Submitted by fwbkotowske on February 2, 2009 - 8:37pm.
I got the point fully and agree with what you have to say. I just think the concept of a religious name, not a Biblical name is what they are talking about. There is no Scripture to support the term Christian - that is the real point. People hide behind a name instead of a relationship with God. You described that relationship above. It is purely that simple. I have been to two venues where McManus was a keynote speaker and found nothing he said to be anti-Christ, only anti religious. There is a huge difference and that is what he is preaching, I believe. I believe that someone who has a RELATIONSHIP with God through Christ is what a true Christian (Follower of Christ) is. The hullaballoo is being made over a name, a title, and again a religious symbol. He is getting people to question the concept: Do I have relationship with God through Christ or do I simply have a religion that I bury myself in - there is a huge difference. Religion and doctrine are what draw people away from God - as seen in the pharisees from the New Testament and from many of the televangelists that are listed even on this site as false prophets. There are churches that believe they are the ONLY people going to heaven. Again, the scriptures say there are 5 brides with oil and 5 without oil... The religious ones won't make the cut, the ones with true relationship even as you have appropriately described will, in my opinion.
I got the point fully and agree with what you have to say. I just think the concept of a religious name, not a Biblical name is what they are talking about. There is no Scripture to support the term Christian - that is the real point. People hide behind a name instead of a relationship with God. You described that relationship above. It is purely that simple. I have been to two venues where McManus was a keynote speaker and found nothing he said to be anti-Christ, only anti religious. There is a huge difference and that is what he is preaching, I believe. I believe that someone who has a RELATIONSHIP with God through Christ is what a true Christian (Follower of Christ) is. The hullaballoo is being made over a name, a title, and again a religious symbol. He is getting people to question the concept: Do I have relationship with God through Christ or do I simply have a religion that I bury myself in - there is a huge difference. Religion and doctrine are what draw people away from God - as seen in the pharisees from the New Testament and from many of the televangelists that are listed even on this site as false prophets. There are churches that believe they are the ONLY people going to heaven. Again, the scriptures say there are 5 brides with oil and 5 without oil... The religious ones won't make the cut, the ones with true relationship even as you have appropriately described will, in my opinion.