Here is an interesting fork in the road: While some Federal Vision people say that Christians are the people who have been baptised, and seem willing to say that members of all sorts of groups with a trinitarian baptism qualify, Norman Shepher says something else:
<blockquote>
The righteous in the Bible are sinners who have confessed their sin and who have repented of it. They are not without sin, but they seek pardon every day in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Because they believe in Jesus they seek to walk according to his word in love and faithfulness. Like Abraham and Job they fear God and shun evil. Brothers and sisters, if we do not fear God and shun evil we have no right to be called Christians, and we have no right to be members of this church or any other Christian church.
http://www.christianculture.com/cgi-local/npublisher/viewnews.cgi?category=3&id=1161228025
</blockquote>
So for him, it takes a moral reorientation of life and good works to be a Christian (faith, too).
Also it helps to be illogical. Job was justified because his faith overcame his logic.
So what will it be? The outward ritual that makes the Christian or the inward moral striving (with faith)? How long can the Federal Vision walk with a foot on each path before splitting into two?
[Edited on 10-19-2006 by tewilder]
<blockquote>
The righteous in the Bible are sinners who have confessed their sin and who have repented of it. They are not without sin, but they seek pardon every day in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Because they believe in Jesus they seek to walk according to his word in love and faithfulness. Like Abraham and Job they fear God and shun evil. Brothers and sisters, if we do not fear God and shun evil we have no right to be called Christians, and we have no right to be members of this church or any other Christian church.
http://www.christianculture.com/cgi-local/npublisher/viewnews.cgi?category=3&id=1161228025
</blockquote>
So for him, it takes a moral reorientation of life and good works to be a Christian (faith, too).
Also it helps to be illogical. Job was justified because his faith overcame his logic.
So what will it be? The outward ritual that makes the Christian or the inward moral striving (with faith)? How long can the Federal Vision walk with a foot on each path before splitting into two?
[Edited on 10-19-2006 by tewilder]