[b]Is the only difference between a Christian and a non-believer the fact that one believes in Jesus/God and the other does not?  There are so many non-believers in naija who are pure in heart and have the fruits of the spirit while many Christians do not.

There are many Christians who claim to be born again yet they do the most hideous things.  I work in the government and have heard a story of a man who claims to be a born again Christian, he stole over a two hundred million naira from his parents and is living on this money.  His parents are aware that it was him who stole the money and are heart broken, but he will not return it, in fact he has spent most of it according to people who are familiar with him.  This man apparently is in Naija and the story is true.  The man claims that God made it possible for him to steal this money from his parents and also states that the parents must have done something in order for them to be dealt this ordeal.  Many who know him say this man has done many other horrible things in addition to this, but claims to be born again.  As a parent the thought of having a child like this makes me cringe.  This is just one example to illustrate my point.

Then there are many people I know who are not "believers" but would never do such a thing.  They have a conscience.  Clearly the man above and many others who claim to be born again do not have a conscience and are able to do such terrible things and justify it through the bible.

My question is, is a person who claims to be born again but clearly engages in evil acts a better person than a non believer who acts in righteous and correct ways?[/b]

we have hypocrites amongst every sect

I heard the same story. This guy is the son of a very prominent member of the government. I feel very bad for that family to have faced such betrayal at the hands of one of their own children.

Good is good. Evil is evil. This person is clearly evil. We do not need religion for that.

source?

My dad works at a bank in the FCT and also told me of this story. I did not know the man was born again. wow, that puts an entirely new twist on it. I am shocked!!

[b]The other answer to your question, Christians have no accountability!!

It occurred to me recently that while Christians are often the ones to tell a nonbeliever that he/she can have no moral code without the god of the bible, they are really the ones who have no reason to be moral. Their doctrine asserts that as long as one believes in christ as the way to god, they will go to heaven.

I have a few Christian friends who believe "Once saved/Always saved." Regardless, the notion that Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven, is a belief that gives them no reason to be accountable for anything at all. It's permission to do whatever to whomever and not have to feel guilty. A few well placed tears to appease and all is forgiven. If this is the worst punishment, then why not lie, steal, cheat, and so forth? Typically I have found the the remorse is shortlived and it's off to satisfy the old lusts of the flesh again.

Nonbelievers, however, tend to realize that it's this life that matters, because it's the only one. Nonbelievers (for the most part), I think, are more appreciative of this life and what it really means when a person does pass away. We strive to be kind in this life because it makes us feel good and makes those around us feel good.
[/b]

are you sure this was not "frosbel" who did it?

on a serious note,the parents might be the regular christian fanatics that if their son would have being accused by strangers they would have retorted :"my son cannot do such a thing.he has christian conscience".good that they are seeing it for themselves and it took no one to tell them.

i know that what the son did is bad and should be condemned.

@chowbaby
The doctrine you just describe above is not a true christian teaching but a scam promoted by false churches such as CEC.

@pastorkun what exactly do you mean?

If we are truly The Lord JESUS CHRIST's by HIS grace and mercy, we will keep HIS commandments (the holy word of GOD), and by HIS grace hate evil, refraining from sin to a very large degree, all the while cloaked with HIS Righteousness and in-dwelt by GOD.

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." - 1 John 2:3-5

Another non-answer by @Hischild. Some people are so corrupt that they need to follow the dogmatic rules of the bible to keep themselves in line. Others do not. That is why the bible says you will know them by their fruit. Any man who would steal from his parents is not a Christian, is not a good person. But the guilt or fear after such an act would definitely lead one to run and hide behind religion. Whatever the case may be the parents should not worry, this child will suffer a far worse fate than he could ever imagine. I do not even want to know the karma for that!!

@chowbaby
I was referring to the false doctrine of 'once saved always saved and forgiven' you mentioned in your earlier post. It is a very false doctrine that encourages some so called christians to continue living in sin.

LagosShia:

are you sure this was not "frosbel" who did it? 

on a serious note,the parents might be the regular christian fanatics that if their son would have being accused by strangers they would have retorted :"my son cannot do such a thing.he has christian conscience".good that they are seeing it for themselves and it took no one to tell them.

i know that what the son did is bad and should be condemned.

But Muhammad was a renowned thief, are you not aware how he robbed caravans for a living !!

Slaughter of Meccans who came to defend their caravans
Date: March (Ramadan) 17, 623 A.D
Place: The well of Badr
Victims: 70 merchants from Quraysh Tribe of Mecca, The Quraysh army which came to defend them


The merchandise being carried by this caravan was worth more than 50,000 Gold Dinars. Mohammed ganged up all the criminals of Medina and set out to raid the caravan with 300 men. The Meccans got word of the raid and sent out an army to protect the caravan. Throughout the entire battle Mohammad cowered in a hut which his men made for him. Mohammed cried, "Anyone who fights for me today will go to paradise!" The Muslims killed over two hundred and took seventy prisoners. Muslims looted all the gold and valuables without any shame.

