At what point does associating with sinners become wrong?

[Jesus is my Superhero]

Some Christian pastors say, not just with regards to marriage, but also with friendships and the kind of people you associate with, to not hang out with sinners-and to be yoked with Christians.

Two questions I have.

Jesus didnt avoid even sinners caught up in sinful lifestyles. I dont think Christians should shun people, but at what point does associating yourself with a person who practices sin become unequally yoked"?

At what point does having a non christian friend cross the line into being unequally yoked?

I'd just like to point out two things to consider:

1. Jesus was filled with God's Holy Spirit while here on earth in human form, therefore, making it nearly impossible to be beguiled into sinning.

2. We are not playing on a level playing field. A rotten apple will corrupt an entire bushel of apples, one by one. But a nice ripe, juicy apple will never make a bushel full of rotten apples ready to eat.

 

[pescador]

I'd just like to point out two things to consider:

1. Jesus was filled with God's Holy Spirit while here on earth in human form, therefore, making it nearly impossible to be beguiled into sinning.

2. We are not playing on a level playing field. A rotten apple will corrupt an entire bushel of apples, one by one. But a nice ripe, juicy apple will never make a bushel full of rotten apples ready to eat.

Wrong! If you look at Jesus' actions on Earth, he made "a bushel full of rotten apples ready to eat". It is our role as Christians to show, by word and deed, a better way to live to those who are trapped by sin. We too are "filled with God's Holy Spirit while here on earth in human form".

 

[Jesus is my Superhero]

Wrong! If you look at Jesus' actions on Earth, he made "a bushel full of rotten apples ready to eat". It is our role as Christians to show, by word and deed, a better way to live to those who are trapped by sin. We too are "filled with God's Holy Spirit while here on earth in human form"

Speaking for myself, I would never claim to have as much of the Holy Spirit within me as Jesus had/has.

I have never known or seen a perfectly ripe, ready to eat fruit of any kind, convert a rotten fruit into edible form.

 

[pescador]

Speaking for myself, I would never claim to have as much of the Holy Spirit within me as Jesus had/has.

I have never known or seen a perfectly ripe, ready to eat fruit of any kind, convert a rotten fruit into edible form.

So you think that the Holy Spirit is given to people in part? Really?

Because we have been given the Holy Spirit, we are in Christ and are God's adopted children.

1 Corinthians 3:16, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

... partially? I don't think so.

 

[Jesus is my Superhero]

Well....I suppose we can agree to disagree?
there are many scriptural passages alluding to my point of view being accurate. If one can be filled with the Spirit, than one can also have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not necessarily being full of the Spirit.

 

[CaspianSails]

In the simplest terms when you are becoming them and they are not becoming like Christ it is time to flee. Our association is to be a light and salt to the world, aka sinners by telling them the good news of Christ. When we are no longer representing Christ we have overstayed and no longer light and salt.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

Some Christian pastors say, not just with regards to marriage, but also with friendships and the kind of people you associate with, to not hang out with sinners-and to be yoked with Christians.

Two questions I have.

Jesus didnt avoid even sinners caught up in sinful lifestyles. I dont think Christians should shun people, but at what point does associating yourself with a person who practices sin become unequally yoked"?

At what point does having a non christian friend cross the line into being unequally yoked?

as soon as it leads you into sinning.

 

[bèlla]

When you're sinning with them without remorse.

~Bella

 

[CaspianSails]

When you're sinning with them without remorse.

~Bella

Or even with remorse it is time to move on.

 

[DerSchweik]

In I Cor 5:10ff (for example), Paul wasn't concerned with our associating with non-Christians (per se), since that would require us to "go out of the world" (a practical impossibility) - his issue was with us associating with Christians who lead obviously unruly lives, lives inconsistent with the behavior Jesus calls us to lead.

Basically, if our association with non-Christians (or unruly Christians) leads us to behave as non-Christians then, well then we're sinning.

 

[OceanPoet87]

In the simplest terms when you are becoming them and they are not becoming like Christ it is time to flee. Our association is to be a light and salt to the world, aka sinners by telling them the good news of Christ. When we are no longer representing Christ we have overstayed and no longer light and salt.

This. We are supposed to go out into the world, making disciples and reaching those who don't know Jesus. If we are being led astray by non believers who repeatedly lead us into things that go against God's call for our life then we must kindly separate from them. This would be like a Christian starting to do meth to reach meth addicts or a high schooler hanging with a bad crowd of friends who encourage them to sneak out late to drink and lie to their parents. The converse would be a Christian recovering from drug abuse not neglecting their friends in order to lead them to Christ (if that is their calling). The other addicts aren't being discarded, but offered the chance to know Jesus. In the example of the student, he/she's bad friends can see the change in their life and have someone they can ask questions about Christ. Now if the friends refuse to repent and force the member to choose, they would reluctantly have to take a break from the friendship while still praying for them of course.

 

[ChristServant]

What about people who arent Christians, but dont live lifestyles of sin?

Sorry, No such person exists.

Peace be with all those in Christ

 

[Astroqualia]

Some Christian pastors say, not just with regards to marriage, but also with friendships and the kind of people you associate with, to not hang out with sinners-and to be yoked with Christians.

Two questions I have.

Jesus didnt avoid even sinners caught up in sinful lifestyles. I dont think Christians should shun people, but at what point does associating yourself with a person who practices sin become unequally yoked"?

At what point does having a non christian friend cross the line into being unequally yoked?

Jesus was also perfect, and we are not.

 

[splish- splash]

The moment you start to question, if your associations are giving Glory to God.

 

[TedT]

t what point does having a non christian friend cross the line into being unequally yoked?

At the point of idolatry, willing to stand against GOD's judgement of them so as to postpone that judgement as long as possible as per the parable of the weeds in Matt 13.

 

[RBPerry]

Speaking for myself, I would never claim to have as much of the Holy Spirit within me as Jesus had/has.

I have never known or seen a perfectly ripe, ready to eat fruit of any kind, convert a rotten fruit into edible form.

I certainly understand your point, but we aren't talking about fruit, people are much more complex that apples.
My attitude is if I can't be a positive influence then I won't associate. Sometimes we may be led to someone that needs us to lift them up, and hopefully draw them to Christ, that is our purpose.

 

[DerSchweik]

Some Christian pastors say, not just with regards to marriage, but also with friendships and the kind of people you associate with, to not hang out with sinners-and to be yoked with Christians.

Two questions I have.

Jesus didnt avoid even sinners caught up in sinful lifestyles. I dont think Christians should shun people, but at what point does associating yourself with a person who practices sin become unequally yoked"?

At what point does having a non christian friend cross the line into being unequally yoked?

...I suppose, when you start behaving like your non-Christian friends and not as Christ commanded.

 

[SeventhFisherofMen]

Some Christian pastors say, not just with regards to marriage, but also with friendships and the kind of people you associate with, to not hang out with sinners-and to be yoked with Christians.

Two questions I have.

Jesus didnt avoid even sinners caught up in sinful lifestyles. I dont think Christians should shun people, but at what point does associating yourself with a person who practices sin become unequally yoked"?

At what point does having a non christian friend cross the line into being unequally yoked?

Just based on the title the point it becomes wrong is when you partake in the sin or surround yourself with sinners who are sinning when you hang out with them.