"Coming out" as a Christian

[Miss Babbit]

Hey Everyone!

I seemed to have skipped the welcome mat, I'll go there in a minute.
I'm new here but this is my second thread.

I hope no-one is offended by the title of this thread but I used it as it very accurately depicted my experience. I became a born again Christian earlier this year after spending my life as a lapsed Catholic. I'm non-denominational but just see myself as a bible believing Christian who looks solely to Jesus for my salvation and that we are now fast approaching the end times here on earth.

When you became a Christian, did it have a dramatic effect on people around you?
I was scared to be public about it at first as virtually all my friends are atheists. That is why I called it "coming out". I have now officially tied my colours to my mast and it has been a huge relief in doing so.
Some of my friends haven't responded yet, they only became aware through the Christmas card I sent out.
As my main family and my extended family are Roman Catholics I didn't think there would be a huge reaction there but there really has been. My mother is very upset that I read the KJV bible. I never knew there was so much division within Christianity. I never knew the KJV as the Protestant bible! As a Catholic when I was much younger I was strongly discouraged from reading the bible as though there was something very wrong with it.
My mother still has a fear of the bible although she is still a Catholic/ Christian.

Why are Catholics told to be afraid of the bible?

Another strange thing that has happened. Since becoming a Christian, there have been two prejudices made about me.
1) That I am now an expert on theology
2) That I am always silently judging everyone around me and think that I am closer to God than everyone else around me

Has anyone else experienced this?

One time I was sat quietly in my sister's sitting room and her boyfriend launched into a monologue about "hypocritical Christians" and that he prefers "good and kind atheists".
He went on about this for ages, all apropos of nothing. I defended my position once or twice as at times it felt like a personal attack. At one point I just let him "win" the argument as I am very new to all this and so not exactly an apologist.

Another time my sister became really angry with me and said she refused to read the bible and was scared that the bible may conflict with the idea of God she knows personally and loves. I told her that the bible has been grossly misrepresented and it is a beautiful life changing book as well as an amazing article of Faith for all believers.
She strongly resisted this and said she was scared of reading it and that I was trying to take her God away from her!

Why would becoming a Christian be such a bombshell to a family?

I now realise how revolutionary Jesus Christ was and still is today! I am quite in awe of it all!

Becoming a Christian has become a very revolutionary act in my experience. It is almost as though by declaring my faith I have simultaneously posited myself as a living reproach to everyone around me. It really has rocked everything around me. I didn't realise how shocking it is to become a Christian in this day and age. It's incredible to think that people are still shocked, energised and polarised about this!

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Hey Everyone!

I seemed to have skipped the welcome mat, I'll go there in a minute.
I'm new here but this is my second thread.

I hope no-one is offended by the title of this thread but I used it as it very accurately depicted my experience. I became a born again Christian earlier this year after spending my life as a lapsed Catholic. I'm non-denominational but just see myself as a bible believing Christian who looks solely to Jesus for my salvation and that we are now fast approaching the end times here on earth.

When you became a Christian, did it have a dramatic effect on people around you?
I was scared to be public about it at first as virtually all my friends are atheists. That is why I called it "coming out". I have now officially tied my colours to my mast and it has been a huge relief in doing so.
Some of my friends haven't responded yet, they only became aware through the Christmas card I sent out.
As my main family and my extended family are Roman Catholics I didn't think there would be a huge reaction there but there really has been. My mother is very upset that I read the KJV bible. I never knew there was so much division within Christianity. I never knew the KJV as the Protestant bible! As a Catholic when I was much younger I was strongly discouraged from reading the bible as though there was something very wrong with it.
My mother still has a fear of the bible although she is still a Catholic/ Christian.

Why are Catholics told to be afraid of the bible?

Another strange thing that has happened. Since becoming a Christian, there have been two prejudices made about me.
1) That I am now an expert on theology
2) That I am always silently judging everyone around me and think that I am closer to God than everyone else around me

Has anyone else experienced this?

One time I was sat quietly in my sister's sitting room and her boyfriend launched into a monologue about "hypocritical Christians" and that he prefers "good and kind atheists".
He went on about this for ages, all apropos of nothing. I defended my position once or twice as at times it felt like a personal attack. At one point I just let him "win" the argument as I am very new to all this and so not exactly an apologist.

