After much pondering, Jon Spencer favored us with:
The first thing a person must do to qualify as a true Christian is to believe in him. Then he must keep the commandment to be baptized. Unless he does at least these two things he cannot qualify as a true Christian.If someone (a) takes on the name of Christ, and (b) keeps His commandments which he has given them, then that person IMVHO is a true Christian.
One cannot keep the commandments of Christ without an authorized baptism because such a baptism is the first commandment that must be kept after a person professes a belief in Christ.
They may not have as many commandments given to them as we have, but then againThis point is not relevant in my opinion. Each people has to keep the law that they have. The Lord does not expect anyone to live a law that he does not have. But in the case under discussion, the full law of Christ is available to anyone to accept or reject. This has been true since the Church was organized in 1830. One cannot reject the gospel and claim to follow Christ. It is an oxymoron.
the Nephites didn't have all the commandments given to them that we have had
given to us, and neither has anyone else that I have a firm knowledge of.
A true Christian is one that follows Christ in thought, word and deed. And that means accepting the gospel from our missionaries. Those who claim to accept Christ and refuse his only baptism are either dishonest or confused.Of course, I haven't read a "real" definition of a "True Christian" so I guess we may each have our own.
But in any event, I am not going to go around telling people that they are not "true" Christians, and I know that you are not going to do that either. I think that we will both do our best to get as many of our Bros and Sisters to do all their own work, and not leave it to someone else later on to complete.I agree that we shouldn't "go around telling people that they are not 'true' Christians. Nor did I suggest such a thing. But we need to understand the truth even if others reject it. Besides, here on this list I am speaking to a converted, Mormon audience. I'm not talking to some hypothetical "people" who are not members of the Church.
John W. Redelfs [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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"...by proving contraries, truth is made manifest" --Joseph
Smith, History of the Church, Volume 6, p.248
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All my opinions are tentative pending further data. --JWR
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