Christians: Why is there so much concern with who is a real Christian?

The real Christian gets to sit closer to God, at the dinner table, in heaven.

So we don’t get to know until dinner time? That must be a mighty big table. Not complaining, but I hope there’s enough food.

Well we certainly started off well (eye roll) @Tropical_Willie .

I sometimes say that phrase.. “not a real Christian”. When I do it, I’m referring to people who basically wear a Christian “mask”. E.G. Priests in a catholic church who molest children or athletes on television that point to heaven for a touchdown but go home and beat their wives. Only God knows who “real” Christians are… but certain behaviors can tend to make one speculate.

I might also add that it is disconcerting because it only takes one person doing something with this “Christian mask” on to make the general public view Christianity differently.

But pointing fingers at others and calling them liars about their own beliefs is a very unChrstian thing to do. God reserves judgment for himself.

Although christians are not supposed to judge others, I think part of the reason is that when some people claim to be christian and do the things that are not christian-like, it gives others a bad impression of christianity. Some christians want to point out that priests raping children, ministers stealing money, or some of things @digitalimpression stated are not portrayals of a true christian.

“Why is there so much concern with who is a real Christian?”

For the same reasons that the KKK won’t accept a Jew as their leader. A Jew could easily say they are a member of the KKK… But just saying it doesn’t make it true.

To me, people who use their religion as a tool to prove a point, but only pick and choose the parts they want open themselves up to judgments like that.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies But the KKK has dues and stuff, it’s more of an organization than Christianity is. Not that Christianity doesn’t have dues and organizations, but in the form of local churches and Catholicism; there’s no larger banner.
Also, did you just compare Christians to the KKK???

@digitalimpression So why do you care if others are wearing a mask?

I find this very interesting as well and I’m not sure why it’s so important either. I can certainly not wanting people to have a generalized view of Christianity based on a negative example, but why is it necessary to tell Catholics they’re not Christians or something along those lines? My friend told me that a bunch of Westboro-like protestors came to his city and started shouting about how Mormons, Catholics, homosexuals, masturbators, etc. are all not Christians (even if they claim to be) and are all on their way to hell.

But the problem is that the definition of “true Christian” is incredibly foggy. I’ve met many gay people who say they are Christians, that they believe in God and Jesus Christ and pray and it’s central to their lives and despite, there are others who will tell them that they cannot be a Christian if they are homosexual, as if it’s part of a list of requirements.

@Aethelflaed It is a very human thing of me to do to judge someone and claim that they aren’t a real Christian. I have no legitimate excuse for that. It is simply frustrating that someone could do such things and call themselves Christians. I don’t believe that someone who studies the bible, prays, and believes wholeheartedly in God would ever have the need or desire to do something so horrible.

Im a Christian and i dont get it either
In case it’s not clear, I’m not a Christian like the ones in the video.

I’ve never understood it either @Aethelflaed. I’ve judged people as hypocrites or in the Christian sense, I’ve called them “Christ-ocrites”. But, I’ve never understood judging another person as not “real”.

Once, as a teen, I vividly recall this lady screaming at my aunt for “not being a real Christian” because she “took” a parking spot the lady wanted. (For the record, my aunt’s car was already directly behind the person leaving). This lady followed my aunt & the rest of us into the mall, and began ranting as loudly as she could about how “UnChristian” this was, and how my aunt wasn’t a “real Christian”.

It was the first time in my life I began to really question why some people believe what they believe, how they got to that belief, and how they go about implementing that into real life.

As an adult, I’ve witnessed countless religious hypocrisies from people claiming to be “more” Christian than the average person…I don’t get that at all, either.

How can one person believe in Christ more than another? Is their some measure I’ve missed? There must be some Litmus test I’m unaware of.

lol Christ-ocrites. That’s quite witty.

@Aethelflaed Thanks, I think. ;)

I got so irked one early Sunday AM it just blurted out of me.

