As Christian's Are we obligated To genuinely like one another?

W2L

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Jesus, being aware that many Pharisees would likely end up in condemnation, looked at some of them in anger.....

That's in the Bible... Jesus isn't a person who will welcome everyone with open arms and a smile.

Society's portrayal of Jesus who greets everyone with a smile is NOT biblical.

If you really love your enemies, make them realize they did wrong......

I did many bad things in my life. If I got rewarded instead of reaping the consequences, I would never have learned the value of NOT doing bad things.
I never said we should be quiet. Its easy however to forget that we ourselves were the type of person God wouldnt want to be around. Its hard to hate someone when we picture them in hell. I just thought it might be helpful
 
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timewerx

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Its hard to hate someone when we picture them in hell. I just thought it might be helpful

I don't think anyone here is suggesting hate.

Just put some distance in between is all that is needed. No one deserves to hang around someone who is toxic. Even Jesus in the Bible avoided such crowd. Otherwise, they can still greet each other down the hall, smile to one another, nod, etc.
 
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W2L

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I don't think anyone here is suggesting hate.

Just put some distance in between is all that is needed. No one deserves to hang around someone who is toxic. Even Jesus in the Bible avoided such crowd. Otherwise, they can still greet each other down the hall, smile to one another, nod, etc.
Im not going to debate it, he said he dont like the guy.
 
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klutedavid

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Don't get me wrong, I to the extent that I can, I wish the person happiness and I wish the person to have only good happen to them, I don't wish bad things for him. I just, at the same time want to distance myself from him as far away as I can get If that makes sense.
Those people exist so that you can learn to love everyone equally. Don't get me wrong I know exactly what you mean. Everyone has character flaws and some are seriously in your face.

I sometimes believe it is meant to be this way, so that you do not rely on your own ability to love others.

Jesus loves this fellow so much that He died for him, you know what I am saying don't you.
 
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~Zao~

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God has gone to great lengths in separating His own from those of the world so I have to wonder at thoughts of being ok with being unequally yoked, and taking chances of being at enmity with God by placing friendship with worldly ways as something to be desired. Those who love the world have not the love of the Father in them.

I can see praying for them but playing along with prideful people that are the opposite of what Jesus exemplified because you feel sorry for them if they fall into what God has set in place, even if it’s hell, is pretty dicey.

Our love isn’t enough and God’s love is, but I believe that Jesus couldn’t stomach a lot of people according to His righteousness either and we are not immune to that either.

Edit to add verse

HEBREWS 1:9

"YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS."
 
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~Zao~

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God created mankind but He had to separate Himself from mankind because of holiness, holiness being the point that God wants mankind to return to. Mankind is 2 yet mankind was created for the one God. God knew that it was not good for them to be divided and therefore alone. So Jesus came to unite. The question is ‘could He unite all people? or could He just unite those in Him?’ How, therefore, does the two become one? To me that means unity with God in all things but I’ll leave you to settle that in your own minds.
 
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CGB3928

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This Question comes about Because I have encountered a person, Who claims to be a Christian, And Yet, is an insufferable Jerk.

I honestly don't like anything about this person and to be honest he's so off-putting I Just can't tell myself or other people I like the guy, I don't. I don't like the guy.

He's the kind of person who will say awful things to others and hurt peoples pride and feelings with really cutting insults and then turn around and Say he's a Christian,

I consider myself a Christian. I love God, I want to serve God better than I have been.

But this person, I don't like him, I don't want to call him brother. He makes me feel sick inside just being around him. My question is, Am I obligated to Like this person? I Don't want to, There is this Feeling, When I'm around this person, Like I'm being taken advantage of Like this person uses the title Christian to force me to tolerate and deal with them.

What Should I do about this situation? Because There is no confusion in my feelings about this person, I don't like them, And Even if this person were a True Child of God, I don't like this person and don't want to fellowship with that person, Am I obligated too?

I mean, Don't get me wrong, If this person truly is a Christian, Then Good for that person, I personally, Do not want to associate with this person, And I personally don't like this person. Am I allowed to not fellowship with this person as long as I don't make a big deal out of it, What I am asking is, Within the fellowship. Am I allowed to have personal feelings about not really liking someone?

What is the proper thing to do in a situation like this?
As long as we live in this body of flesh there are many Christians you won't like and will be hard to love. However you can't hate them, and you must love them. maybe love them from a far as to not sin. But you don't have to like them. Now if you must deal with them on a daily basis then you may have to do really serious spiritual work like fasting and daily prayer about the situation. But I don't think there is anything in scriptures that says a believer must always like the personality and character of another believer.
 
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Mel333

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This Question comes about Because I have encountered a person, Who claims to be a Christian, And Yet, is an insufferable Jerk.

I honestly don't like anything about this person and to be honest he's so off-putting I Just can't tell myself or other people I like the guy, I don't. I don't like the guy.

He's the kind of person who will say awful things to others and hurt peoples pride and feelings with really cutting insults and then turn around and Say he's a Christian,

I consider myself a Christian. I love God, I want to serve God better than I have been.

But this person, I don't like him, I don't want to call him brother. He makes me feel sick inside just being around him. My question is, Am I obligated to Like this person? I Don't want to, There is this Feeling, When I'm around this person, Like I'm being taken advantage of Like this person uses the title Christian to force me to tolerate and deal with them.

