Replies

First of all, unlike all other major faiths, Christianity does not teach that having Christian parents or ancestors makes you a Christian. It takes a deliberate act of the individual, voluntarily, to become confirmed, baptized as an adult, or to take on church membership. Even where some persons are carried on church books just because of infant baptism, no one would claim that made them a Christian (once they had grown up).

Therefore, a Christian by this world's count, will have to include everyone who wants to so self-identify, and whose conduct is not so outrageous as to result in such identification being widely disbelieved.

Christians also believe in a judgement to come, at which it will be determined by higher authority, who was genuine or real in his claim to be such, and who was just putting on.

First of all, unlike all other major faiths, Christianity does not teach that having Christian parents or ancestors makes you a Christian.

Exactly. And in some regard, thats one of the elements that seperates Christianity from Catholicism. There is no such thing as hereditary (or forced) salvation (or forced baptism for that matter) in true New Testament Christianity.

Where does the Bible say that one has to be baptized "as an adult?" What is the age one is considered an adult or accountable? Does the 5 yr. old who seems to have a grasp of salvation and baptism have to wait until a certain age for it to really count?