Question:
Christian but doesn't go to church or read bible?
2013-12-07 15:12:18 UTC
Okay, no hate please and no offense intended.
I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus, and God. I believe God is the creator and all that. However, at first I read the bible and did not believe in the stories literally. I thought, for example, the story of Jesus walking on water was a story that showed he was powerful. The stories were to be taken with a pinch of salt, to be learned from not necessarily believed in. Now I do not believe in the bible really at all, God did not write it, its not 100% his word. The bible could be un reliable, its like Chinese whispers, all muddled up s it contradicts itself. Human kind could have dripped poison into it in order for people to believe in certain things because of the bible. I think this because I do not believe that God would be homophobic or punish woman for having an abortion due to being raped.
Does having this disbelief in the bible YET still believing in God and Jesus and committing to the modern Christian way of life mean that I'm not a Christian?
Again no hate for my beliefs, just pure advice and guidance Thank you x
Fifteen answers:
Rolando C I
2013-12-07 18:14:12 UTC
You are not a Christian but you can become one once you start living your life by what the word of God says. Matthew 7:21-23
Larry R
2013-12-07 15:25:41 UTC
Sounds like you need to learn some more about what it is exactly you believe, as you hold a number of beliefs that are mutually contradictory. That's not unusual, but it indicates that you probably need to do some more studying on the subject. You are lucky in that you live in the UK so you can get a free ALPHA course. Alpha runs in churches, bars, coffee shops and homes all around the globe. Typically Alpha has around ten sessions and includes food, a short talk and a discussion at the end where you can share your thoughts. Alpha really is for anyone who’s curious. The talks are designed to encourage debate and explore the basics of the Christian faith in a friendly, honest and informal environment. http://www.alpha.org/try
Esther
2013-12-07 18:44:54 UTC
If you call yourself a Christian but don't believe the bible, I wonder upon what do you base your claim? It's either the word of God, or it is not. My advice is to find a good bible teaching church. You are desperately in need of an education about God and His word.
2 Shepherds
2013-12-07 15:20:29 UTC
You can't call yourself a Christian if you don't believe God's inspired word, the Bible. It tells about Jesus. A Christian follows Jesus and lives His way after having asked Him into his/her life as Lord and as Savior. Are you a Christian by that definition?
Blessed
2013-12-07 17:00:30 UTC
Satan also believes in God and knows He is the creator of heaven and earth.

So you say you believe in God does not make you a Christian.

A Christian is a follower of Christ. You are not this.

If you were, you would not disobey God.
Cheshire reloaded
2013-12-07 15:50:55 UTC
Interestingly there have been ministers, priests, bishops and vicars that have similar ideas, some have even written books about their beliefs. I recommend Bishop John Shelby Spong, Robin Meyers, Anthony Freeman and Janet Armstrong. All worth reading if you feel you need to understand these views better.
Freedom and Liberty
2013-12-07 15:15:57 UTC
The Bible is supposed to be the word of God.



The Bible is homophobic and misogynistic. You may not like that, but its true. And if you haven't read the Bible or you don't go to Church then lets be honest... you're not actually a real believing Christian; you're a cultural Christian.
?
2013-12-07 15:16:04 UTC
No you can still be Christian, you just have different point of views on things. Your opinions and my opinion are completely different but that doesnt mean you cant be a christian. Maybe punishing the women for an abortion due to rape is cause its not the babys fault. Homophobic- im lost on that one.
2013-12-07 16:35:39 UTC
Hi Maddy,



The question is, would God approve of your approach, and agree that you're really a Christian? I need to be careful here, because I am far from perfect myself, and I need to try not to be a hypocrite. But, I want to gently tell you that I don't think God approves of your approach to being a Christian. But this isn't just my opinion, because what does my human opinion matter? So I'll tell you why I think that believing in Jesus but not accepting the Bible as the word of God and not going to church means you aren't really practising Christianity.