Another time my sister became really angry with me and said she refused to read the bible and was scared that the bible may conflict with the idea of God she knows personally and loves. I told her that the bible has been grossly misrepresented and it is a beautiful life changing book as well as an amazing article of Faith for all believers.
She strongly resisted this and said she was scared of reading it and that I was trying to take her God away from her!

Why would becoming a Christian be such a bombshell to a family?

I now realise how revolutionary Jesus Christ was and still is today! I am quite in awe of it all!

Becoming a Christian has become a very revolutionary act in my experience. It is almost as though by declaring my faith I have simultaneously posited myself as a living reproach to everyone around me. It really has rocked everything around me. I didn't realise how shocking it is to become a Christian in this day and age. It's incredible to think that people are still shocked, energised and polarised about this!

Yep. That kind of thing can happen, even in our own families. I've experienced several of these instances myself off and on over the years.

 

[whereloveandmercymeet]

I was lucky to grow up in a Christian home and as far back as I remember everyone knew I was Christian and it was never a thing. Until university. I never hid it, but as more friends knew and friends of friends I went through very similar situations and found it quite hurtful, as I’d been taught to respect and show love to everyone, regardless of their religion. (When I was a kid we had the loveliest Muslim family move next door, so I got to practice this young). Now thankfully my friends and family are either in the faith or respect my choice and are very careful to make sure that any disagreements they have with it aren’t generalised or personalised toward me.

Hopefully once the ‘novelty’ of your ‘coming out’ (and I agree in this instance it does seem apt to describe) is over they will stop behaving this way. In the mean time, lean on Jesus, other Christians and people here to get through.

I’ll be praying for you.

 

[friend of]

I became a born again Christian earlier this year after spending my life as a lapsed Catholic

Here here! Lord be praised! Welcome to the site and we hope you will enjoy your stay and grow in faith with us!

I was scared to be public about it at first as virtually all my friends are atheists

Luke 12:8
"I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God...

My mother is very upset that I read the KJV bible.

KJV is basically the default translation for many protestant denoms. Can't go wrong. I enjoy NKJV personally but I also like ESV, NASB and even the NIV.

I was strongly discouraged from reading the bible

Me as well. I converted Dec 08/16 and got into reading the bible for the first time and now it's such a bizarre concept to me that a Christian wouldn't read the bible. I had been missing out on the heart and soul of Christianity by not reading it when I was a younger Catholic. We are to study God's word to show ourselves approved, rightly handling the word of truth because that way God's word gets internalized and we are feeding on it and carrying it in our hearts and it guides us.

One time I was sat quietly in my sister's sitting room and her boyfriend launched into a monologue about "hypocritical Christians"

Rejoice! You are bearing rebuke for the name of Christ!

Matthew 5:11-12
"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

John 15:18-19
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Acts of the Apostles 5:41
The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name (of Christ)

Another time my sister became really angry with me and said she refused to read the bible and was scared that the bible may conflict with the idea of God she knows personally and loves

Many theists create God's personage in their own image, making a false god of idealization which caters to their personality and desires. As Christian's, we discover God's true nature through His revealed word to us. Maybe your sister doesn't want to let go of her imagined god because it's all shes ever known? You can show her the true Joy's of discovering God, as revealed in scripture, just by living as a good example and perhaps then in time you will draw her in to studying the bible for herself.

I now realise how revolutionary Jesus Christ was and still is today! I am quite in awe of it all!

Yes, his Spirit lives on in His faithful ones and those who love and call Him Lord.

I didn't realise how shocking it is to become a Christian in this day and age.

Onward! We must take up our cross and follow Him! It sounds like you are doing just that and we are very happy to see the energizing, regenerating power of the Spirit in you! Continue to seek Him each day and to grow in love, faith and hope!

Romans 2:7
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

Luke 9:23
Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me...

Philippians 1:29
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,

 

[Mike Czaj]

[QUOTE="Miss Babbit, post: 73553339, member: 415826

Why would becoming a Christian be such a bombshell to a family?

