Am I doing this Christian thing wrong?

[Cturtle]

I need some reassurance or correction here.

As I’ve spent more time in the bible and prayer over the year, I am beginning to be bothered by some things. Specifically, Christians who I do not believe act as such. I need some assistant on whether or not I am being driven by God or the enemy to be upset about so many things.

Here are a few things, which are bothering me at the moment:

1) A friend, whom I don’t speak to as much, recently professed to me that the abortion she had a few years ago was the right decision. She attends church weekly. She also just had twins with a man she does not intend on marrying, but that she lives with and is intimate with.

-I am not condemning her, nor am I angry with her. Instead I am acknowledging, what I believe to be sin, and from what I have read, we are to correct our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, I have not done this with her, because we are not nearly as close as we used to be and I wouldn't know how to approach the situation.

2) I have a Catholic friend on Facebook who I believe is a heretic. He completely supports homosexuality (he believes that God made certain people this way) and believes that the Book of Job is a satire and that the story of Jonah is a parable. He also says that the world was not created in seven days and that Jesus only talked about love and not hell.

-When I refuted the things he said, he told me that only those who have a deeper understanding of the bible and who have studied hermeneutics and biblical scholarship could truly understand the bible. Essentially stated that I was misinterpreting everything.

3) I came across a profile photo of my friend’s sister in law who is a Christian. In the photo with her husband, who is a well-known Christian, she is wearing an incredibly tiny bikini, displaying her cleavage and body pretty loudly. It made me feel so uncomfortable seeing this, when she and her husband are well known Christians. What’s worse is that many of their (what I would assume to be) Christian friends liked the picture and made gleaming comments about it.




So I need to know, have I become too harsh and judgmental? Am I supposed to just love, like so many Christians say nowadays? Are things not supposed to bother me the way that they are?


Disclosure: I do love, I don’t hate homosexuals (though I do not agree with their lifestyle for obvious reasons) and I definitely don’t judge whether or not someone is a Christian because only God can know the heart. Also, while I have noticed many things in other Christians, I too have noticed more the error of my ways. It’s not just me noticing others.

Sounds to me as if you are growing in Christ and in the ways of God, and becasue you are changing....some things that may not have bothered you in the past are bothering you now. And that is not a bad thing! In my thinking, concentrate on the Bible and on God and His ways. Pray for the behavor of the people that you are bothered about (asking God to become very real to them and to make the ways of the world very unatractive) and then ask God if He wants you to gently share the truth in Love with them. Never go into a situation without finding out first if God is in it. Just like many old testament saints leaned if God is not with you, it will be a disaster.

Everyone is responsible for thier own walk with the Lord. Many do not realize that many of the ways of religon are not the ways that the Bible teaches as truth. Many people truly love God, but don't realize that they are not showing their love for Him. In John 14:21 Jesus says that those who love Me, keep my commands..... but many who are just Sunday Christians don't really know what those commands are, and if they are not being a disciple of the Word, they will not come to the revelaton either.

Many people think that love your neighbor is the only command, along with Love God. But honestly how many know what it truly means to love God? There are a lot of us, who are learning...but many are deceivd by the enemy, through the church. Now don't get me wrong....i am in no way saying that all churches are wrong or deceived, just that many are hanging onto religion instead of Jesus and the truth of the Word. And many do not study the Word or pray, thus they have no relationship with the Lord, and if they are not in comunion with the Lord, they will not be listening to the Holy spirit who is the one who talks to us and reveals truth of the Word of God to us.

We will be praying for you and asking God to give you what you need to walk in love, and bless those (in word or deed) who are spiritually anemic. If you can find a way to minister to those who are in unhealthy places (like your friend with the twins) trust God to lead and guide you. For there are many people out there who think that they have no way out of their situaton either, thus are succumbing to just living the best they know how (even if they claim to know God). And i agree with Kathy in regards to the friend with twins....from what i have heard, abortion weighs heavy on the heart and she may be just trying to cover up the shame and guilt that she feels from making that awful mistake.

