Opus 16, Basic Christian Beliefs: Introduction

What do we call people who are going to spend eternity with God?  Most terms have been watered down or adulterated over the years.  Take the word “Christian.”  We see that this is a Biblical term.  It is used in at least the following three places:

(Acts 11:26 KJV)  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

(Acts 26:28 KJV)  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

(1 Peter 4:16 KJV)  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

And yet the term is becoming empty of meaning in our post-modern culture.  Words mean what you want them to mean today.  There are many who would say they are Christian and all they mean by that is they are not Muslim or Hindu.  Labels have value but only if they mean something.

So what do we call people today that used to fit in the category of “Christian?”  Disciples, believers, born again, Baptists, narrow minded bigots?  What is necessary to fit into this classification?  I want to look at some of the things that I feel are necessary.  You may agree, or not.  Maybe we can have some dialog. 

I will try to avoid being dogmatic about denominational differences, not because doctrine is not important, but because most of those I consider family arguments.