[/QUOTE]

I had a rather dramatic conversion as a teenager, and my family and friends strongly protested, my family because as my father summed it up, "what you had was good enough", that is, Sunday Catholic, but basically do whatever you want as long as its not really bad. My friends just thought it would wreck party life, or that I would stop thinking for myself and just quote Bible verses. After years of quietly demonstrating my new life in Christ, my family slowly came around to even embracing my faith. Former friends, when they were in some kind of need, began to look to me to help them sort out their life concerns. A good life testimony is a powerful witness. Meanwhile, find a good group of encouraging Believers to help you stay strong and share on a deeper level. I'm praying for you.

 

[Cheryl6397]

I am also Christian, former catholic and I was never encouraged to read the Bible. I was never taught prayers, it was expected that they were learned by weekly repetition. Sadly I am the only one in my family who is Christian. I was baptised in October 2017 and have learnt so much more in that time than I ever did as a catholic of 53 years. I now dont care what anyone thinks or says about my conversion. Its not them I follow
Be blessed

 

[Jonaitis]

Welcome to the site, but also to the faith! I'm glad you're out of that mess and into a new life with Christ! Sounds like you're now experiencing the change that happens with many of us.

 

[andy b]

My story pretty much mirrors everyone's here .....didn't know much still don't but it's s lot more .....bumped into some old friends and they fascinated with my new found knowledge and where keen to know more ...I found the Bible heavy going at first and found it better to read apologetics to gain knowledge quicker

 

[Sabertooth]

Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-36,

“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’"

and in John 16:7-11,

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged."

 

[AWorkInProgress]

Hey Everyone!

I seemed to have skipped the welcome mat, I'll go there in a minute.
I'm new here but this is my second thread.

I hope no-one is offended by the title of this thread but I used it as it very accurately depicted my experience. I became a born again Christian earlier this year after spending my life as a lapsed Catholic. I'm non-denominational but just see myself as a bible believing Christian who looks solely to Jesus for my salvation and that we are now fast approaching the end times here on earth.

When you became a Christian, did it have a dramatic effect on people around you?
I was scared to be public about it at first as virtually all my friends are atheists. That is why I called it "coming out". I have now officially tied my colours to my mast and it has been a huge relief in doing so.
Some of my friends haven't responded yet, they only became aware through the Christmas card I sent out.

Totally understandable about just now "coming out". First century church that was like putting a death sentence over your head to publicly declare yourself to Christ. Many churches we underground because of it.

I was too involved with my friends and family to really hide it. At work it was a different story, they even gave me a bonus because something changed about me and my work ethic LOL As my Lord healed me of my past and my sins, I had this OVER WHELMING desire to get on the roof tops and tell people about Christ! Yet I couldn't get the words out of my mouth. Heck I was so timid to share my faith with coworkers yet in that timidness the Lord used me to help bring a coworker to Christ.

Realistically though that is were we are at in our walk today. Tomorrow as we grow and heal and learn, the boldness will come. Kinda sounds like you arrived on some level now!

As my main family and my extended family are Roman Catholics I didn't think there would be a huge reaction there but there really has been. My mother is very upset that I read the KJV bible. I never knew there was so much division within Christianity. I never knew the KJV as the Protestant bible! As a Catholic when I was much younger I was strongly discouraged from reading the bible as though there was something very wrong with it.
My mother still has a fear of the bible although she is still a Catholic/ Christian.

Praise be to God that He released you from that ungodly fear and distortion! Thru you, the Lord will bring light into that darkness!

Lot families out there are in the same situation in different ways. One member becomes saved and no one else can really understand. One lyric really said it all for me, "though I changed, the world remains the same".

katholikos ekklesia
Catholic Church
Universal Set apart ones

During the first century church they were called "The Way". Later the pagans would make fun of them calling them Christians, it sticked. When the church became above ground the only region for the Empire of Rome, it became the Catholic Church. One universal church, in which it's conception was honorable. Problem is when you hand power and control over to humans, the faith people were martyred for is now a power struggle and becomes like any other corrupt institution. Good and bad things happened with the Catholic church, but over time the corruption kept the Holy Scriptures in Latin form and out of the hands of the people. Many who were trained to be a priest and learned Latin didn't even really read the scripture.

