What is a Christian?

Lots of people do call themselves Christian but are not really real followers of Christ (what they should be when they call themselves Christian).

Being Christian should entail that the person is a follower of the Christ (Kristos) and would follow his teachings and worship the same God as him. Though in the Christian world we do find the majority worshipping another god than the God of Christ. Christ Jesus, born by the Power of God, was brought up in a very devout family who kept to the Torah and worshipped the Only One True God, the God of Israel, Who is also the God of Abraham.

A true Christian should also keep to that Unseen God and like Jesus should obey His Wishes and Commandments. As a follower of Christ a Christian should make sure to live according the rule of the God of Christ and according the teachings of Jesus Christ. Though in many denominations we see lots of so called believers who not take notion of all those things Jesus and God require from believers in God and from lovers of God. Many keep to the false teaching of the trinity (a three-headed god) and even do not mind having graven images of those gods (a blasphemy and an abomination in the eyes of God)
Lots of those calling themselves Christian also do not share the love of Christ and often are racist and not showing their love for others. Many also do not mind taking up weapons or to show aggressiveness towards others.

A real Christian is some one who really tries to live according the teachings of God and His only begotten beloved son Jesus, and like him shows respect and love to every creation of God (plants, animals and people).

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Additional reading

1. The Nazarene master teacher learning people how they should behave
2. Words to push and pull
3. Atonement And Fellowship 2/8
4. As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
5. Not withholding the Good News
6. Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom
7. Blogging in the world for Jesus and his Father
8. Devotees and spotters
9. Concerning the humans who are a warlike species
10. ….a powerful way to put the universe on notice….
11. Days of madness with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils
12. Living lives in total darkness by lack of understanding the times that lie ahead
13. An atoneless religious system or a hope giving religious system
14. Given opportunity to accept Christ as Messiah
15. A House for God in our 21st century
16. Torah hanging on two commandments and focussing on a Mashiach
17. Ambassadors for our faith in Jeshua
18. Biblical Yeshua/ Jesus or Another European Greco- Roman Jesus ??
19. Not being saved by faith in Christ alone
20. Today’s thought “A breach of faith against the LORD” (March 1)
21. Today’s thought “Being made prosperous and numerous on conditions” (May 13)
22. Today’s thought “… with all your heart” (May 09)
23. a Strong Family doesn’t just happen
24. Eagerness to learn and to teach others
25. Division, diversity, unity and connection
26. Jewish and Gentile Disciples
27. Jews and Christians against Messianics and Jeshuaists
28. The attitude of Christians to Jews
29. Working with others behind the scenes
30. The Most Important Point to be a Jeshuaist
31. Christadelphian opposite Christian
32. The clean sweeper of the whole caboodle
33. Living stones 5 Abraham’s seed and gentiles
34. Living stones 7 The spiritual house
35. Today’s thought “Forgive … from your heart” (January 16)
36. Memorizing wonderfully 45 Living and bearing fruit by dying

An uncovering book to explore

Now Summer has come to us we have more time to sit outdoors and relax. Ideal time to take up the Book of books to read in it. We have the whole of God’s Word to read and inspire us whenever we feel like doing so. Though many people like to postpone Bible reading. Some are also afraid to be confronted with the words which they might find inside. To prorogue reading the Bible shall keep a lot of wisdom from them. Holding off Bible reading will withhold us from useful help. Protracting a confrontation with the Word of God shall only make it more difficult for the person to find a satisfying life which shall be righteous in the eyes of the Most High Divine Creator.

“Which Book, Holy Bible” – NARA – 516150 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To understand past and evolution to the future, our position in life, our way to follow, we could use that what is brought to us in that old library of 66 books.

Many want others to believe that it is

dang hard. {J.S. Parks Five Primers On How To Study The Bible}

but it does not have to be so hard as they say. When you start with the right open mind and good attitude you should be able to trace back those old sayings and enjoy the different genres of literature the Bible presents. Like any book we come to read we do not have to expect to see clear (in everything) straight ahead. We do need time to reflect and to let the material come into our mind, having it come to grow, like a mustard seed.

Though those writings may be written long ago for people who lived ages ago, the words still are very useful and edifying for today. Whatever mood we are in those words can enlighten us and change our mood for the better. When we are willing to have those words come unto us they shall do.

Every time you open the Bible, believe that God has something for you. Believe it. At every moment, good and bad, up or down, in all seasons, the Bible will speak.  The Holy Spirit convicts you of all truth. Be ready for it to push against you, to disagree with you, to challenge what you always thought was true. The Word of God is a sword that will cut you to your soul, exposing all. {J.S. Parks Five Primers On How To Study The Bible}

The Bible is much more than just the message of Jesus. It is the message of God. Some might want you to believe that as an unbeliever you are nothing with the Bible. They say, like J.S.Park, that it is crazy to those without Jesus, and want us to believe that it only can be the saving truth to believers. but the Biblical message is a message of hope, peace and message of salvation for all.

We should know that all Scripture is breathed out of God, useful for everybody and for everything we do and who we are. No matter if you believe or to have faith, confidence, or trust in this or that or do not believe in this or that or trust what one has heard. Be sure not everything what so called believers belief is true. Many, not to say the majority in Christendom belief nonbilical things. The ones who try to keep to the Bible in Christianity are often fought against and shunned by so called ‘Christians‘. Therefore it is not bad to come to see what is really written in that book of books.