An adorable elderly couple (they’ve since passed on, but they lived on my block at the time)were driving home from 9am mass. They were stopped at the stop sign on my corner (I was out gardening just near the stop sign in front of my home), when all of a sudden this family that volunteers at church and make it obvious they are “religious snobs”, lay on their horn, then the middle-aged dad flips off the elderly couple for stopping too long.

I nearly lost my mind witnessing that.

@SpatzieLover Definitely a compliment. At least on my end, you’re free to take it as you like.

You could say arrogance, self-righteousness, and disassociation. But that’s all on a personal level.

If you just want to get straight to the source of this issue, discount individual actions and look at what belief prefaced it.

It all stems from the fundamental exclusionary basis of Christianity as a belief system. That being, that there is ONE truth. ONE correct way.. If one is ingrained with the belief that there is a single truth, then it leaves a lot of room for others to fall outside that VERY narrow perspective. Thus, the “concern with who is a real Christian” is the main focus of Christianity.

JUST like some people asking who is a real Muslim. Good luck.

First of all we don’t judge others, ever!!! We all lose site of this, time and time and time again.
.
Let’s review, according to the Christian faith, what a Christian is. To qualify to be a Christian you need to be a sinner, in other words in modern terminology, you fail in perfect love charity and unselfishness.

I definitely meet those criteria. Then the bible says believe in your heart that Christ was raised from the dead to pay for you sins and be a witness to Christ being the purpose and Savior of your life and soul.
.
So whether I’ve done this correctly or not, well God isn’t going to judge me to the end of my days so who else should be judging me? No one, nor should I be judging anyone else.

@Aethelflaed Sorry, but I’m having a great deal of trouble understanding your reply to my comments. I just don’t understand what you mean by claiming KKK is more of an organization with dues and Christianity is also an organization with dues. Your point?
________

And I’ll admit to having a completely different definition of what a Christian is than what most Christians even believe.

To me, being a Christian should mean one who attempts to live their life as Christ did. They should use Christ as a model for their own lives.

But to most Christians, it is the dogma of Trinity Godhead, Jesus as Son of God, Virgin Birth, Miracles, and Resurrection that atones for sin of fallen man at birth… Those are the “rules”.

Personally, I believe most Christians will miss the second coming of Christ every bit as much as they accuse the Jews of missing the first coming. They won’t recognize him.

The only time you will ever hear or read me saying that is when a non-christian cherry-picks people who call themselves christians yet are clearly doing non-christian things to use as an example of “well, there’s another christian for ya, not even following their own holy book!” Then I may jump in and try to explain why that person doesn’t seem to be a christian. But in the final analysis, only God can decide who is a christian and who isn’t. Lately I’ve trying to avoid setting a set of criteria that may very well be wrong.

I haven’t read all the comments above but I would have to say its something that we all do. And not just religions. He’s not a real doctor, or a real friend, or a real latin person, or a real dad or a real American. The finger pointing happens whenever someone does something that they feel will make a group look bad to the general public.
If I ran into a doctor who told me, yes Pandora your cholesterol is high but its not necessary to change your eating habits or exercise because all you need are these cholesterol pills, then I would call he a fake.
If I ran into an American who spatted hatred for all things American and pissed on the flag, then I would call him a fake.
If I ran into a christian who is angelic in mass services but is a bitch to everyone once outside the doors, then I would call them a fake.
We do it every day in our lives. We judge others by our moral code of ethics and it offends us when we find someone who is morally the extreme opposite of our beliefs in what a honest person should be.
It is also most offensive when they are in the public eye and everyone begins to associate the group by that persons actions.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies I mean, Christianity isn’t an organization with fees. A church is, but not Christianity on the whole.

While I don’t consider myself Christian (anymore), I did grow up in a Christian home. I was taught that paying attention to who “is” and who “isn’t” supposedly a “real Christian” is important for choosing a spouse. Something about that “unequally yoked” thing.

