I am not talking about who the Scriptures say are believers. That is without any question
Then who does the Scriptures say are Christians? They were first called Christians in Antioch. Why?
Those doing evil in 1 Peter 4 are also called Christians, along with those suffering for His name' sake. Why?
Because they all confess faith in Christ, not because they all lived up to His name.
Personally, I am referring to the make believers that Jesus identified in Matthew 7. "Depart from me I never knew you" is pretty clear to me.
Those individuals are not called Christians by the Scriptures my friend.
So, now you can prove it by correcting my reading of 1 Peter 4:15? If so, I'll be glad to change it.
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Here we see Peter speaking of
Christians. He speaks of Christians that suffer for the name of Christ,
and Christians that suffer for doing evil doing. Scripture calls them
both Christians.
Do you have another way to read it, so that Scripture is
not calling the Christians that do evil, Christians? So that they are
not Christians at all?
They Claimed to be but God said NO you are not.
They claimed to be Christians? And God said,
No you are not Christians? Where is that? I don't read that anywhere in Scripture.
"Depart from me I never knew you" is pretty clear to me too. He says He never knew them, that called Him Lord. He did not say,
No, you are not Christians.
And I am saying that those "who claim to be a Christian" but live like the devil were never Christians to begin with.
I am saying that those who confess faith in Christ are called Christians
by Scripture, even if they live like the devil. And not only that, but we are supposed to still
count them as a brother, not a non-believer:
2Th 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Are you now saying that we are supposed to count someone as a brother, who is not a Christian nor believer at all?
Think about it for a second brother. I know your doctrine, and your sincere zeal for it. But what you are saying, is that some people
confessing faith in Christ, are
not Christians. They are
non-believers. I know you are
doctrinally doing so, but do you practice what you teach? If it's Scripture, then we must practice the teaching. We must judge works among Christians for the sake of Christian fellowship. Are you now saying in the context of 2 Thess 3:14, that in addition to not keeping company, now we
cannot count them as a brother and a Christian?
Once again, no one is saying we can't judge our works as Christians, but we do not have any Scriptural, doctrinal, and especially not
practical right to tell anyone confessing His name,
No, you are not a Christian. God never said that in Scripture...
Brothers and sisters, we must consider the doctrine we believe, and especially we teach. We are bound to practice it, and if the doctrine is wrong, then the practice is
bad for the name of Christ.
So long as anyone is still confessing faith in Jesus Christ, no matter how devilish they may be living on earth, Jesus Christ still calls them
a Christian, and He still counts them as a brother, and most importantly He can still redeem them from their wickedness for His name's sake. He
cannot do that for non-believers and non-Christians who don't so much as confess His name. By teaching anyone confessing the name of Jesus Christ, can be called a non-Chrsitian, we are by doctrine and practice, telling them that cannot be saved and redeemed by Christ. We are telling them that they are as without hope in the world, as those who refuse to confess His name.
Eph 2:12That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Does anyone disagree with this? To say that those swine living dogs, still confessing faith in Christ, are
not Christians at all, and
non-believers, is not only contrary to Scripture, but certainly does not at all
help to recover them from the snare of the devil.
Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Thank God the righteous elder brother was not there in the far country, to tell the prodigal that he was a family non-member nor believer, even if he still confessed his father's name.
Making 'doctrinal' judgments about anyone confessing Christ, as being a Christian or not, is exactly what the 'friends' of Job did, when they came to help him in his despair, and instead
by doctrine, began calling him a devil with no hope from God.
Jehovah Witnesses claim to be Christians but they deny the divinity of Jesus.
Mormons claim to be Christians but they believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers.
And when have I ever talked about claiming to be a Christian? I always speak of anyone confessing faith in Christ, and naming Christ as Lord and Savior.
Once again, at least Scripture says, if not some Christians, that being called a Christian is
by confessing faith in His name. Saying that someone confessing faith in Christ is not a Christian nor a believer, not matter how much swine husks they are eating, is not the same thing as
not fellowshipping with them in the swine pig pen.
Do you think Hitler will be at the Bema seat of Christ as a Christian? Borman, Henrich?
Did he confess faith in Jesus Christ? Call Him Lord?
Now, this is a good question. He certainly was a believing chosen apostle, but will he appear at the judgment seat of Christ? At first glance, I'd say no, because he's in hell with the rich man, and not in the presence of the Lord with the faithful dead in Christ. But, I'll have to look at it. Thanks.