Whta makes someone a Christian?

[leonardodavinci]

my dh and I have decided to get dd(8) christened and according to the priest the fact that we haven't been to church after we christened ds 7 years ago we haven't fulfilled our obligation to God. We felt like we had failed, thing is we both belive in God, tell our children religiousy type things but we don't go to church as often please don't think am judging church goers here but sometimes church goers can go to church and be nice but do unchristian things to their neighbours. My question is does anyone else feel that going to church makes you a Christian or does having a big heart, praying and believing matter as much. Would be very grateful to anyone who replies to this.

i understand your point bebejam. being good is relative to the situation - who couldpossibly decide if you have truly been good but god, theres no sane rational that evens things out.

that being said - someone tell me why good people who are not christian will go to heaven and thsoe who believe in christ will. i wouldnt have thought god wouldput an exclusion clause on it if he loves us all

Custardo, its because no-one is good enough to go to heaven.

There is an author called Max Lucado who tells the story of when he took his son and some friends to the fair. He stood by the ride handing out tickets to his son and his son's friend. Then he realised he was handing a ticket to a child he didn't recognise. He said "who are you?". The child said "I'm your son's friend and he said you'd give me a ticket". Heaven is like that. When God says "why would I let you in, you're not good enough", I'll say "because your son said you would".

Its not about what you do, its about who you know...

Didn't see your last post before I posted. The exclusion clause is "no one is good enough, everyone has fallen short of the mark". Jesus is the get-in-free clause. And no-one is excluded from loving Jesus, anyone can do it.

If you choose not to love Jesus and spend time with God while you're alive, why would you want to go to heaven and be with God when you die anyway?

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innocent question..

if god is all loving, all forgiving etc, if a person who had done good things all their life but never stepped foot in a church or prayed, was stood before him in heaven..would he let them in do you think?

and if not, why?

i'm convinced he would let them in nightowl. I don't think any of us have the right to say God wouldn't let that person 'in' - its up to every individual and God - but i guess some will disagree with me. I think heaven is so far beyond what any of us can imagine. Its not some kind of luxurious butlins with an entry fee. Some say hell is the absence of God, which kind of makes sense.

right then. my husband is a far better person than i am but i will get into jesus becuae i got the secret handshake thing going on it that it.

i shall wave and stick out my tongue through the gates

gos a bit mean i reckon if thats the definition of going to heaven

that being the case - having thunk about it am not bothering going to church anymore, dont want to go to heaven without dh

but custardo i don't think your dh would be rejected by 'heaven' whatever that is!

It's not about being a good person or not - it's about having a living relationship with God.

Hopefully, this living relationship (ie being continually filled with the Holy Spirit) with help you to become a better person over time. I know that it has helped me.

an leonardo if you are still here, within the law of the Church ANYONE can Christen a child, it doesn't have to be a priest. My dad who is an Anglican vicar used to be a hospital chaplain, and he had to train nurses to christen babies in life threatening situations. So this vicar of yours is being very judgemental and pompous, in my opinion.

The thing about baptism is that you promise to bring up your children within the family of God, to me that means meeting regularly with other Christians

How can you do this unless you attend some sort of church gathering?

it is preferable but should not be an ultimatum. All i'm saying is that for the priest to refuse a christening because someone doesn't attend church is rather judgemental. Let God decide.

I don't think it's entirely clear whether leonardodavinci was told they couldn't have their dd christened, or whether the priest just questioned them about their church attendance?

But should a priest or vicar baptise a child if they know that he parents aren't going to keep the promiss that they have to make?

Not directed at Leonardo btw, just a general question!

you promise to renounce evil, to repent of your sins and to turn to Christ.
You are asked to bring your child up in the knowledge of Christ and the community of Christians, which does not mean necessarily in my view going to church every Sunday.

but it does mean mixing with fellow Christians.

I am of the view that a church is a gathering of people rather than a building

but theres no point in mixing with other christians if your dh is going to be turned away because he hasnt got his get into heaven jesus card

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Its great if you believe that. Most religions seem to think only they are right and everyone else is damned - which is why I inherantly think they are in fact wrong.

But anyway, I'm sure if Leonardo goes to a different church the priest/vicar will welcome them with open hearts. You won't get people through the door if you slam it in their faces, which is what this priest seems to have done.

And I know my posts are all simplistic - but I think some things are rather simple.

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Good!

I meant you as in 'you Christians' not 'you Bloss'.