Who is a Christian and who decides what the definition of Christian is?

Acts 11:26 ... And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

That is like the question about the peoples who have not heard the gospel in some remote jungle. They will be judged on what they know. There is a verse for that as well.

You know about Urantia, but you also know about the NT and OT. But I am not your judge.

The reason why the good thief on the cross (St. Dismas, non-biblical sources say his name was) is not always a good example is because he was dying when he repented and turned to Jesus. Jesus did not require Dismas to believe in the virgin birth, the Mass, the Holy Eucharist, Purgatory, prayers to saints, the necessity of good works for salvation, the papacy, or any of the teachings Jesus taught the nascent Church, because Jesus didn't have the time to explain all this to Dismas, and Jesus was in too much pain to do much talking. Dismas did confess his sins to a priest---he confessed them to the High Priest, Jesus Himself.

People sometimes say, oh, we don't need Baptism because the good thief didn't get baptized. But there was no time or opportunity to baptize him, and there is such a thing as baptism of desire (the person wants to be baptized, or would have wanted it had he known God wanted it, but dies before it happens). People also will say, oh, the good thief never went to Mass or Communion, or prayed to a saint, or prayed for the poor souls in Purgatory, or never did any good works after believing. All this ignores the fact that in Dismas' case there was no time---Dismas was dying and there was no time or opportunity for him to be totally instructed or for him to do these things had he been. We do things differently under exigent circumstances.

In the present day, if a non-Christian is dying, but expressed a desire to become a Catholic Christian on his deathbed, and a priest is called, the priest will instruct the person on the existence of God, the Trinity, and the redemption gained by Christ's death on the cross, and Christ's resurrection, and if the person says yes, he believes, the priest will baptize him. There simply isn't time to give much more instruction.

Also present at the crucifixion was another person who became a Christian. That was Longinus, the Roman soldier who threw the lance into Jesus. Historical sources outside the Bible say he later became a Christian, a priest, eventually a bishop, and a martyr. He, unlike Dismas, did have time to be carefully instructed, baptized, initiated into the Eucharistic mysteries. He would have been required to do good works and doubtlessly he did them.

St. Dismas and St. Longinus, pray for us.

Jesus saves BY MEANS OF the rituals, the rituals of Baptism, Confession, Mass/Communuion, and the other four sacraments. These are rituals established by Jesus Himself. Yes, the person must have faith also, and a contrite heart. The sacraments are not charms, they don't work unless the person has the right interior disposition.

Quote from kb2222: In any case, Ludlow, tell me why you believe our Holy Heavenly Father, a Universal Spirit of LOVE and RIGHTEOUSNESS would require the blood sacrifice of the innocent before He would forgive man for sin?

Quote from ludlowlowell: Because spilled blood shows us how horrible sin is.

How does this nonsense answer my question? How does "spilled blood shows us how horrible sin is"? Why would God need to kill His son to show us how horrible sin is when supposedly the death of Jesus was to atone for sin? You are insane.

How can you be a Christian striving to become more Christ-like when you reject the loving and caring nature of God that Jesus revealed and believe about God like those who killed Him, Ludlow?

Well, what's your answer, Ludlow.

Anyone with the right disposition does not turn to voodoo or black magic. He turns to Jesus Christ his Savior, and the sacraments (rituals, if you want to call them that) Christ established.

Paul was not saved until he croaked, and none of us are. The "I'm a saved Christian" attitude is a horrendous Protestant error and actually is the sin of presumption, especially if one believes once-saved-always-saved.

Salvation is by grace, yes, and faith must be had, but grace comes to us from the sacraments---Jesus' sacraments, it should be empasized, mainly the sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation (Confession), and the Eucharist, Jesus' actual living Body and Blood.

Faith, hope, charity (which includes love of neighbor and good works), sacraments, morality, forgiveness of others---all of these are necessary for salvation. And we don't know for certain, any of us, if we will make it there. All it takes is one mortal sin and we lose the state of grace (the state of grace can be regained if we make a good Confession).

"The sacraments don't save, Jesus saves." But they are Jesus' sacraments.

"The sacraments don't save, faith does." Yes, we must have faith in those sacraments, because they are Jesus' sacraments.

"The sacraments don't save, grace does." But Jesus' grace comes from Jesus' sacraments.

But the sacraments are not charms or voodoo spells---they only work if we do, by our avoidance of sin and our doing of good works.

"Faith without works is dead."

--St. James

"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling."

--St. Paul

Paul was not saved until he croaked, and none of us are. The "I'm a saved Christian" attitude is a horrendous Protestant error and actually is the sin of presumption, especially if one believes once-saved-always-saved.

At the moment we pass thos life we are judged by Jesus (God Incarnate). Those He sends to Heaven or Purgatory are said to be saved and those who are sent to Hell are not saved.

The soul who appears before Jesus, arrogantly claiming, "oh Jesus, You have to let me into Heaven, I had an emotional experience at age __ where I gave my heart to you, and that made me saved, and You have to let me into Heaven" is not going to please Him.

The soul that says, "Lord, I was a sinner on earth, but I was born again (baptized), I received Your Wonderful Body and Blood in Holy Communion, and I confessed my sins and did the prescribed penance on those occasions when I failed You"---the person with this attitude stands a chance.

Jesus saves BY MEANS OF the rituals, the rituals of Baptism, Confession, Mass/Communuion, and the other four sacraments. These are rituals established by Jesus Himself. Yes, the person must have faith also, and a contrite heart. The sacraments are not charms, they don't work unless the person has the right interior disposition.

You are a sick man, Lud.