@NiceGerbil
Bluegrass thank you!
Two I think-
- I understand totally now your earlier points and your definition of/ feeling about your faith. What being Christian means. And so when you talk about Christians you mean those who have a deep faith and believe in certain tenets.
There will be plenty of adherents in other groups etc who include in their definition a deep belief in something you don't believe. Or don't feel is fundamental. Maybe a behaviour, something in the Bible, I mean could be anything.
They would not see you as a Christian.
What are your thoughts on that? Relaxed as you do your own thing? That they are wrong? Something else? Really interested!
- Say suddenly something visible came which showed whether people believed that man was created in God's image. Like a blue finger or I mean anything!
That would show who was Christian in your eyes and who was not.
Clearly many many people who are active in churches, go every week, donate, volunteer etc etc would not have that belief.
For you personally-
IF you are part of a church/ group etc that meets your belief. And some there did not believe that. What would you want to happen in your own group? About them.
The main organised denominations do need on bums on seats. For donations volunteers money from will etc.
RC church is immensely wealthy for eg.
Loads not believers. If they let them stay, does that make them... Not real Christian orgs?
If they kick them all out- never going to happen. Generally religions want to get people not get rid.
Maybe your view anyway is that other branches are not the real deal so of no matter?
Just I think you said don't talk to secular people about this much.
I rarely have an opportunity where I feel... That it will be overall positive all round to discuss things with the v religious people I know.
For the first question, it's not so much that the definition of "Christian" will vary from church to church and hang on different theological issues. No, this isn't my personal definition of a Christian, it is what all Christian churches will hold as their statement of faith. Indeed, if a church denies these creeds they are normally a cult or an off-shoot of Christianity (such as Mormons and JWs, who indeed deny Jesus's divinity and the salvific power of the cross, meaning they cannot be classed as Christian denominations).
True Christian denominations may differ on some peripheral theological issues (such as baptism, the eucharist, how to do worship, etc...) but the basic creeds are absolutely fundamental, and any Church presenting as a "Christian Church" will show their allegiance to these creeds in their official statement of faith. Otherwise, they aren't a church. Even if in practise they don't do a good job of it, or their preachers diverge into strange doctrines on the pulpit, churches still officially adhere to these creeds if they wish to be classed as a Christian church. Indeed I don't know of a single Church denomination who would formally state that you can be a Christian without believing in these creeds, which are the Gospel. The Gospel is so fundamental to Christianity, you can see it in the 2nd paragraph on the Wikipedia entry of "Christianity".
"The creeds of various Christian denominations generally hold in common Jesus as the Son of God—the Logos incarnated—who ministered, suffered, and died on a cross, but rose from the dead for the salvation of mankind; and referred to as the gospel, meaning the "good news". "
Indeed, Christianity IS the religion that preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so you simply cannot be a Christian if you reject the Gospel, because in rejecting the Gospel you are rejecting Christianity. This is not a controversial statement at all.
Now of course, anyone is free to say they are a "Christian", even if they don't believe in the Gospel. In the same way, I could say I am a Muslim even though I don't believe in the tenets of Islam. But that doesn't make you that religion. In that case, you are merely a "nominal" Christian, using the word without believing in the substance of that word. It doesn't change the definition of Christian.
If you want to know what the Gospel actually is, here is a brief summary of it (see attached) and a more detailed version (click through the steps one by one) twowaystolive.com/2wtl/mobile/#creation
For the second question, if people are attending church but don't believe in the Gospel, I would want them to be taught the Gospel and come to accept it for themselves. Turning up to church on a Sunday, donating some money, Christening your children... the truth is, it is all worthless if you don't actually have a relationship with God. It won't count one jot towards your salvation. What matters for church-goers is that they come to believe in the Lord Jesus, rely on his death and resurrection, and as a result enjoy a relationship with the Creator God.