Can you be a Christian if you do not do Christian things?

[xls]

Can you be a Christian if you do not do Christian things?
And up to what degree can a person be called a Christian? If they try to not sin but they fail sometimes? If they just say they are Christian but do not act like one all the time, or they do not act like one sometimes? Or maybe they are Protestants to say that being gay is not a sin, or a Mormon to say that marrying many women is ok, or a catholic to forcefully convert other like Muslims do? Maybe some are delusional in a way. Or maybe you have another explanation. 

How can someone believe in Christ but they do not show it since they do not try to do what Christ wants? It is like me saying I believe that I will win the lotto but I do try to go get the winning ticket or see if I won.

If it walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and looks like a duck it must be a duck. Or being selfish, lustful and not respecting parents or ancestors to go against and marry an unapproved relationship like Russian marring a Spaniard. Does the Bible say anything about it? I would guess casting the first stone might be, but we can not say that, since just because a person say they are and Christian and push for intentionally anti Christian thing would not be good. For example spreading a false Christian view (other Christian sects) which the Orthodox Church is against. So is the Orthodox Church going against Christ since they are not perfect as well some say?

 

[ania]

I'm not exactly sure what the exact question is, as you've crammed about a dozen under 1. 

However, all people are sinners.  The only other thing that jumped out at me was that I highly doubt it says anywhere in the Bible that a Russian is not to marry a Spaniard.

 

[Elisha]

I'm not exactly sure what the exact question is, as you've crammed about a dozen under 1.ÂÂ

However, all people are sinners. The only other thing that jumped out at me was that I highly doubt it says anywhere in the Bible that a Russian is not to marry a Spaniard.

I know a Latvian who married a Mexican - is that like the same thing or even worse?  ;D  Her dad was even a priest too (involved with the Tikhvin icon as well).

 

[donkeyhotay]

Can you be a Christian if you do not do Christian things?

Define "Christian things".

 

[xls]

Everyone sins and not everyone is a Christian. But those who say are Christian and persistently sin and are ok with it all the time then are they still Christian? We can not slap a sticker on a can that says "corn" when the can really is motor oil and sell it. So are we buying lies?

I guess that is a good question to say what a Christian is and up to what point.
Are Protestants Christian? Is Muslims Christian since they also believe in Christ? 
Can excommunicated people by the church still call themselves Christians like Dukakis for marrying a Jew and others that they say they are but do not act like it?

 

[Silouan]

Can a racist be a Christian, xls?

 

[xls]

I see no one is able to answer this post indepth. If we do would it not be one step towards being a better christian?

 

[Landon77]

Could you shorten your question?  I'm not sure what you're really asking.

 

[Asteriktos]

I don't think this has to do with individual "things" (ie. sins), but rather the condition of one's soul. Can I look at porn and still be a Christian? Yes. Can I look at porn for years on end without the slightest bit of guilt or feeling that I'm doing something wrong? No. If the latter case describes you, then you lost your Christianity somewhere along the way. But you did not lose your Christianity because of the actual act of sinning. The sinning is just a manifestation of a deeper problem: your soul has become darkened. All sins can be forgiven, but a person who has a darkened soul cannot be forgiven because he will not embrace that forgiveness.

 

[Landon77]

Can I look at porn and still be a Christian? Yes. Can I look at porn for years on end without the slightest bit of guilt or feeling that I'm doing something wrong? No. If the latter case describes you, then you lost your Christianity somewhere along the way. But you did not lose your Christianity because of the actual act of sinning. The sinning is just a manifestation of a deeper problem: your soul has become darkened. All sins can be forgiven, but a person who has a darkened soul cannot be forgiven because he will not embrace that forgiveness.

What is the difference in looking at porn once and looking at porn for years?  I'm not so sure there is one.
Lost your Christianity?

 

[ania]

There is a difference... If you look once, repent, and don't look again, even if you are tempted too, not only is that just sinning once, that's also brownie points in that your resisting temptation. 
If you look many many times over years without repenting, and without resisting temptation, well, I would think the difference is obvious.

 

[JoeS]

Everyone sins and not everyone is a Christian. But those who say are Christian and persistently sin and are ok with it all the time then are they still Christian? We can not slap a sticker on a can that says "corn" when the can really is motor oil and sell it. So are we buying lies?

I guess that is a good question to say what a Christian is and up to what point.
Are Protestants Christian? Is Muslims Christian since they also believe in Christ?ÂÂ
Can excommunicated people by the church still call themselves Christians like Dukakis for marrying a Jew and others that they say they are but do not act like it?

Sin does not negate a person's faith.  Christians do sin because we are human and are subject to sin.  But, we have self control given to us by God and with His help we can overcome sin and the occassions to sin.  Muslims are not Christians. Christians dont always act as Christians but it doesnt eradicate their Christianity. Muslims dont always act as Muslim should but they still remain Musllims. A Christian converting to Islam would cease being Christian at the point he or she accepts the Quran as a book for their salvation. We would say that this Christian an apostate.

JoeS

 

[Jennifer]

I don't think this has to do with individual "things" (ie. sins), but rather the condition of one's soul. Can I look at porn and still be a Christian? Yes. Can I look at porn for years on end without the slightest bit of guilt or feeling that I'm doing something wrong? No. If the latter case describes you, then you lost your Christianity somewhere along the way. But you did not lose your Christianity because of the actual act of sinning. The sinning is just a manifestation of a deeper problem: your soul has become darkened. All sins can be forgiven, but a person who has a darkened soul cannot be forgiven because he will not embrace that forgiveness.

Well I think the interesting question is, can you be a mean spirited jerk and still be a Christian?  Hypothetically speaking, of course. 

 

[xls]

What about a mormon that thinks it is ok to have many wives? Or a gay protestant? And the other list that goes on?

The orthodox church states that they are the only christian church and the others are just christian communities.

 

[Kerygma]

I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to ask, xls.

Our Lord established one Church. He said He would build His Church not churches. Historically it can be demonstrated that the only Church that fits this description is the Orthodox Church. These other "christian" communities may contain Christians who in some way that we do not understand are members of the true Church: the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I tend to agree with Paradosis, although I'd like him to expand upon his post. St Paul said in Romans:

7:19 For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want.
7:20 Now if (I) do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
7:21 So, then, I discover the principle that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.
7:22 For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self,
7:23 but I see in my members another principle at war with the law of my mind, taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.*
7:24 Miserable one that I am! Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We are all going to fall into sin from time to time. The key, as far as I can see, is that sin does not have dominion over us. When that happens (i.e. we are slaves to porn let us say since that is the example being used) then one has to wonder about the depth of one's commitment to the Lord and the distinct possibility that the Holy Spirit may not indwell such a person.

Regards,