justified

the truth project has been a great bible study to be a part of. i think it is really challenging myself and all of us who are a part of it to think deeper beyond our shallow, "just because" mindsets and giving us opportunity to know the word in a great way.

last night hit a new depth and i cannot stop thinking about it. i went to bed pondering and woke up with the same thought. and even know i cannot remove it from the forefront of my mind.

here is my question: If we believe (presuppose) that salvation is done by God, through Christ, and by the Holy Spirit and that we believe that we are sinners, Christ died on the cross for our sins and that He rose again. What else must we believe to be a christian?

Now, there are so many details to this answer. so many verses, so many ifs, ands, and buts. Here is the issue though: at the bible study it was almost assumed that if you believe in evolution than you cannot be a christian. well understandable if you do not believe their is a God, you probably do not believe in Christ. if you do you have a completely warped understanding and yes, it would be hard to determine yourself a Christian and not believe that God created the heavens and the earth..but there is a difference between not understanding and not wanting to understand.

but for those who claim Christ...yet for some reason do not take the word literally or who have an misunderstanding of what something means in scripture and HOW God did something...why discourage them in their faith by bringing to the forefront that they may not be a Christian because they do not believe something in the bible?

to me that is sheer arrogance on our part. there have been times in my own faith that i have doubted the word, doubted its complete ability to answer all earth's many questions and really doubted Gods love for me...with that said...was I not a Christian until i came back to understanding those things. so is it that i can have confidence and security in Christ now...but in a year or two when I am confronted with doubts or I have a belief that most people would consider unbiblical...and yes at the moment refuse to listen because i am sooo sure about what i believe.....do i need to say maybe im not a Christian...NO! I will never doubt my security in Christ because I did not bring myself to this belief...Christ alone did. and the same sin that keeps me focused on so many things besides Christ in this world cannot separate me from His love!

This seems to me...although I am not the expert and I do know my Pastor is a very wise man...a confusion between justification and santification.

We are justified when we believe on Christ. and yes there are many wolves in sheeps clothing. I belive when you get down to the issues with them about why they need Christ...or who Christ really is...they probably do not believe like they say they do...however...I cannot right them off but only lovingly rebuke with the Word of God...and see their response....

lets say they respond with "I dont care what the Word of God says"...there maybe room for concern. however, if someone is just confused or wary of just believing something without studying it and praying about it..more power to them.

some believe that God used evolution to set the world in motion. i dont ...but how does that make them not a Christian. they are intellectuals...studiers..they are obviously interested in things many of us could care less about. should they settle in that believe? no...should we settle and not continue to grow in anything we believe ...no.

i once was an arminian. i was appalled that anyone could believe that God chose some and not others.....well, in time i found God was making this clearer to me. but i was a Christian before I believed that! i was severely wrong and was angry at thsoe who said they were reformed. but the scriptures made it clear.

I understand what my pastor and several others mean. they are talking about people who think they can just do their buffet line Christianity. i oppose that. but if they look to Christ as their only hope and believe that He is the only way, truth, and life....wouldn't this be a sanctification issue not a justification issue.

this opens up a can that i do not want to think about. if it is possible to not be a Christian because at some moment you do not understand or have had bad teaching....than is it possible to become a Christian because you do understand...absolutely not!...read romans.

at any given moment i have so much sin in my heart..in my mind than anyone will ever know...here is how i deal with that..CHRIST is my redemption. i trust in His blood....i probably believe things that ive read or heard ...or misunderstood that are completely wrong and unscriptural...but God will not leave me to myself...He is my surety and salvation. not my understanding...not my knowledge of scriputre...not to me but to God be the glory!