"Christians"

[briocht]

Being new to my faith maybe this is something I notice more I don't know.

But there are a lot of people out there calling themselves Christians and yet willingly saying and doing hurtful, unkind things and judging others.

I know we all make mistakes but I've seen people saying and doing things like this on a frequent basis.

They go through the motions like going to church but they have no spiritual change to go along with it, and it all becomes meaningless.

It's so frustrating because I feel like there are so many people like this going into the world and identifying themselves as Christians and putting people off!

Sorry it's more of a rant but I wish people could understand and really put their faith into action in their life rather than just talking about it!

 

[seashale76]

I'm paraphrasing here, but Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow (memory eternal) once said, "One does not truly believe the creed unless they live it." It is frustrating to see, but is a sign of the times. I once let it affect my own faith, so please take my advice when I tell you to not let it do the same to you. We must focus on our own walk with Christ and not concern ourselves with the failings of others. St. Seraphim of Sarov once said, "Acquire the spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved." In other words, in order to be a good example that others will follow, each of us has to start living the faith.

Lenten Prayer of Saint Ephrem, Orthodox Church in America - YouTube

 

[Bible2]

briocht said in post 1:

But there are a lot of people out there calling themselves Christians and yet willingly saying and doing hurtful, unkind things and judging others.

Regarding "judging others", we have to be careful not to judge others for judging others (compare Romans 2:3, Matthew 7:1-5).

 

[timf]

I wish people could understand and really put their faith into action in their life rather than just talking about it!

You think you wish it, what do you think God wishes.

There was a woman who was going home to commit suicide. She found a tract that night and got saved instead. She was so excited and when she started attending her neighborhood church, she said that she went from thinking she was the only person who didn't know about Jesus to thinking she was the only person who did.

Glenda's Story: Led by Grace - Grace and Truth Books

Over the centuries the practice of Christianity has been turned into a mechanical system that allows many who may not even be Christian to claim that they are. It also tends towards the organizational which dampens the relationships between people in which real Christianity is to be played out.

Since these systems cannot be changed, it leaves those who are serious about their faith and desiring to grow closer to their Lord to have to find older wiser Christians from whom they can learn and needy brothers and sisters in Christ to whom they can minister.

 

[Emmy]

Dear briocht. Jesus gave us two Commandments: 1) Love God with all our hearts,
with all our souls, and with all our minds. 2) Love our neighbour as ourselves.
Then Jesus pointed out: " on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Follow these two Commandments and you are following God`s
Ten Commandments, Jesus told us straighforward and easy to remember.
A Christian`s weapon is Love, freely given and NO conditions tagged on.
Everything we say or do, everything we advice or stand for, SHOULD BE FROM LOVE FOR GOD AND FOR OUR NEIGHBOUR. God will see our efforts, and God will Bless us. God will also know that we Love God, because we are following God`s Commandments to Love and Care.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Jesus told us to ask and receive, ( Matthew 7: 7-8) then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour: all we know and all we meet, friends and not friends. People around us will notice, and many will treat us the same, and some will want to join us. People will know whom we represent and Love, and we certainly will be sign-posts to God our Heavenly Father. Love is very catching, and Jesus told us to let the whole world know that God`s Kingdom has arrived for all who want to know it.
I say this with love, briocht. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[theophilus40]

But there are a lot of people out there calling themselves Christians and yet willingly saying and doing hurtful, unkind things and judging others.

That is because a lot of the people who call themselves Christians really aren't. They aren't deliberately lying; they simply don't know what it takes to become a Christian.

Many churches don't preach the true gospel of repentance and faith in Christ and so they deceive people into thinking they are Christians if they have been baptized or are a member of a church or are trying to live a good life. There was a time in my life when I thought I was a Christian because I had been baptized and was a member of a church.

You should treat these people the way you do those who don't profess to be Christians; pray for them and look for opportunities to share the gospel with them so they can become genuine Christians.

 

[1watchman]

Being new to my faith maybe this is something I notice more I don't know.

But there are a lot of people out there calling themselves Christians and yet willingly saying and doing hurtful, unkind things and judging others.

I know we all make mistakes but I've seen people saying and doing things like this on a frequent basis.

They go through the motions like going to church but they have no spiritual change to go along with it, and it all becomes meaningless.

It's so frustrating because I feel like there are so many people like this going into the world and identifying themselves as Christians and putting people off!

Sorry it's more of a rant but I wish people could understand and really put their faith into action in their life rather than just talking about it!

Yes, there are many false professors of Christ. Jesus said: "not everyone that says: Lord, Lord, will enter into the Kingdom". One must be "born again" and that comes by receiving the Lord Jesus into our hearts and being devoted to Him. Many professors only have an intellectual view of Christ and seek to follow His teachings, which will not save a soul.

 

[Harry3142]

briocht-

There are people who measure a person's truly being a Christian by his willingness to both obey certain laws and commandments and also his willingness to accept whatever agenda the heirarchy of their particular denomination/sect promotes. This all too often leads to the judgementalistic attitude which you have described here.

However, the 'yardstick' for our actions conforming to God's will isn't to be found in a set of laws. It's to be found in the motivations which are the impetus for our words and actions:

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:16-26,NIV)

If those whom you've described measured their conduct against these motivations, which motivations would they be identified with? Would their conduct conform to the motivations listed as 'the acts of the sinful nature', such as hatred, dissensions, and even fits of rage? Or would their motivations conform to those listed as 'the fruit of the Spirit', such as love, kindness, and gentleness? As Christians it is the motivations listed as 'the fruit of the Spirit' which are to be the impetus for what we both say and do. That's why the words which immediately follow their listing are, "Against such things there is no law."