Why should a Christian apologize to a non-Christian

[ViaCrucis]

Well yeah, but that's my point. What of it? What's the penalty for being a jerk?

I don't understand why there needs to be a penalty. Why can't good be good for its own sake?

I find that questionable. Neighbour tends to mean people of the same faith, or more appropriately, from the same church, does it not?

It does not. "Neighbor" means "the person next to you" whoever that may be. That's the whole reason Jesus gives the parable of the Good Samaritan, to demonstrate that everyone is our neighbor, without exception. Nobody is not my neighbor. Whoever I come into contact with in my life is my neighbor.

Does He?

He says not to even go and make an offering [at the Temple] if there is an injury between two brothers, and to restore that relationship, then bring the offering. The point being it would be wrong for us to go and bring ourselves into the presence and worship of God while ignoring the broken and injured relationships with others. God desires that we live in good and right relationship with our fellow man. St. James condemns the human tongue for out of one side of the mouth declaring the praises of God and out of the other cursing our fellow man created in God's image.

The Commandment to love God and neighbor is interconnected. To disdain my neighbor is to disdain God in whose image he is made.

Because clearly, you wronged them for a reason. As I said, you don't like them.

And thus the fault and problem lay within myself. And so I pray "God be merciful on me a sinner" and go and make amends with those I have mistreated in my wrongness.

But as was pointed out to me "[Christians] are not here to win points with man, but to win points with God." There are no God points in apologizing.

There's no such thing as "God points". Nobody wins points with God for anything. I can't win any points with God, there is no reward for doing what is my basest duty, which is to imitate the goodness, holiness, and righteousness of God toward all of God's creatures in perfect love. Since I do not even fulfill my basest duty before God, why should I imagine myself as having scored any brownie points with the Almighty? Rather even at my best I have failed, so again, "God be merciful on me, a sinner." But God's kindness toward me, sinner that I am, is not an excuse or a justification of my injustice against my fellow man; it is instead cause for my striving toward being just toward my fellow man. Who in love am called to serve and lift up, to raise up the status and position of my neighbor, to do what is beneficent toward all. Any small amount of earthly good toward my neighbor is good for good's sake, even if it does not earn me anything either in this life or the next--because it will not and cannot earn me any good, either in this life or the next. Because God has commanded it, because it is good, because my neighbor is God's image-bearer, a creature created in His image, and to be treated justly, lovingly, and with every possible kindness for no other reason than what is right is right, and what is good is good.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[JGG]

That proves what Jesus has said, and I think you are both right:

The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

You are supporting my argument that when you are observing this culture that you call 'Christian', you are not observing the nature of Christianity.

I think it means you and I agree and that's all.

I am saying that your perception of Christianity is wrong. You are not observing what Christianity is, you are observing a culture of conceit. Conceited people can be proud of whatever identity they promote, therefore you will find conceited people of every type. When people are conceited they are behaving in a way that Christianity is against. So, what you are observing to be Christianity is not an accurate view of what Christianity is.

Well what I'm seeing is Christians who share their vision of Christ, which is all you can do either. They are not wrong as they are welcome to make claims, and theirs are no less Christian. My perspective isn't wrong because I include theirs. It seems like you're saying "Listen to me and nobody else."

Catholics and Orthodox make up the majority of Christians in this world and we don't believe what you're claiming is the majority belief. Mainline and Evangelical may be the majority in your neck of the woods, but don't make the mistake of thinking that speaks for all of Christianity or even the majority. It doesn't. Perspective- it does matter.

That perspective is well represented on CF, where are they in this subforum?

I don't understand why there needs to be a penalty. Why can't good be good for its own sake?

Either do I, and yet apparently, Hell is a (according to some, the) central concept of Christianity.

 

[oi_antz]

I think it means you and I agree and that's all.

I think it means a bit more than that. As I have said, I think it demonstrates that Christians often behave in a manner that Christianity is against. It also demonstrates the lengths that people will go to when resisting correction.

Well what I'm seeing is Christians who share their vision of Christ, which is all you can do either. They are not wrong as they are welcome to make claims, and theirs are no less Christian. My perspective isn't wrong because I include theirs. It seems like you're saying "Listen to me and nobody else."

It can be demonstrated to be a wrong vision of Christ when Jesus has said things that contradict or condemn it. I have shown you one, but again you defer to a position of ignorance instead of looking at the information I have given you which can only prove that these people's behaviour is not of the Christian nature. So, I think I will have to just let you consider that, because I think I have said it clearly enough.

 

[Hikarifuru]

I read the thread Why would you ever apologize to a non-Christian, and I feel like either I don't understand the responses, the responders don't understand the question, or I understand the question differently.

Let me use an example: "As a Christian you gossip and tell a lie about someone who is not a Christian. This non-Christian has stated that there is no way they are converting to Christianity, they are happy with their given non-Christian religion."

Obviously, you're gossiping about this person, and defaming them, you don't particularly care about your relationship with them. The rest of your group are pleased by these comments, so you're not endangering those relationships either. This person won't be converting to Christianity, there's no point in making a show for them. God has already forgiven your transgression, so you owe no debt to Him. Society has no laws against gossiping, and these comments aren't slanderous in a legal sense.

So, why should you apologize? Why is it even wrong at that point? What benefit is there to apologizing?

Because apologizing isnt something you do from obligation. We obey from obligation but love is not born of obligation. We apologize because we want to mend relationships or to feel like weve ammended for our wrong. Being forgiven by Jesus wouldnt neccesssrily accomplish those because the relationship is still broken and if we love each other that will matter to us. If all we care about is god forgiving us and not breaking the law then we havent loved and the bible says to love.