Blessings of grace and peace be yours in abundance!

 

[JFish123]

Just because someone goes to church and calls themselves Christians doesn't mean anything if they don't LIVE like Christians. I'm sure every Christian hear was that at some point in their Christian walk. These people you speak of are not following Jesus. Their living in sin or following a different gospel other than Jesus'. You have EVERY right to get upset but don't let it rule you. You are responsible for your own salvation and your own walk with God. Don't let their sin affect that.

 

[KingJ]

I need some reassurance or correction here.

As I’ve spent more time in the bible and prayer over the year, I am beginning to be bothered by some things. Specifically, Christians who I do not believe act as such. I need some assistant on whether or not I am being driven by God or the enemy to be upset about so many things.

Here are a few things, which are bothering me at the moment:

1) A friend, whom I don’t speak to as much, recently professed to me that the abortion she had a few years ago was the right decision. She attends church weekly. She also just had twins with a man she does not intend on marrying, but that she lives with and is intimate with.

-I am not condemning her, nor am I angry with her. Instead I am acknowledging, what I believe to be sin, and from what I have read, we are to correct our brothers and sisters in Christ. However, I have not done this with her, because we are not nearly as close as we used to be and I wouldn't know how to approach the situation.

2) I have a Catholic friend on Facebook who I believe is a heretic. He completely supports homosexuality (he believes that God made certain people this way) and believes that the Book of Job is a satire and that the story of Jonah is a parable. He also says that the world was not created in seven days and that Jesus only talked about love and not hell.

-When I refuted the things he said, he told me that only those who have a deeper understanding of the bible and who have studied hermeneutics and biblical scholarship could truly understand the bible. Essentially stated that I was misinterpreting everything.

3) I came across a profile photo of my friend’s sister in law who is a Christian. In the photo with her husband, who is a well-known Christian, she is wearing an incredibly tiny bikini, displaying her cleavage and body pretty loudly. It made me feel so uncomfortable seeing this, when she and her husband are well known Christians. What’s worse is that many of their (what I would assume to be) Christian friends liked the picture and made gleaming comments about it.

4. So I need to know, have I become too harsh and judgmental? Am I supposed to just love, like so many Christians say nowadays? Are things not supposed to bother me the way that they are?


Disclosure: I do love, I don’t hate homosexuals (though I do not agree with their lifestyle for obvious reasons) and I definitely don’t judge whether or not someone is a Christian because only God can know the heart. Also, while I have noticed many things in other Christians, I too have noticed more the error of my ways. It’s not just me noticing others.

1. I agree with you. Elders should correct. Does your church have them?

2. I am on your side. His arguments are ironically easily refuted by anyone who does grasp hermeneutics.

3. I agree with your concerns.

4. No, you are fine. I am probably worse. We can be forgiven for expecting better of Christians. Christians should know better. I hate the blurred lines being created. Something like homosexuality is a sin directly against a Creator. Christianity 101 is respecting God with your body. The unsaved who don't have 'Creator' God on their minds....makes the sin a lot more understandable.

1 Cor 5:9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10 Not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world.

 

[Waggles]

As I’ve spent more time in the bible and prayer over the year, I am beginning to be bothered by some things.

2Timothy 3:16-17
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
2Peter 1:20-21
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Read 1Corinthians chapter 6

 

[/]

I agree.....although my specialist is the Holy Spirit

Amen to that.

 

[Softly]

The most important commandments are love God with all your mind and soul and love others as yourself. Fear drives out love. Is your fear of their redemption/salvation/damnation driving out your love for them, the real love for others that accepts people, loves them and doesn't judge them through fear or good intention.
A good heart and a good person can't be defined by our limited ability to see another's truth in their heart nor their faith and love in God. God knows the truth.
We are told not to judge, let's stop judging, not matter how good our intentions may be and start truly loving, let's understand people through true compassion. Be a good person, a compassionate person, a loving person, give of your heart without regard to the past or future and you may become the role model they need and want [emoji259]