I See Four Levels of Christianity

[David Sklansky]

Not counting extreme liberals like Pair The Board, I discern that Christian Believers can basically be seperated into four groups. Tell me if I am approximately right.

1. Those who believe that Jesus is the son of God and believe that your aftelife will be better if you also believe and do good things as well. But if one is horrible and believes, or wonderful and doesn't believe, God might make an exception.

2. Those who believe that no one can make up for their inherent evilness through good works but if they truly believe, God will forgive them and show that in the afterlife. However God will be skeptical if you do no good works.

3. Those who think the afterlife is 100% related to your belief which you are free to choose.

4. Those who think that even belief isn't enough if you were not already predestined for heaven. (Or they might think that your belief is somehow evidence of your predestination, which is logically equivalent.)

Is that about right?

[spaminator101]

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4. Those who think that even belief isn't enough if you were not already predestined for heaven. (Or they might think that your belief is somehow evidence of your predestination, which is logically equivalent.)

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I beleive that if you were not already predestined for heaven that you can not beleive. I think that most Calvinist would agree with me here.

[quinn]

It is important to note that all Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God.

And this is slightly off topic, but for your own reference, this is the Apostles' Creed (a lot of Christians claim that if you believe in the Apostles' Creed then you are Christian and if you don't, you're not):

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

[NotReady]

There are as many variations of Christianity as there are Christians. But there is a central core of doctrine that most Christians believe, and an even more central core that the Bible says is all that's necessary to be saved.

[mythrilfox]

I didn't know God was capable of skepticism.

2 and 3 seem no different to me.

And 4 is roughly equivalent to 3 for all intensive purposes. Just a matter of "free will."

[RJT]

All Christians believe Jesus Christ (not His last name) is the Son of God. The term Christianity is a good clue.

I don’t know about your list. But, I would hope God makes exceptions for those who believe in goodness whether or not people have had the opportunity to hear the “Good News”, i.e. the word of God.

I can’t deal with # 4. Predestination is as absurd to me as Christianity is to you.

Not sure if your list of 4 includes all forms or not, but for the sake of discussion, I’ll bite.

[spaminator101]

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I can’t deal with # 4. Predestination is as absurd to me as Christianity is to you.


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What exactly is your problem with predestination?

[sexdrugsmoney]

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I can’t deal with # 4. Predestination is as absurd to me as Christianity is to you.


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What exactly is your problem with predestination?

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It has begun ...

VS

[img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[RJT]

I don’t understand it, I guess. I’ll take a pass is all.

[spaminator101]

No, I don't think it has. I don't really feel like talking about it all again.