Questioning my Christianity.

[Hidden By Music]

First off, I have no idea where I should post this.
Second off, this account is now shared. So I'm not Christy, I'm Allie.

Last night, I was at a church party with my friend. We were discussing our favorite books, I said I didn't have one. My friend said it was, to my dismay, Harry Potter. If she was in my class she would know I dropped my Harry Potter phase 2 years ago! Anyway, she went on about how I was obbsessed with it, and that I knew everything. Then, one of the counsellers asked me who Harry Potter's best friend was. I automaticly said Ron Weasely. He then asked me questions about the bible. I was very nervous, because I didn't want to admit it, but I only accepted God two years ago. I know it's a while but in my church youth group, we're reading chapters in the bible in order. And the only bible I had, my dog chewed. I couldn't answer the questions, and felt rotten. My friend answered them automaticly, but she was born a Christian! My parents aren't but my sister and my friends are. I'm only 12, turning 13 in march.

Am I really a Christian?  

[rosadria]

Nobody is born a Christian.


Reading the Bible is important. God's word is nourishment for your soul. It is more important than the air you breathe and the food you eat.

What does it say about being Christian? I guarantee you, it does not say to ask Christ into your heart or just accept Him.

Have you died with Christ? Have you shared in His death, burial, and resurrection? Yes, I mean baptism, and I also mean dying daily and carrying your cross.
Does sin cause anguish in your heart and soul?
Do you live every moment you can struggling against your sin and doing your best to serve Him?
Are you repenting? You see, repentance is not saying "I'm sorry." It means to do the exact opposite of what you used to. Where once you loved the things of the world and were an enemy of God, you are now His child, striving to further His kingdom.

If you cannot answer yes to those questions, then I cannot in good conscience answer yes to yours.  

[Hidden By Music]

VK Fox

Nobody is born a Christian.


Reading the Bible is important. God's word is nourishment for your soul. It is more important than the air you breathe and the food you eat.

What does it say about being Christian? I guarantee you, it does not say to ask Christ into your heart or just accept Him.

Have you died with Christ? Have you shared in His death, burial, and resurrection? Yes, I mean baptism, and I also mean dying daily and carrying your cross.
Does sin cause anguish in your heart and soul?
Do you live every moment you can struggling against your sin and doing your best to serve Him?
Are you repenting? You see, repentance is not saying "I'm sorry." It means to do the exact opposite of what you used to. Where once you loved the things of the world and were an enemy of God, you are now His child, striving to further His kingdom.

If you cannot answer yes to those questions, then I cannot in good conscience answer yes to yours.

What I meant by born Christian was being born into a chrisitan family and living with that since she could speak.
What you've said makes me feel a little better, because I can answer yes to those questions.  

[Gregar828]

Hey, just because your friends may know a bit more about the bible, doesnt mean you're less of a christian. We all know that one person who can quote any phrase at a given moment, and we think of them as a super christian. Truth is, they're just like you and me: Human, and . What makes us christian is knowing that jesus is awesome, and trying to be a good person.

You're not trying to slander jesus's name or ideals, right? You're not killing people just for the heck of it, right? If not, and you're just being, in general, a good person, I would say you're as good of a christian as you're friends.  

[rosadria]

That's a very, very dangerous standard to go by. How do you know your friends are Christian? Or even your preacher, elders, and deacons? If you use them as your standard, you are doomed to failure.  

[Aquatic_blue]

That sounds like a bit of an intimidating situation, but I'll tell you something. If you're following the word of God and if you follow it to the best of your ability and you believe you're Christian and a great, moral person then you probably are a Christian.

I will tell you that I went to this one church all my life...Mom went there with my Father when I was still in her belly. When I grew up going to that church, I became so confused and started to question my Christianity. I didn't know much about how other Christians believed, or that they believed any differently. I was always told to believe what the preacher says and not to test the spirit, or question what the preacher says. I mean, I'd ask questions...but didn't always get answers. I learned that there are a lot of flaws within the church that I've been awfully concerned about for a long time. I may even make a forum for it since I don't know what to do to about the matters myself. I met my husband who has been to Bible schools and knew original context and could explain what it really meant and I could ask him anything I wanted. I learned more from him in 10 minutes than I learned from the church I went to in 20 years. Quite sad, I know.