This verse may help you understand that response:

“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”—II Corinthians 6:14 (KJV)

These verses may also help you understand why someone might feel that someone who “picks and chooses” what to believe in the Bible is not truly a Christian:

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”—Revelation 22:18–19 (KJV)

When I was 19, in rural Alabama, I got pregnant. My then fiance told me that he would only stay with me if I had an abortion. I chose not to have an abortion, so he disappeared.

And here I was, unmarried and pregnant in one the biggest strongholds of the Christian world, the rural Bible Belt where, when they first meet you, they ask you your name, your occupation and what church you attend.

One day I got a package in the mail without a return address. I opened it and it was about 8 tracts, those comic books with grotesque pictures of Hell. Those tracts repeatedly condemned me, the whore Jezebel, to the fires of Hell for my sinful temptation of man. I was naive enough to read all of them. I consider that moment one of the worst in my life. Was that a Christian that sent those tracts, hiding behind anonymity? I’m sure they considered themselves a Christian.

I was a swim coach at that time for over 90 kids. They had a meeting with all the parents of my swimmers to decide if I was worthy to continue coaching. More than half of them felt I was a shameful example for their children and wanted me fired, never mind that 10 of their kids made it to state under my training. It was a long hour waiting for that meeting to wrap up. I got to keep my job, but endured glares and dirty looks. I’m sure they considered themselves Christians.

When my son was a baby, I found myself struggling with the complexities of food stamps at a grocery store. Behind me was the most pinched, judgmental woman I’ve ever seen—I have no idea what she sputtered at me, but her tone, rhythm and expression were clear. She had John 3:16 on her necklace- a Christian.

One day… I realized something. I did not have an abortion, so I wore my sin on my stomach, for the world to see. I could have easily have had an abortion in secret, and from a Christian point of view, murdered a baby… and would have continued to be one of the darlings of my community. What’s wrong with this picture?

For every 5 of those types of Christians, there was 1 that was different. I got bags and bags of clothes for my son from one woman who worked with my mom. One guy took me out to eat once a month, no strings attached, just so I wouldn’t feel abandoned. 16 people sat in the waiting room the night my son was born.

From this experience, I have very pronounced views on who is not a “True Christian,” not so much who is a true Christian, but who is not. I don’t consider myself a Christian but I do keep in mind that Jesus held no contempt for anyone, held mercy for all and sought only to heal, not to destroy. A “True Christian” would try to be more like Jesus.

^^^ and there we have it folks ^^^

@linguaphile That answer makes so much sense. It also reminds me of a chapter with words included in it that were said to be said by Jesus himself:

“So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”—John 8:7 (KJV)

That was about a woman who was accused of committing adultery.

The chapter goes on to say:

“When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” – John 8:10–11 (KJV)

@linguaphile

The term “christian” can be loosely translated “little Christs.” Nuff said.

Christianity’s attitude ought to be “Y’all come!” Unfortunately there is too much confusion between psychology and spirituality. It would take anyone on the planet an entire lifetime of diligence to begin to perceive the trickery of the lies of this world and how dark the hearts of those professing light and truth really can be.

Anyone who is self righteous about their belief is an idiot and a hypocrite.

@Leanne1986

That’s the very reason Jesus had so many problems with the Scribes and Parasees… their self-righteousness.

Interesting that I ran across this video on facebook today. I think this adds to my point above.

@Leanne1986 “Anyone who is self righteous about their belief is an idiot and a hypocrite.”

funny you should say that

I’m a Christian. I know it and my Lord knows it. Now you know also. Big deal!

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies ??

“Anyone who is not against us is for us.” —Mark 9:40, cf. Luke 9:50

…which is not necessarily inconsistent with Matthew 12:30 or Luke 11:23, if read in the right spirit.

“I can’t have anybody with me, who isn’t with me.” Lex Luthor, Superman 1 the movie