Reformation arised out of the question of where authority comes from. Martin Luther was not looking to make waves or to create a new church. He saw the corruption and brought attention so they could have a debate to make reforms. The 95 theses were written in Latin which was the language of scholars. Some German students found it on the church door, took it. Translated it into the vulgar German language and it was spread to all the local towns and cities. Ultimately Martin Luther gets to have his debate but when he is backed into the corner he confesses Scripture is the only authority binding of the mind and soul. Popes and Counsels can err.

Today you can go into a book store like Barns and Noble and find different bibles for sale. You can got to "Christian" book store and find more variety of different translations and interpretations of the scriptures. Even in different languages as well! Something we take for granted every day, yet when William Tyndale wanted to help even the boy in the field to understand the scriptures, he was put to death for it.

Why are Catholics told to be afraid of the bible?

Another strange thing that has happened. Since becoming a Christian, there have been two prejudices made about me.
1) That I am now an expert on theology
2) That I am always silently judging everyone around me and think that I am closer to God than everyone else around me

1. I would accept that as compliment! lol Theology is healthy and good thing! You are studying the details and different doctrines(beliefs) about the God you worship! That is something he wants us all to do!

2. As Christians we can EASILY fall into this trap. Many times the Lord had to call me out about being judge-mental. We are suppose to have and use discernment, but it can become easy to see people for what they are doing wrong, instead of seeing them as people. That we were just like them, an enemy of God.

I am going to cut it off right here. I get the feeling that you do have an apologetic within you, "One who gives an answer". Just stay focus on your walk with the Lord, and let him give you the wisdom and words to speak to your family. Just know they are not going to understand, but as you live your walk with Christ and show them love you receive from God. You are a walking testimony of Christ to them.

Edited: This reply reminded me of a wonder teaching series with Michael Reeves. I want to tag this this post and I pray it benefits you!

 

[worshipjunkie]

[.

Hey Everyone!

I hope no-one is offended by the title of this thread but I used it as it very accurately depicted my experience. I became a born again Christian earlier this year after spending my life as a lapsed Catholic. I'm non-denominational but just see myself as a bible believing Christian who looks solely to Jesus for my salvation and that we are now fast approaching the end times here on earth.

Welcome from one new Christian to another! I'm returning after spending the last 15 or so years away from God (I was a Wiccan, then Catholic).

As my main family and my extended family are Roman Catholics I didn't think there would be a huge reaction there but there really has been. My mother is very upset that I read the KJV bible. I never knew there was so much division within Christianity. I never knew the KJV as the Protestant bible! As a Catholic when I was much younger I was strongly discouraged from reading the bible as though there was something very wrong with it.
My mother still has a fear of the bible although she is still a Catholic/ Christian.

Why are Catholics told to be afraid of the bible?

Catholics are only allowed to interpret the Bible in line with the Magisterium (the teaching authority of the Catholic church; either the Pope or the Pope and his bishops.) Therefore for the vast majority of Catholic history, Catholics were explicitly or implicitly discouraged from reading the Bible for themselves because they might interpret it wrong and fall into heresy (a.k.a, among other things, Protestantism.). Since the Second Vatican Council in the early 1960's Catholics have been encouraged to read the Scriptures, but it's still considered a sin to read a non-Catholic Bible, the teaching of the Catholic Magisterium and Catholic tradition is realistically elevated above Scripture, and Catholics are still only allowed to interpret Scripture in line with the teaching of the Magisterium. I hope that makes some sense. The KJV is a non-Catholic Bible and is therefore not supposed to be read by Catholics except by necessity (i.e. a scholar studying it to refute it).

I now realise how revolutionary Jesus Christ was and still is today! I am quite in awe of it all!

Becoming a Christian has become a very revolutionary act in my experience. It is almost as though by declaring my faith I have simultaneously posited myself as a living reproach to everyone around me. It really has rocked everything around me. I didn't realise how shocking it is to become a Christian in this day and age. It's incredible to think that people are still shocked, energised and polarised about this!

Praise God that He has chosen you, from the very beginning of your walk with Him, to suffer for His name! It is shocking, because our age claims diversity and tolerance, but as you've seen, that kinda all goes out the window once Christ is brought into things.

 

[Miss Babbit]

Thank you all so much for your support and friendliness!

I know so little and am humbled all the time. There is happiness in humbleness when we are learning at God's feet.