>>>>You will know them individually, on a person by person basis, by how the individual acts, by their fruit, Charles.
>>>>
>>>>Just because a person identifies themselves as a "Christian" doesn't mean they are. They have to behave as Christ did. That is what the expression, "You will know them by their fruit" means. If they are behaving as Christ did, then they are Christians. If they are not behaving as Christ did, then they are not Christians, even though they call themselves by that name.
>>>
>>>We never will know how christ did behave. The books were written long after he died and there are clues that he was a very different man than christians believe he was. eg. There is a real possibilty that he was married and had children; born somwhere in july rather than december
>>>
>>>The books were written by mortal souls without any evidence that they did have access to the truth and have written down the stores as being told. There are enough clues that seem to tell a different story. E.g. http://www.skiens.com/truth/truth.htm. And to be sure, I find it totally logical that the story of jesus got bended by religious powers that wanted to use it to their own advantage. And for whats left, there are an awfull number of different interpretations possible that most christians don't want to accept because they got brainwashed by religious powers since they got born.
>>>
>>>So, your definition of "real christians" is build upon quicksand rather than any solid factual basis.
>>
>>
>>It is a promise by God: Those who seek the Truth will find it. In turn, if it's not found, it's because it was never sought.
>
>That is synonymous to make your own believes the truth. A trap many have fallen into. Your 'truth' isn't neccesarily mine.
>
>BTW, Isn't this 'promise' subject to the same problems I have outlined above?


God is who God is. He cannot lie. It is His promise. And that makes it different from men talking. God speaks and it is eternal. And anyone seeking to know the truth, the real truth, will find Him, because He is who He is. He cannot be otherwise. And when in pursuit of that truth, the truth, one can't go into it with any agenda, hoping to find anything specific, except the hope to find raw truth as it is. In such a pursuit ... it is found -- because God is who God is.

When I was an atheist, a man who sat in the cubicle next to me was a Christian. He was asking me questions about God and Jesus for many months. Finally he began to ask questions I couldn't answer because I didn't know enough about the Bible. So I said, "Let's read the Bible together, verse by verse. And as we go, I'll explain to you what it REALLY means (the athiest view)". He agreed.

It didn't take a week before I became a believer because I really was seeking to know the truth of what it meant. I wanted to know the truth so I could understand it properly, and then refute his arguments of Christianity and faith. And because I really truly was seeking to know the truth ... even in my purpose of attempting to discredit everything related to God, I found the truth. And it hit me with the force of a jet airliner. I have never been the same since. And I pray everyone has that experience. It is unbelievably, off-the-charts, beyond-imagination, astoundingly impacting and wonderful. It has come at much personal cost, but all of it is worth it.

And it's the same with many Christians who sought the truth even for means such as mine -- to discredit Christianity. They perhaps didn't even know specifically what they were looking for when they started, but all they knew was they were looking for the truth. And they found it ... because God is who God is.

Lee Stroble is a famous one (author of the book: The Case for Christ).