Is Barack Obama a Christian
Is Barack Obama a Christian? The answer to the question regarding President Obama’s faith depends on how we define Christian. What does it mean to be a Christian?
I fear that in our politically correct world many have defined ‘Christian’ as anyone who professes to believe in God and Jesus Christ his son. Forget the apostle’s creed or Chalcedonian Christology, how we define God and Jesus his son seems to be up for grabs.
I hear quite often, ‘it is all about faith and what you believe.’ Let's take that to the extreme. Consider the beliefs of our adversary the devil. He believes in God the father maker of heaven and earth. He believes that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and laid in a manger; he was an eye-witness. He believes Jesus walked on water and fed the 5000. He believes Jesus suffered under Pilate and was crucified. He was there. Satan was an eye witness to the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Satan knows that God the Father accepted Christ’s death as payment for our sins. So, does this knowledge and understanding place Satan into the category of Christian? I don’t think so. So, what does it mean for any of us to be called a Christian? Is there a difference between having a Christian belief system and being a Christian? Can you have a Christian belief system and not be a Christian? Can you be a Christian and not have a Christian belief system? Our world has become very complicated.
posted by Rick @ 8:13 AM
1 Comments
1 Comments:
In our new world, heaven and hell are not real, just figments of the "right-wing nut's" imagination. This straw-man right-wing nut (otherwise known as anyone who believes what the Bible says and actually tries to live it) is unquestioningly labeled as a very dangerous person, borderline crazy. One day, simply telling someone that humans are sinners is going to be classified as hate speech. Even now, one of the "commandments" in our new society is "Thou shalt not talk about politics or religion". So to even raise the question whether or not Obama, or anyone else, is a Christian is considered taboo and possibly hateful. Our world is entangled in confusion.
In our hearts, we know that to be concerned about another man's eternal destiny is an expression of love. How unbelievably thankful are WE that someone was concerned about OUR spiritual condition? We would never pass a dying person on the sidewalk without AT LEAST asking them if they were ok and calling 911. In love, we know that by discussing spiritual things, we are placing a 911 call in hope that this person's life might be saved.
Looking at your question and trying to discern the difference between a "genuine" Christian and a "Christiany" individual makes my head spin a little. Someone once mentioned to me that the word "disciple" is used in the Bible 100+ times, but the word Christian only 3. I think the word disciple paints a clearer picture for me. You can only be the disciple of one person because you can only be in one place at a time. Discipleship means following a person everywhere he goes. Being where he is at all times. Listening to everything he says. Kind of like having the job of personal assistant to the President or something. You can't devote constant time and space to more than one person. This concept is getting harder to express in our society. Marriage used to be a good comparison. Not so much anymore for a couple of reasons. A career might have been a good analogy in the past. Less nowadays. A disciple, a true Christian, requires the understanding and pledge of opportunity cost, but our society is one that doesn't believe in opportunity cost anymore. We have bought in to the lie that we can have at all, and do so by charging it onto our credit card, which we might never have to pay back because the government will force someone to "forgive" our debt. Instead of having wise kings who administer justice, we have foolish ones who have trained people to be irresponsible, condoning and even practicing the same foolishness. Through corruption, basic concepts and definitions and losing their very meaning. The foundation is crumbling.
I don't know many answers but I do know a true disciple of Christ wholeheartedly knows and admits that he is a sinner. And he knows that his sin qualifies him for hell and nowhere else. (And a disciple is therefore desperate for an answer to this life and death predicament.) I think this differentiates disciples from the pretenders.
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