Jason15 wrote: Jason25 wrote: Daddy Maklelan your blabbering away here has nothing to do with the two specificquestions Megacles had asked me. I answered him. I described what Christians believe the nature of God to be and how this directly opposes the Mormon god. Your response is out of line. By the way stop making assumptions. This is not my definition. I merely pointed out the glaring differences.
Fair enough. I was going off his response, not your original comments. This brings up a question I have yet to see answered here, though. What is your definition of the word "Christian"? How would you finish the sentence, "A Christian is . . ."? Can you give a brief definition?
Jason15 wrote:My God the Mormon Church can't even come up with an sensible ration answer to Joseph Smiths Book of Abraham claims. Joseph Smiths fabrication of the nature of God is the antithesis of the Christian God. This whole concept of the Mormon God came from Joseph Smith's head...it stand and falls on that head.
So how, then, do you respond to the many scholars who have pointed out that Joseph Smith seems to have had access to ancient notions of deity that have only been discovered in the last century? God's corporeality and his consort, for instance, are two notions of deity that were anathema during Smith's day but are currently known by biblical scholarship to have been universally accepted in ancient Israel. God's wife wasn't challenged anywhere at all until Josiah, and it wasn't abandoned until the exile. Anthropomorphism was absolutely universal within Judaism until the turn of the era. You cannot challenge these facts with anything other than a dogmatic "Nu-uh!" and you certainly cannot pretend to speak with any authority at all about the origins of Joseph Smith's notions of deity.
Jason15 wrote:Maklelan you can argue all you want that it's not "which Jesus," but rather what Jesus' mission was. That wasn't Megacles question.
Maklelan wrote: Fair enough. I was going off his response, not your original comments. This brings up a question I have yet to see answered here, though. What is your definition of the word "Christian"? How would you finish the sentence, "A Christian is . . ."? Can you give a brief definition?
Jason15 wrote: Thanks for that! To answer your question: No I can not give a brief definition. I don't think I could do it justice to be honest. I would say you would have to study chapter 3 of the Epistle to the Phillipians were Paul gives us one of the best definitions of a Christian available in the Bible. He also contrasts this with the marks of false teachers. So if you really truly want to understand the definition of Christian---- study this chapter and don't rely on personal definitions of what a Christian may be.
Jason15 wrote:Jason15 wrote: Thanks for that! To answer your question: No I can not give a brief definition. I don't think I could do it justice to be honest. I would say you would have to study chapter 3 of the Epistle to the Phillipians were Paul gives us one of the best definitions of a Christian available in the Bible. He also contrasts this with the marks of false teachers. So if you really truly want to understand the definition of Christian---- study this chapter and don't rely on personal definitions of what a Christian may be.
This is quite a subjective and open-ended exercise. You're still not giving me any kind of definition, you're just suggesting that it's there, if I interpret the text correctly, of course. Can you just list the criteria that you identify in Philippians 3? I personally think there shouldn't be too much that's complicated about defining "Christian."
Jason15 wrote:Jason15 wrote: Thanks for that! To answer your question: No I can not give a brief definition. I don't think I could do it justice to be honest. I would say you would have to study chapter 3 of the Epistle to the Phillipians were Paul gives us one of the best definitions of a Christian available in the Bible. He also contrasts this with the marks of false teachers. So if you really truly want to understand the definition of Christian---- study this chapter and don't rely on personal definitions of what a Christian may be.
This is quite a subjective and open-ended exercise. You're still not giving me any kind of definition, you're just suggesting that it's there, if I interpret the text correctly, of course. Can you just list the criteria that you identify in Philippians 3? I personally think there shouldn't be too much that's complicated about defining "Christian."
Well my daddy Maklelan if you have theHoly Spirit he will help you interpret the text correctly. Tell you what , your read the chapter and have the Holy Spirit guide you into the truth of what a Christian is...let me know what you find out and I will be more than happy to answer your question.
Jason15 wrote:Well my daddy Maklelan if you have theHoly Spirit he will help you interpret the text correctly.
Special pleading.
Jason15 wrote:Tell you what , your read the chapter and have the Holy Spirit guide you into the truth of what a Christian is...let me know what you find out and I will be more than happy to answer your question.
I already know what the text states and why, and I already know the reading to which you're beholden. I'm not interested in playing this game. Can you provide any criteria at all for being a Christian?
Jason15 wrote:Well my daddy Maklelan if you have theHoly Spirit he will help you interpret the text correctly.
Special pleading.
Jason15 wrote:Tell you what , your read the chapter and have the Holy Spirit guide you into the truth of what a Christian is...let me know what you find out and I will be more than happy to answer your question.
I already know what the text states and why, and I already know the reading to which you're beholden. I'm not interested in playing this game. Can you provide any criteria at all for being a Christian?