Mohammed was gratified at the sight of his murdered victims. After the battle, he sent his followers to look for the corpse of Abu Jahal. When his corpse was found,they cut off the head and threw it down at Mohammed's feet. The "Apostle of peace" cried out in delirious joy, "Rejoice! Here lies the head of the enemy of Allah! Praise Allah, for there is no other but he!" The Muslims then proceeded to hack the corpses limbs into pieces. One of the prisoners taken was the defiant Al Nadr Ibn al Harith, who had earlier taken Muhammad's challenge of telling better stories than him. Muhammad ordered Ali to strike off Nadr's head in his presence.

@frosbel

if that is what is written about the battle of badr thanks to your deliberate distortion,and that is what you understood from the confrontation between the oppressed muslims and the oppressive pagans of the quraysh,that Muhammad (s) was a thief,then can we also understand from the below bible verse and is it right to say that Jesus (a) was crazy,uncivilized,a saboteur,an armed robber and enemy of peace and trade who was jealous of businessmen?

John 2:15
[Jesus] made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

@LagosShia,

Muhammad was just a man,  The Lord JESUS CHRIST IS GOD, The SON of The Living GOD, The only Savior of this world, and is HE is Righteous and perfect. (Isaiah 9:6)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" -John 1:1   - "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." - John 1:14   

The zeal The Lord JESUS was exhibiting by driving out money changers from the temple of GOD was righteous zeal, in open rebuke for their unrighteousness, (not unlike we see in our churches today). GOD alone is Judge. "And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." - John 2:16-18

"And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence." -Isaiah 59:16-18 (speaking of the Lord JESUS CHRIST)
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"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." - Revelation 1:7-8

===========
@justhappy  - "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." - Rom 14:4. You remember the thief on the cross? "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."- Luke 23:42-43.  You speak as though you are perfect and have never stolen a thing in your life or commited a sin? I would ask us all to look into the mirror.  Remember also the woman taken in adultery, who the self-righteous people and pharisees wanted to stone to death, asking The Lord JESUS CHRIST, her Savior, testing HIM, if they should go ahead and stone her to death? - "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."- John 8:7.  Be careful,   “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of GOD;” - Rom 3:23. So, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." -Matt 7:1

I am in no way justifying theft and/or any sin, may GOD forbid. Unfortunately, we see theft every day, among us, in government, in churches, virtually every where ! What i am saying to you and all, self included, is that if a person is truly saved by GOD, having obtained GOD's unmerited mercy, and still lives, they will live unto GOD and not go on in that trespass(es) /sin(s). My point in my initial response was that we cannot profess to belong to GOD and continue in sin and unrighteousness, we then become liars. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corin 5:17

"Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." - Rom 8:34

@HISchild None of us would be shocked if you were the one who stole this enormous amount of money from your parents and is living on it and justifies your actions through the bible.  That would be the icing on the cake of your hypocrisy.  Are you using the stolen money to pay for the internet to write about how righteous you are?  If so, I am sure you have justified it through your bible quotes.  You seem to be able to justify anything with that book of yours. 

You write, "my point in my initial response was that we cannot profess to belong to GOD and continue in sin and unrighteousness, we then become liars."  Well then clearly you are a liar and possibly a theif.  Remember you are the author and proponent of May 21 is Judgment Day.  A false prophesy.  So therefore, you are a liar.  You think we have forgotten.  There is nothing righteous about you. [i][/i]

@chowbaby and @justhappy I would not put it past @Hischild either to have done such a thing! His level of defense is quite high for a discussion board. If he did, he has broken so many commandments. He likes to tell people they are under judgment, he is surely under judgment. Parents are to be honored and cherished not stolen from. Someone who would do this does not have a soul or conscience. How does one even pay that amount of money back? The story saddens me. I hope these parents are fine and have moved on from this situation.

How come 3 or 4 people on this thread with number of posts in the same range (17, 21, 22 and 29) happen to know/have heard of this allegedly thieving MOG? 

HISchild:

@LagosShia,

Muhammad was just a man, The Lord JESUS CHRIST IS GOD, The SON of The Living GOD, The only Savior of this world, and is HE is Righteous and perfect. (Isaiah 9:6)

liar!

Mark 12:29
Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD.

Isaiah 43:10
"But you are my witnesses, O Israel!" says the LORD. "You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God--there never has been, and there never will be.

John 5:30
I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.

The Lord JESUS CHRIST says -
"I and my Father are one." - John 10:30

The jews / jewish leaders of the time, moved with envy, who didn't understand, were enraged by HIS words
"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." - John 5:17-19

"For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." - 1 John 5:7

do you think that our very finite, sin tainted minds cannot nearly even fully understand a holy, infinite GOD? - "Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite." - Psa 147:5

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" - Rom_11:33

i don't expect you to agree, but i have told you and you will see.