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If You Are Going to be a Christian, Be a Real One

With a title like the one of this article, perhaps you are expecting that I will berate everyone else for not being as "Christian" as I am -- since that is typically how such articles go. Next, such an article would outline how far modern Christianity has fallen and how we need to get back to some idealized practice or interpretation of Christianity. Indeed, many such articles are merely covers for the author to put forth some private interpretation of the Bible and claim it is the "real one".

Rather, I am NOT here to urge anyone to follow me in some fanciful "new" interpretation never expounded upon before by the theologians that have come before. Since my (and every Christian's) presupposition MUST be that God sustains basic understanding of His plan and truth, otherwise all who appeal to the "Bible alone" aren't being quite honest with themselves. The Bible didn't just drop from the sky, nor was it found on golden plates in a cave (Mormonism), nor was it "recited" to some cross-roads Arab trader in the 7th century (Islam). The Bible was given to Christians, using God's sustaining hand to bring it about, otherwise who is to say what we call the "Bible" is God's Word?

So, with the presupposition that God sustains the basic understanding of His plan and truth, we must ask WHAT IS A REAL CHRISTIAN?

I submit a real Christian, at least in practice since only God ultimately knows the salvifici state of a person; a real Christian is one that holds to the basic doctrines and practices of historic Christianity. I know when I say that, some people (especially the radical individualists) will claim there is no unified "historic Christianity", or they will claim I must become a Roman Catholic as if my only options are Roman Catholicism or chaos.

But is it true that there is no minimal Christian beliefs and practices that transcend from the time Jesus and the apostles first began their ministries to present? Are we to believe that there has been nearly 2000 years of chaos or even apostasy? Or shall we take the relativist's route that will preach some nebulous form of "love" that amounts to simply "be nice" or even a quasi-hippie socialist trying to make us believe Jesus and the apostles didn't really mean what they said or that their words shouldn't be taken too seriously?

Based on the presupposition that God sustains His plan and truth, I opt to urge people to figure out what the minimal, basic beliefs and practices are of ALL expressions of Christianity.

Here is where the article would typically outline those minimal basics of Christianity, but at this moment I think I will not write anymore. I urge the reader to think upon these things. Pray about these things. Read the Bible and the history of Christianity and see if you can discern minimal, basic beliefs and practices. If not, then WHAT IS A REAL CHRISTIAN...no matter who is claiming to be one?

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Examine Yourselves

What is a "real" Christian? That is a very good question and one that we, individually, ought to answer. You took the high road and quit writing when you could have told us what the characteristics of a "real" Christian were. I applaud you for that. It is easy for us to tell another what they should be or how they should act, and we may even be right, but the more important thing is to understand what a "real" Christian is ourselves. Discipleship, community and close personal relationships with more mature brothers and sisters can help us to learn what it means to be a Christian and how we might grow closer to God but ultimately it is God through the Holy Spirit that will reveal and mold us into His image.
2 Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Thanks for the article!