This week we have so many activities. We have attended the two days seminar and
workshop last Monday and Tuesday, and on Thursday we have our
consultation concerning what is happening in our area particularly here in
Mindanao Philippines.
We are so concern about how we could win people to Christ especially those who are with another religion that is not belonging to the Christianity.
It's me holding the banner setting at the left side
As what the world thinks that Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia, many believe that it is true, but in reality that's only the name. We called it nominal Christian not really Biblical Christian. There is a big difference between nominal and biblical Christian.
As what I know according to what I have read about a long time ago, and I do not know if it is already updated, that Christianity in the Philippines is about 95% that's included all kinds of Christian denominations and 5% is Islam. But out of 95% Christians only 15% is considered Biblical Christians.
What is nominal Christian?
Nominal Christian in my own definition is a person who is born in a Christian family who embraced a Christian religion, being acknowledged as a member of that certain religion or Christian denomination, but doesn't know about the teaching in the Bible particularly in the way of salvation.
Nominal Christian I am talking about is not only belongs to a certain known Christian denomination like Roman Catholic Church, Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) Seventh Day, Jehovah's Witnesses and so forth, but in every Christian denomination and even among the so called born again churches, evangelicals, Baptists or whatever that bears the name Christian.
You can witness and even ask a question to the people here in the Philippines most especially those who are in jail, the corrupt politicians, the criminals, prostitutes, gamblers, drunkards, robbers and gambling lords, drug lords, drug pushers and users and so forth. Ask this question. "What is your religion Christian or Islam?" Majority or I would say 95% will answer Christian.
If you have seen mostly young people today in the Philippines who are bound with the things I mentioned above are the proof of a nominal Christian. I was one of them, until I reached my age of 18.
This kind of people is named in our language KBL (Kasal, Bunyag, Lubong) that means they go to church when there is wedding ceremony (Kasal) child baptism (Bunyag) and Funeral Service in the Church (Lubong).
Before my age of 18, I never have a single verse in the Bible that I have read. I never knew what is verse, chapter and book in the Bible. I did not know what the gospel means, I maybe have heard that word especially during Holy Weeks but never understood of what it is all about. But I acknowledged that I am a Christian.
What I knew is I had a religion. I am a Christian, and in that young age I have some kinds of vices that do not promote the good moral behaviors especially the behavior as true Christian. Like the rest of today's most young people who are very proud to say about their religion.
I remember a story of a Christian Missionary who landed on the airport somewhere in the Philippines, who was very confident and very happy because he was assigned as a missionary in a Christian country, expecting that Christian people are good people and he thought that it is not a dangerous place for him.
But he was dismayed when he read the signboard inside the airport building that has a writing "Beware of Robbers." The thought in his mind... "He said that Christians are robbers?" Yes! That’s the nominal Christians. That is the reason why he was being sent to this country because of the 85% among Christians, are nominal Christians. They need to be reached out with the gospel.
What is Biblical Christian?
Biblical Christian is not based on the name of a certain Christian church or denomination. But based on what the Bible has to say. Although we cannot find the words Biblical Christians nor nominal Christians in the Bible, just only the word Christians which has a few times mentioned in the Bible. On that case, I will have to explain about how the people in the Bible become Christians? This is what I meant based on what the Bible has to say.
Christian is a name after the name of Christ. That means people belong to Christ or followers and or believers of Jesus Christ. How this people become followers or believers of Christ? It is simply because they have heard and believed the preaching of the gospel about Christ.
The first step of becoming a Christian is having the understanding or being enlightened of the gospel of Christ. There comes the faith in Jesus and should decide now to acknowledge him as savior and Lord in his life.
They have been converted to the teaching of Jesus Christ and have been given not just a literal name but a spiritual identity as a new creation. There must be a conversion.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Christianity is not a religion in the sense of spirituality, but an experience of one who have been united in Christ or being in Christ, regardless of the literal denominational names.
What is the teaching of Jesus Christ about spiritual experience?
