So this girl on Facebook who is a christian wrote on her status on Easter the full Bible verse "For God so loved the world that he..." and then below it she wrote, "Only one in ten christians will have the guts to make this their facebook status." Then I saw some of my christian friends making this their status. Being a strong Christian myself, I felt something very wrong about this. I was not that I did not have the guts, I just don't agree with this. I grew up in a church where they always were guilt tripping and pressuring you into coming up to the altar and making you feel really unworthy and guilty all the time. In this circumstance I felt like guilt tripping other Christians to witness seems wrong. Shouldn't it come from the Holy Spirit's leading and thus completely out of love. I find this a lot that Christianity seems to be getting to be built on a system of guilt and righteousness, rather than on mercy and love. What does the Bible have to say about this? Any verses would be really helpful?
Christianity pressure system? Need Bible verse insight...?
- Thread starter Michael_5
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AlAyeti
Just a guy
John the Baptist was very much like the girl you mention on Facebook. All of the Apostles were like the girl you mention on Facebook.
If John 3:16 is not of the Holy Spirit, then nothing is.
But, you could rather counter her challenge with this:
If we did this, so many of the nasty people that want us to be like the world or that generally just hate us, would be almost invisible to us.
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BigBadWlf
Guest
This girl seems more interested in drawing attention to herself than anything else.
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” Matt 6:5
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” Matt 6:5
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facebook isn't exactly a bold method of witnessing. If you feel pressured to put a verse as your status so you can simple say you are a christian then that is the wrong focus.
everything we do we need to do with the love of Christ in mind not with a love of a status or a cause. If we do something that puts that act above the Christ then we have lost the focus. I'm not saying putting john 3:16 on a facebook status is wrong but not putting it as your status doesn't make you less of a christian.
I personally don't find that a very effective way of witnessing and i would think instead of a message of love it may come across as arrogance. In the case of facebook we probably should try and show Christ's love through how we conduct ourselves through wall posts and pictures and things like that and how we can also maintain that same behavior outside of facebook. It is so easy to start posting things on facebook that are cliche and are really nothing to do with our own character. Just make sure your behavior on facebook mirrors it outside of facebook because if you are acting one way on facebook and another with your friends, even if both could be considered "good", you will come across as fake and disingenuous which will be counterproductive.
everything we do we need to do with the love of Christ in mind not with a love of a status or a cause. If we do something that puts that act above the Christ then we have lost the focus. I'm not saying putting john 3:16 on a facebook status is wrong but not putting it as your status doesn't make you less of a christian.
I personally don't find that a very effective way of witnessing and i would think instead of a message of love it may come across as arrogance. In the case of facebook we probably should try and show Christ's love through how we conduct ourselves through wall posts and pictures and things like that and how we can also maintain that same behavior outside of facebook. It is so easy to start posting things on facebook that are cliche and are really nothing to do with our own character. Just make sure your behavior on facebook mirrors it outside of facebook because if you are acting one way on facebook and another with your friends, even if both could be considered "good", you will come across as fake and disingenuous which will be counterproductive.
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ittarter
Non-Metaphysical Christian Critic
Well, that's certainly the effect, but I don't think we know enough to ascertain her particular motives.
What is sad is how unthinkingly athese little "holy habits" are passed around. No one seems cognizant of their actual IMPACT on those around them. Disgust, annoyance, pity... Not to mention that, without any discernible context, any such "profile verse" is watered down to the point of utter insignificance and irrelevance.
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NorrinRadd
Xian, Biblicist, Fideist, Pneumatic, Antinomian
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I automatically ignore things like that, just as I automatically delete e-mails of that sort.
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Phinehas2
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Michael 5,
Great question. I think the answer is both potentially how the Holy Spirit leads and thus both potentially out of love.
This is because the dilemma is we are not to judge the world but the world will be judged by Jesus Christ who is the truth the way and the life. So as the NT says, the word of God is like a double edged sword and judges the attitude and thoughts of the heart and mind.
So if we post John 3:16 in love we may find people see the joy and hope in the promise of eternal life, or they may see the idea they could perish as offensive.
If the Holy Spirit leads one not to post John 3:16 then thats what one should do, if the Holy Spirit leads one to post it them do so.
Great question. I think the answer is both potentially how the Holy Spirit leads and thus both potentially out of love.
This is because the dilemma is we are not to judge the world but the world will be judged by Jesus Christ who is the truth the way and the life. So as the NT says, the word of God is like a double edged sword and judges the attitude and thoughts of the heart and mind.
So if we post John 3:16 in love we may find people see the joy and hope in the promise of eternal life, or they may see the idea they could perish as offensive.
If the Holy Spirit leads one not to post John 3:16 then thats what one should do, if the Holy Spirit leads one to post it them do so.
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