Originally Posted by aCultureWarrior
So wouldn't a prerequisite to calling oneself a Christian be acknowledging that there is such a thing as sin and that in order to be a follower of Christ one must first turn away from his or her old life (repent) through studying God's Word, accepting His grace yet attempting to be more like Him in our day to day mindset and behaviors?
So the pro abortion/pro homosexual Metropolitan Community Church is a legitimate Christian Church and all of those who write their own moral code can be Christian as well?
You might want to take that up with God when you meet Him.
Faith in what? Believe in what? Faith and belief that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and arose on the 3rd day?
Again, the prerequisite to Christianity is that there is such a thing as sin.
I'll close with this excerpt from syndicated columnist Selwyn Dukes' article
"Why many American Christians are really Un-Christian":
...Let us be blunt: It is simply not possible to espouse relativism — which holds that right and wrong are opinion — and be a true Christian.
Why? It's simple: Jesus did not die for our opinions. Jesus did not say that His blood was the blood of the new and everlasting covenant and that it would be shed for you and for all so that opinions may be forgiven; He did not say, I am a way, a truth, and a life; He did not say, let he who is without opinion cast the first stone; He did not say to that dark tempter, "It is said, 'Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God,'" but, hey, Satan, whatever works for you.
There are many doctrinal differences among the denominations, and good people could debate them ad nauseam and still not settle every one. Yet, if anything is central to Christianity, it's the belief that Truth is spelled with a capital "T," that it is absolute, universal and eternal. And also central is a corollary of this belief: that there is an absolute, universal and eternal answer to every moral question; that right and wrong are not a matter of opinion, that they don't change from time to time and place to place...
In fact, understand that moral relativism does nothing less than render the foundational act of Christianity, the sacrifice on the cross, incomprehensible. Why? Simply because Jesus died for our sins, and this presupposes that sin exists. However, if what we call morality is simply opinion, then there can be no such thing as sin. For who is to say? "Hey, I have my truth, you have your truth. Don't impose your values on me!" protests the relativist. And if there is no such thing as sin, there was no reason for Jesus to sacrifice himself. After all, what does anyone need to be forgiven for if there is no sin?
Read more:
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/duke/100301
Hence the problem with many American so-called "Christian" Churches these days.