To come to a real good exploration of the Bible you should start with a fully open mind, undone from the traditional human doctrines and willing to read what is really written there on those uncovering pages.

Lots of people want to get as much gain as possible from everything what comes into their hands. They should know that we are not here to  hoard treasures down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. We are better to find more useful treasures by reading in the Bible.  From those words we can learn a lot and build up a stronger character. It shall also learn us how to stockpile treasures in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars.

Your eyes are windows into your body and you have to use them to see into yourself. The Bible is your looking glass and your best tool to get to know yourself and those around you. Perhaps you will not see it at first, but given time you will come to see. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have! Pulling up the blinds are the shutters you will come step by step to more insight and closer to the truth. You also shall start feeling how higher forces will come to guide you.

This doesn’t mean you’ll “feel something” every time you read Scripture. But meditate on even a tiny scrap of a verse and let it sit. The Bible has the very words of God pouring out His heart for you. He is big, but by His Word, He is so close. Hear it as a friend speaking, as a leader leading. Be encouraged and convicted. {J.S. Parks Five Primers On How To Study The Bible}

Quadruple combination opened to the Book of Isaiah – note the cross references between Biblical and Latter-day Saint scripture in the footnotes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Those writings from the old times are still of use for us. It are the Words from God and from people God wanted us to hear their voices. Words from good and bad people are written down so that we can learn from what went right and what went wrong. They are words which we should embrace and believe. They do come from the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless as in our times. (Romans 4:23-24)  Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us. God wants the combination of his steady, constant calling and warm, personal counsel in Scripture to come to characterize us, keeping us alert for whatever he will do next. (Romans 15:4)

In the knowledge that  every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another — showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way, it is a major manual to guide us through life in easy and in difficult times. Knowing also that some very difficult times soon may arrive, we are better to prepare ourselves for that great war which shall come over humankind. A forewarned is forearmed.

Therefore this Summer do not hesitate to take up the Bible and let yourself be carried away by its stories. Through the Word you may be put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for you. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

We couldn’t be more sure of what we saw and heard — God’s glory, God’s voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to the apostles who took care like the other men of God that the messengers of God their words would be told to the next generations. We do well to keep focusing on those precious words. When you are feeling blue or are not happy, feeling tired, or when you feel pleased with what you have, come to see the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts. The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. And why? Because it’s not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God’s Word. (2 Peter 1:19-21)

When reading it we should leave the human words, which tried us to belief certain things, for what they are, and go deeper in to study what is really written in the Bible.  We are convinced when you try to read the Bible, listening to the words like they are written there, it is not such a difficult book at all.

Good luck with it.

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Preceding articles:

Summerholiday season time to read the Bible

Holiday making and dreaming

Home-stayers and their to do lis

Genre – Playing by the Rules

The Need to Understand Genre

A Dutch version / Een Nederlandse versie: Zomertijd ideaal op met Bijbellezing aan te vangen

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Additional reading:

1. Catholicism, Anabaptism and Crisis of Christianity
2. A question to be posed
3. A way to look for Christ, the Bible, Word of God
4. Youth has difficulty Bible Reading
5. Some one or something to fear #3 Cases, folks and outing
6. The Right One to follow and to worship
7. People Seeking for God 1 Looking for answers
8. People Seeking for God 2 Human interpretations
9. People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions
10. People Seeking for God 6 Strategy
11. Not able to make contact with God because to busy
12. The truth is very plain to see and God can be clearly seen
13. Relapse plan
14. Being Religious and Spiritual 6 Romantici, utopists and transcendentalists
15. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
16. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
17. Engagement in an actual two-way conversation with your deities
18. Creator and Blogger God 10 A Blog of a Book 4 Listening to the Blogger
19. Challenging claim 4 Inspired by God 3 Self-consistent Word of God
20. Statutes given unto us
21. Written down in God’s Name for righteousness
22. Unread bestseller
23. Do Christians need to read the Old Testament
24. We should use the Bible every day
25. Daily Spiritual Food To prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of God
26. Daily portion of heavenly food
27. Feed Your Faith Daily
28. The importance of Reading the Scriptures
29. Bible, best Book of books to get to know the truth
30. Necessity of a revelation of creation 9 Searching the Scriptures
31. Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
32. The Almighty Lord God of gods King above all gods
33. God who knows the heart
34. Jehovah God Almighty greater than all gods
35. Glory of only One God Who gives His Word
36. Necessary to be known all over the earth
37. Hearing words to accept
38. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
39. Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach
40. Appointed to be read
41. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
42. Absolute Basics to Reading the Bible
43. How to Choose a Bible for Preaching
44. The Third Word: Scripture twisting is blasphemy
45. Interpreting the Scriptures (Part 5)
46. The holy spirit will bring back to your minds all the things told
47. Building up the spirit of the soul
48. Be an Encourager
49. God’s never-ending stream of much-needed mercies
50. Displeasure of יהוה , Jehovah the God of gods, and His wrath against all the gentiles their divisions
51. Believing in the send one and understanding that one does not live by bread alone
52. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
53. The manager and Word of God
54. Accuracy, Word-for-Word Translation Preferred by most Bible Readers
55. The Metaphorical language of the Bible
56. Scripture alone Sola Scriptora

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• Old language to confirm the promises
• The holy spirit will bring back to your minds all the things told