John 3:3-7 "3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
How to experience born again life? I will tackle next post.... Please keep in touch.
We are so concern about how we could win people to Christ especially those who are with another religion that is not belonging to the Christianity.
As what the world thinks that Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia, many believe that it is true, but in reality that's only the name. We called it nominal Christian not really Biblical Christian. There is a big difference between nominal and biblical Christian.
As what I know according to what I have read about a long time ago, and I do not know if it is already updated, that Christianity in the Philippines is about 95% that's included all kinds of Christian denominations and 5% is Islam. But out of 95% Christians only 15% is considered Biblical Christians.
What is nominal Christian?
Nominal Christian in my own definition is a person who is born in a Christian family who embraced a Christian religion, being acknowledged as a member of that certain religion or Christian denomination, but doesn't know about the teaching in the Bible particularly in the way of salvation.
Nominal Christian I am talking about is not only belongs to a certain known Christian denomination like Roman Catholic Church, Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) Seventh Day, Jehovah's Witnesses and so forth, but in every Christian denomination and even among the so called born again churches, evangelicals, Baptists or whatever that bears the name Christian.
You can witness and even ask a question to the people here in the Philippines most especially those who are in jail, the corrupt politicians, the criminals, prostitutes, gamblers, drunkards, robbers and gambling lords, drug lords, drug pushers and users and so forth. Ask this question. "What is your religion Christian or Islam?" Majority or I would say 95% will answer Christian.
If you have seen mostly young people today in the Philippines who are bound with the things I mentioned above are the proof of a nominal Christian. I was one of them, until I reached my age of 18.
This kind of people is named in our language KBL (Kasal, Bunyag, Lubong) that means they go to church when there is wedding ceremony (Kasal) child baptism (Bunyag) and Funeral Service in the Church (Lubong).
Before my age of 18, I never have a single verse in the Bible that I have read. I never knew what is verse, chapter and book in the Bible. I did not know what the gospel means, I maybe have heard that word especially during Holy Weeks but never understood of what it is all about. But I acknowledged that I am a Christian.
What I knew is I had a religion. I am a Christian, and in that young age I have some kinds of vices that do not promote the good moral behaviors especially the behavior as true Christian. Like the rest of today's most young people who are very proud to say about their religion.
I remember a story of a Christian Missionary who landed on the airport somewhere in the Philippines, who was very confident and very happy because he was assigned as a missionary in a Christian country, expecting that Christian people are good people and he thought that it is not a dangerous place for him.
But he was dismayed when he read the signboard inside the airport building that has a writing "Beware of Robbers." The thought in his mind... "He said that Christians are robbers?" Yes! That’s the nominal Christians. That is the reason why he was being sent to this country because of the 85% among Christians, are nominal Christians. They need to be reached out with the gospel.
What is Biblical Christian?
Biblical Christian is not based on the name of a certain Christian church or denomination. But based on what the Bible has to say. Although we cannot find the words Biblical Christians nor nominal Christians in the Bible, just only the word Christians which has a few times mentioned in the Bible. On that case, I will have to explain about how the people in the Bible become Christians? This is what I meant based on what the Bible has to say.
Christian is a name after the name of Christ. That means people belong to Christ or followers and or believers of Jesus Christ. How this people become followers or believers of Christ? It is simply because they have heard and believed the preaching of the gospel about Christ.
The first step of becoming a Christian is having the understanding or being enlightened of the gospel of Christ. There comes the faith in Jesus and should decide now to acknowledge him as savior and Lord in his life.
They have been converted to the teaching of Jesus Christ and have been given not just a literal name but a spiritual identity as a new creation. There must be a conversion.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Christianity is not a religion in the sense of spirituality, but an experience of one who have been united in Christ or being in Christ, regardless of the literal denominational names.
What is the teaching of Jesus Christ about spiritual experience?
John 3:3-7 "3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
How to experience born again life? I will tackle next post.... Please keep in touch.
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