What Should I do about this situation? Because There is no confusion in my feelings about this person, I don't like them, And Even if this person were a True Child of God, I don't like this person and don't want to fellowship with that person, Am I obligated too?

I mean, Don't get me wrong, If this person truly is a Christian, Then Good for that person, I personally, Do not want to associate with this person, And I personally don't like this person. Am I allowed to not fellowship with this person as long as I don't make a big deal out of it, What I am asking is, Within the fellowship. Am I allowed to have personal feelings about not really liking someone?

What is the proper thing to do in a situation like this?

Hi there,

We are called to love one another even our enemies but you do not have to like the sin in others such as pride or arrogance.

Love prays for its enemies, hates sin but still loves the sinner. It forgives. It lays its life down for its friends and cares about people. It also convicts and corrects others gently. But it doesn't have to be friends with them or fellowship with them.

Love also knows when to speak and when not to speak. It is disciplined in its response to evil. (Need to practice this one myself)

Jesus loved everyone but withdrew at times from the people during ministry.

Today's world culture (which differs from Christian culture) says love is tolerance, which creates doormats and people pleasing.

Hope this helps you in some way. :)
 
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Shadowprophet

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Hi there,

We are called to love one another even our enemies but you do not have to like the sin in others such as pride or arrogance.

Love prays for its enemies, hates sin but still loves the sinner. It forgives. It lays its life down for its friends and cares about people. It also convicts and corrects others gently. But it doesn't have to be friends with them or fellowship with them.

Love also knows when to speak and when not to speak. It is disciplined in its response to evil. (Need to practice this one myself)

Jesus loved everyone but withdrew at times from the people during ministry.

Today's culture says love is tolerance, which creates doormats and people pleasing.

Hope this helps you in some way. :)
But is today's culture speaking Gods words? Gods rules? I am not perfect, no one is, I'm just making a point, There is Today's culture, Then there are Christians. That's two different things.

I had a friend once who often used a term to describe secular people. He called them worldly. We can hop on all the bandwagons and agree with all the modern political culture we want. But, We can't do what we wish and say it was Gods word though. I think people would be wise to always consider. There is what people think. Then there is what God thinks. and sometimes Man will pridefully choose to perform his own will and actions, And if an issue is something god hasn't addressed, Then he hasn't addressed that issue in his word. and we really can't give proper advice on such issues.

Ultimately, What I'm getting at here is. I've been online for years and years and years, I'm not some uninformed creature who has never studied social interaction. People often tend to rush in and try to help in situations they are woefully underqualified to give advice for.

If someone is underqualified to give advice, very often they will give the wrong or improper advice. Pride is the issue here, Everyone wants to be the one person who gave this person the advice they needed. But no one here is humble enough to admit they are not a qualified marriage or griefing counselor, are they?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending people mistreating people. That's not it.
I'm defending the idea that people "Assume a lot of things are God's will" When his word says no such thing. it "never says anywhere in the bible to interject one's opinion onto another persons marriage. Ever.

could lead to homewrecking. Homewreckers

Family is not something that is supposed to be easily disposable, People say if he loves her, He would not treat her that way, But, If she loves him, She shouldn't leave him. There are many ways to approach this and not be a homewrecker. The family unit is sacred, Are you important and enlightened enough, Are you ordained to administer Advice about what God want's her to do concerning her marriage? As I said, I'm not perfect, But, I wouldn't put myself on the line like that, Offering advice about what someone should so with something so sacred as their marriage in light of how important a topic it is, someone would think to tell the person to seek the proper help would be the wiser move.
 
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Mel333

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But is today's culture speaking Gods words? Gods rules? I am not perfect, no one is, I'm just making a point, There is Today's culture, Then there are Christians. That's two different things.

Yes the two are different cultures. Christian culture should counter the current culture of postmodernism and moral relativism.
 
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Shadowprophet

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Yes the two are different cultures. Christian culture should counter the current culture of postmodernism and moral relativism.
I'm a very debated person, Please don't think I'm taking this whole thing super seriously. I'm just wordy and trying to make a point, I fully understand that your heart goes out to her and you are trying to help, I'm not laying accusations on you or anything. I'm just debating.
 
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Shadowprophet

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And for the record, I don't remember who said this, But yes, I was once in an abusive relationship.
I had in the past left my wife for another woman, This woman, she was cold and she very often would slap me, I was raised that men do not hit women. And so, I tried not to even let it register.
But as time went on it got worse and worse finally she broke my nose.

And she tried to convince me it was my fault. I don't know why I'm explaining this, It's just, As a man, I was raised to take any kind of thing like that a woman could do to me and shake it off as if it was nothing. Because If I didn't then I wouldn't feel like a man, responding to her slaps and punches. People think women have it hard in a battered relationship.

but men who are battered have it worst of all. We aren't even allowed to admit it happened. or even acknowledge it, or we aren't men. It happens to both sides.

I'm just saying.
 
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Mel333

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I'm a very debated person, Please don't think I'm taking this whole thing super seriously. I'm just wordy and trying to make a point, I fully understand that your heart goes out to her and you are trying to help, I'm not laying accusations on you or anything. I'm just debating.

Just follow what the NT says to do. If you want answers, go to the source. Goodluck. :) You'll sort it out.
 
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