To Be A Christian, You Must ... What?

What is it essential to believe, if you call yourself 'Christian'?

I'm making a list ~ what options would you choose?
Would you add some different ones?


Here are some related threads:

Topic: What is a Christian?
http://www.wineintro.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=13;t=000279

Topic: Do all Christians believe that only Christianity leads to Salvation?
http://www.wineintro.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=13;t=000767#000000

Topic: Different 'brands' of Christianity
http://www.wineintro.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=13;t=000173;p=1

Topic: What's the difference?
http://www.wineintro.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?

Topic: Which 'Christianity' is the right one? - Or is it another religion entirely? ubb=get_topic;f=13;t=000069#000000

Topic: How to Know Which Version to Believe
http://www.wineintro.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=13;t=000058#000005

Topic: Which 'Christianity' is the right one? - Or is it another religion entirely?
http://www.wineintro.com/forum/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=13;t=000422#000000

To Be A Christian, you should /must believe:
(Sorry it's a long list!)

In the Christian ethic ~ Eg. 'Love One Another'.
In all of Jesus's teachings
That God is always right, even if the Bible says that he was responsible for things you disapprove of.
That God is always right, so the Bible must be wrong if it says that he was responsible for things you disapprove of.
God exists
God made the Universe and all life, including us
Man is made in the image of God.
God loves us
God should be praised
Jesus existed
Jesus was a good man
Jesus was a spiritual leader.
Jesus was a Jewish leader against the power of Rome
Jesus was supernatural
Jesus was God in human form
Jesus should be praised
Jesus could perform miracles
Jesus was Son of God
Jesus was born of a virgin
Jesus was crucified
Jesus rose on the third day
Jesus was seen alive after the crucifixion
Jesus was resurrected
Jesus lives today
There can be no 'dead body' of Jesus on earth, because he rose into heaven
Jesus died for the sins of the world
Jesus died for the sins of those who believe in him
Jesus died for the sins of those who have given their lives to him
Jesus saves Believers, who are likely to share heaven with him
People who are not committed to Jesus are likely to go to hell
Jesus did not have a wife or lover or children, because it isn't in the Bible
Jesus did not have a wife or lover or children, because he is/was divine and divinity indicates virginal
Jesus did not have any siblings because his mother was 'ever-virgin'
The Bible is the true word of God
The 'Old Testament' is the word of God & literally true
The New Testament is the word of God & literally true
The Bible contains the true word of, God but is not all literally true.
The Bible is a Christian 'guidebook'
The Bible should be read by Christians,
The 'Old Testament' should be read by Christians.
The New Testament should be read by Christians.
Heaven exists ~ for those who believe in and worship God
Heaven exists ~ for those saved by Jesus
Hell exists ~ for those not 'saved' by Jesus (not necessarily bad people)
Hell exists ~ for those not who do not believe in Jesus & so are not 'saved' (not necessarily bad people)
Hell exists ~ for those not who do believe in Jesus but reject him
Hell exists ~ for those not who do believe in God but reject God
Heaven exists ~ for good people (not necessarily Christians)
Hell exists ~ for evil people
Christians believe in one God and a Trinity at the same time
Christians should pray regularly
God answers prayers
God only answers prayers if you worship him
Only Christian prayers are answered
Only Christians can go to Heaven / Paradise
Christians should go to church regularly
Christians should take holy communion
Christians should put God above all else
Christians should love God more than they love their families
Christians should love Jesus more than they love their families
Christians should be willing to sacrifice everything for God
Eucharist bread and wine becomes the body & blood of Christ
Eucharist bread and wine symbolises the body & blood of Jesus Christ

WOW! I'll shorten it considerably.
1. Believe that Jesus was God, and that He came to earth in human form.
2. Believe that Jesus died for your sins and that you can go to heaven, not because of anything you do, but because of what He has done.
3. Admit that you've sinned against God, and repent.

The rest comes as you study the scriptures, but these are the basics.

OK - I'm going to ask the ignorant naive question that always bugs me -

If Jesus was God, then he knew that he would die, and he knew that he would be resurrected, and he knew that he would go back to being God again. So what was the big deal in that?

victor wrote:
B/C it wasn't about Him. It was about His relationship w/us.

Wasn't Jesus the SON of God?

God, Son of God, the Holy Spirit. One and the same being, according to Christians. But at the same time each is distinct. So it's like polytheistic monotheism :p

Apparently, when Christianity was first introduced to modern-day Zimbabwe, the Matabele tribe misunderstood the concept slightly. They thought that the Christians worshipped a three-headed god.

B/C it wasn't about Him. It was about His relationship w/us.

Well I thought the whole big thing was that you have to accept that Jesus died for our sins. Isn't that Christianity? But what's the big deal about dieing if you know you will just float up and be God again. Doesn't sound like a big sacrifice to me.

And Christians don't believe that he really died. He was temporarily dead for three days, but is still living today.

of course no one has seen or heard from him in the past 2000 years or so, expect for Believer's mom who hears from him often.

Mbass do you have to be so critical all the time? We know don't believe these things but could you at least try to respect those of us that do?

I don't want an argument I just wish you would be a little more open-minded as you always say we should be.