Jason wrote. Daddy Maklelan I will provide your some important criteria for being a Christian---- so that your won't punish me and send me to my room. Not sure I would call it a definition thou....criteria yes
The Jesus of the Bible is prayed to (Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 116:4 and Zech. 13:9 with 1 Cor. 1:1-2). The Jesus of the Bible is worshiped (Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; 28:9; John 9:35-38; Heb. 1:6) The Jesus of the Bible called God (John 20:28; Heb. 1:8). Jesus is not a creation in one form or another.
If you are a Christian then you will be able to pray to Jesus, not just through. You will be able to worship Jesus equally with the Father. And you will be able to call Jesus your Lord and God. So it all depends on which Jesus your follow on whether you are a Christian or not.
Jason15 wrote:Jason wrote. Daddy Maklelan I will provide your some important criteria for being a Christian---- so that your won't punish me and send me to my room. Not sure I would call it a definition thou....criteria yes
The Jesus of the Bible is prayed to (Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 116:4 and Zech. 13:9 with 1 Cor. 1:1-2). The Jesus of the Bible is worshiped (Matt. 2:2,11; 14:33; 28:9; John 9:35-38; Heb. 1:6) The Jesus of the Bible called God (John 20:28; Heb. 1:8). Jesus is not a creation in one form or another.
These are not criteria, these are just assertions about the nature of the Jesus of the Bible. Are you saying that these specific beliefs about the Jesus of the Bible are your criteria for being a Christian?
Jason15 wrote:If you are a Christian then you will be able to pray to Jesus, not just through. You will be able to worship Jesus equally with the Father. And you will be able to call Jesus your Lord and God. So it all depends on which Jesus your follow on whether you are a Christian or not.
Your definition just happens to coincide perfectly with your major concerns with Latter-day Saints? Did I not just finish explaining that it begs the question to try to define Christianity in terms of how it's not Mormonism? If not looking for your description of how Christianity is not Mormonism, I'm looking for your universal definition of Christianity. Do you have one, or does it not matter until someone you don't like pretends to be in your club?
Makelelan wrote: Your definition just happens to coincide perfectly with your major concerns with Latter-day Saints? Did I not just finish explaining that it begs the question to try to define Christianity in terms of how it's not Mormonism? If not looking for your description of how Christianity is not Mormonism, I'm looking for your universal definition of Christianity. Do you have one, or does it not matter until someone you don't like pretends to be in your club?[/quote]
A Christian is someone who has decided to entrust his or her life to Jesus Christ. A Christian trusts Christ for forgiveness of sin, a right standing before God, and guidance in life. Christian's are sometimes referred to as "born again" because Jesus said that one must be born of the water (the physical birth) and the Spirit: To be born again--born of the Spirit--a person must place his or her trust in Jesus Christ .The Spirit of Jesus Christ actually comes to dwell within the new Christian, giving newness of life--His life.
In sum, Christ makes a Christian a Christian. Going to church does not make a person a Christian. A special ceremony can't do it. And nobody can be a Christian by trying to be a good person. Only Jesus Christ can make a person a Christian.
Certainly there is much more to being a Christian.
Jason15 wrote:A Christian is someone who has decided to entrust his or her life to Jesus Christ. A Christian trusts Christ for forgiveness of sin, a right standing before God, and guidance in life. Christian's are sometimes referred to as "born again" because Jesus said that one must be born of the water (the physical birth) and the Spirit: To be born again--born of the Spirit--a person must place his or her trust in Jesus Christ .The Spirit of Jesus Christ actually comes to dwell within the new Christian, giving newness of life--His life.
In sum, Christ makes a Christian a Christian. Going to church does not make a person a Christian. A special ceremony can't do it. And nobody can be a Christian by trying to be a good person. Only Jesus Christ can make a person a Christian.
Certainly there is much more to being a Christian.
This sounds much more sincere. Thank you. And Latter-day Saints would be Christians according to this definition.
Jason15 wrote:A Christian is someone who has decided to entrust his or her life to Jesus Christ. A Christian trusts Christ for forgiveness of sin, a right standing before God, and guidance in life. Christian's are sometimes referred to as "born again" because Jesus said that one must be born of the water (the physical birth) and the Spirit: To be born again--born of the Spirit--a person must place his or her trust in Jesus Christ .The Spirit of Jesus Christ actually comes to dwell within the new Christian, giving newness of life--His life.
In sum, Christ makes a Christian a Christian. Going to church does not make a person a Christian. A special ceremony can't do it. And nobody can be a Christian by trying to be a good person. Only Jesus Christ can make a person a Christian.
Certainly there is much more to being a Christian.
Maklelan says: This sounds much more sincere. Thank you. And Latter-day Saints would be Christians according to this definition.
Maklelan I am horribly horribly disappointed in my daddy. I KNEW you would end up saying this. . Unfortunately the main criteria depends on "What Jesus your believe in."? Mormons don't believe in the Christian Jesus in any way shape or form at all...nada Hence the definition and criteria would not apply to a different Jesus