Good Christians shouldn't be afraid to say, "I don't know." It's better to say that and have someone explain than to give a false answer. Good preachers would rather say, "I don't know, but I'll look into it." Than give a person a wrong answer just to make themselves look good. I know it's an embarrassing situation when people ask, but I was stuck in that spot, too. My husband would ask me what I believed and I didn't even know for sure. I hardly had a foundation. I called myself a Christian, but I wasn't a strong one. I followed the commandments, but I was so confused and depressed about what I couldn't understand so I felt like a lousy Christian. Don't be afraid to ask questions and read the Bible more, or attend a Bible study to help you out with learning. Christians aren't born in the world, they just become Christian if they are willing. Even though you've been a Christian for two years, I wouldn't expect you to know the Bible or aything, or know any complex questions. I mean, I hardly knew my Bible. Just recently have I been feeling the need to read more and more...as it should be.  

[lillybabe789]

Knowing everything about the Bible isn't easy, but you don't have to memorize the Bible to be a Christian (but the Bible is a good source to build on your faith). Your friend knew the answers because she GREW UP learning about and you are just beginning your beginning. Don't feel bad that she knew more, you should actually look up to her because she can help you in your faith journey. Being the best or knowing the most about Christianity doesn't matter. What matters is helping people in their faith and bringing others to the faith.
I hope I was able to help!  

[Gregar828]

VK Fox

That's a very, very dangerous standard to go by. How do you know your friends are Christian? Or even your preacher, elders, and deacons? If you use them as your standard, you are doomed to failure.

Wait, was this directed at my post? Because I was not trying to say any of that in my post, and I would be more than happy to clear up any misconceptions about it that may have led to your belief that this is what I was trying to say.  

[Hidden By Music]

You guys really helped my sister. I thank you all. She's not as confused about this as much as she was before. Thanks.  

[Gregar828]

Tell her we're all glad to help.  

[rosadria]

The point I was making is that it's foolish to compare yourself to other people in matters of Christianity. It's possible that every single person in the church reads from the Bible, calls the creator of the universe God, and yet is still not a Christian. You won't be judged by your pastor on that final day, or by what he said.

Another point that needs to be addresses is, I think, the severity of any sin. A man who steals a purse is doomed to the same Hell as Hitler unless he is in Christ.  

[Gregar828]

VK Fox

The point I was making is that it's foolish to compare yourself to other people in matters of Christianity. It's possible that every single person in the church reads from the Bible, calls the creator of the universe God, and yet is still not a Christian. You won't be judged by your pastor on that final day, or by what he said.

Another point that needs to be addresses is, I think, the severity of any sin. A man who steals a purse is doomed to the same Hell as Hitler unless he is in Christ.

................so, you WERE aiming this at my post, or no?  

[rosadria]

Yes  

[starry night-163]

http://illbehonest.com/Examine-Yourself-Paul-Washer

remember Jesus said we had to repent and VK Fox already went over that with you in the first post so I'll just tell you this if you do repent and have faith in Jesus and not your repentance or your performance or anything else that's not Jesus then you're saved. The video above is just a video that contains the test in 1 John that tells you whether you're in the faith or not but remember you can't expect a perfect repentance smile it's not about your performance! Since you answered yes to VK Fox's questions in the first post then you sound like you're born again but remember if you ever fall away and God does not bring you back then you're were never saved but if he does and you can see God working through you, discipling you, and you can see that you are not the person you used to be then you can have assurance of salvation and once you're saved, you're saved and nothing can take away your salvation.

The following are a few comforting videos smile

http://illbehonest.com/Dont-Expect-a-Perfect-Repentance-Paul-Washer

http://illbehonest.com/What-is-Biblical-Repentance-Tim-Conway

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpDD6_Zo0Js

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDvWdBq-rQw  

[Gregar828]

Alright then VK, obviously my post has been misinterpreted. I blame myself and my word choice. Please say something if you still don't understand what I am truly trying to say, or if I am addressing the wrong point.

All I was trying to say with my post was that while we all have friends that we PERCEIVE as mega-Christians, we should not feel less christian about ourselves. By accepting Jesus, being a good person, and being genuinely sorry for when you are not (because it does happen), you are a good christian. So, in actuality, I wasn't really telling her to compare herself to her friends in terms of Christianness (did I just make a new word?), I'm saying that she is a good christian based off her OWN actions.

Besides, I'm fairly certain that a priest, deacon, etc. would probably be a christian. It would be silly to say they aren't.