1. The Bible is the word of God. Yes, it is written by people, but it is fundamental for a Christian to recognize and believe that the writings of the Bible were divinely inspired, that God spoke through people. People cannot escape their culture, their language, and their historical circumstances, so the word of God comes to us in a very human form. But it is still the word of God. When something in the Bible seems hard to believe, it is very helpful to consult the writings of the early church fathers. Their writings can help us make sense of the Bible, since they lived a life much more similar to those who wrote the scriptures.



2. Being a Christian is not simply believing in Jesus. Jesus himself tells us that to achieve salvation there are many things we must do, believing in him is just one. We aren't saved by faith alone.



3. How do we know how to live a Christian life? We could maybe expect there to be a hint in the Bible. And there is, albeit one that many people conveniently over look. In reading the gospel, we find that Jesus chose twelve apostles, and gave them special authorities. He gave them the authority to forgive sins in his name, to make rules for his church on earth, and to preach the gospel and baptise. He literally told them that he was giving them (Peter, especially) the "keys to the Kingdom of Heaven" and that whatever rules the apostles made on earth would be made in Heaven. See, Jesus did not want us all to make up our own rules and decide which rules to follow, which doctrines to believe. We're not capable of doing that for ourselves, and believing we are is an illusion. If you believe that you don't need the church that Jesus founded, and you don't need God's Word, then you are not trusting that God knows best. And if you think you can be a Christian but reject the church Jesus founded, then you are rejecting God's will. This is not my opinion. These are facts of Christianity that many people ignore, overlook, or will not accept because they want to live by their own rules. But Jesus warns us of this in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew.



The best advice I can give is that you read the gospels. If you've read them, carefully re-read. You will find that there was a definite hierarchy of authority that was handed down from Christ to the apostles, and then in the book of Acts from the apostles to the second generation of apostles, the bishops. There is no true Christianity without having the church - the unified body of believers who are guided by the bishops, who have received the authority of Christ from an unbroken succession leading back to the twelve apostles. Without the church and the bishops we are lost, spiritually wandering, trying to figure out how to live. That isn't what Jesus wanted for us. He intended all believers to be guided towards the Kingdom of Heaven in a definite way.



Read the New Testament. God wants you to be part of the Church he established through the apostles. People disagree which church in existence is THE Church of Christ. However, only one existing church can validly claim real historical continuity with the early Church that formed by the preaching of the apostles after Christ ascended to Heaven, and that is the Holy Orthodox Church. Many believe the Catholic Church can make the same historical claim, and indeed the two used to be united until cultural differences resulted in a split. Major efforts are being undertaken to reunite them.



Recap. You are not a true Christian by the standards of the church Jesus Christ established. Your views are contrary to the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Church, which has the authority of Christ, which has been passed down in an unbroken chain from the original twelve apostles.



I hope I have not come across judgemental. I am telling you the facts as I have been taught them, and I believe I have been properly taught. If you want to discuss it or talk more, I would be glad to talk!
Gabriel Silva
2013-12-07 15:15:49 UTC
You are a Christian.. I believe in God, and I have the same issues with the bible... I think when you believe in God, and do things that are good that will be ok.. God is love, and I really do not think that He is homophobic.. He wants us to be happy whatever we do. So I think it doesnt matter if you agree or not with the bible the important thing is that you believe in God...
Captain Sarcastic
2013-12-07 15:14:59 UTC
You could still be considered Christian - probably a rather extreme form of "cafeteria Christian."



Those who claim otherwise are almost certainly engaging in a "No True Scotsman" fallacy.
Elizabeth
2013-12-07 15:30:20 UTC
The word of God (The Bible) is what leads and guides us. Jesus himself said it testifies of Him.



Pleas see the link -
2013-12-07 16:49:58 UTC
The only thing you need to fit the definition is believing Jesus was God. Different sects of Christians vary on every other precept (extinct/killed sects varied on that one too).
?
2013-12-07 15:37:00 UTC
There are many different denominations of Christians with many different views on the Bible and many different beliefs.



And of course, many Christians would say those of different denominations are 'not true Christians'.
2013-12-07 15:13:41 UTC
You don't even know what you believe.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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