Liesje
Blue Crack Addict
maycocksean said:
To clarify the "following of Christ" which I think is a bit vague I would maintain that Christians accept Jesus as Savior. That keeps it simple and seperates those who might say oh, I follow Jesus. . .and also Buddha etc. Merely being an admirer of Christ's work doesn't make you a Christian. There's a basic acceptance of your NEED for Christ, a NEED no one else can fill that makes you a Christian.
I originally had this in mind as well, but then it opens up the whole "save by works vs. saved by Grace" can of worms. Plenty of Christians and large denominations still believe that it is not Grace/acceptance of the Savior alone that is necessary for salvation.
My own personal interpretation of what it means to follow Christ is basically accept that I am saved by Grace alone, not by my own works. To me, it's comforting to believe in something larger than myself and my own actions.
But, there are plenty who believe in being saved by their Christian works. Or, the belief that believers don't have access to a personal relationship with Jesus and can acheive this only through the institutional Church ( ). I don't agree at all, because if you're saved by your own works, you don't NEED Christ, but they're still Christians, IMO. Maybe "following Christ" to them is trying to act exactly like Christ so that they are saved.