comment you've just said, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you weren't a Christian.
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I am a Christian. But I let the Bible, the words of Christ, and the Holy Spirit decide what is right and wrong, not ''Christian'' Tradition/ Religion.
 
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