There, I was pretty sure that title would capture your attention.
What is a "Christian"? A Christian is a baptized member of the local, visible, outward church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Some Christians are faithful. These are those who are regenerated (or born again), and who demonstrate the sincerity of their faith by consistent perseverance in Christ--manifest first and foremost in their churchmanship.
Apostate Christians abandon the faith, denouncing their baptisms.
Unfaithful Christians are loose. They do not verbally renounce Jesus, but they are faithless, manifesting this (primarily) in their disdain for Christ's church.
Some Christians are confused. They would perhaps like to be faithful, but they have been taught that they don't need to do anything (especially regarding church), in order to be so.
Evangelicals have complicated the matter over the past 50 years, or so, by using terminology such as this: "Joe became a Christian today, since he accepted (or received) Christ." The problem with this language is that no one has a clue about the validity of Joe's decision, until or unless Joe joins himself to a church (hopefully, a good one).
There is a difference between a regenerate person, and a Christian. All regenerate souls are Christians, (with very rare and odd exceptions--as, for instance, when a person dies before they can be baptized in the church). But not all Christians are regenerated--as all of us know numerous examples of unfaithful (former) professors of faith (in Christ).
Therefore, some Christians go to heaven; and some Christians go to hell.
The Forum for Ecclesiocentricity is designed to educate Christians and non-Christians alike to understand the Biblical teaching concerning the Church (the "Puritan" church in particular), with regard to its principal role on the earth. When this is achieved, it is hoped that the Church would then be in a better position to convey Christ's redemptive virtues to the civil government (state), and the family. (You may email me at: markjhenninger@gmail.com)
