The Christian Walk

[Brieuse]

I am came out of the closet so to speak last year and since then I have been concentrating on myself, and working through all my issues that have been created by myself over the last 20 years because of my thinking that God had rejected me. I have many hurts. The end result is I haven't really been evangelising to anybody nor spreading the word of God. If somebody wants to pray for me, I need prayer to become strong in the Word again, and to have confidence as a Christian.. I also need prayer to help me find the right church for me as I left my previous church because I changed cities.

What do you as Christians do when you come across a person who you believe needs God in their lives, and you need to share the Gospel with him/her?

My opinion is that a Christian should share the Gospel, allow the person to understand that God forgives all sins. Never ever elaborate on that person's sins, but rather highlight that all are sinners, and through Jesus only, they can have eternal life. I touched on this briefly a little while back. Being somebody that has been judged I think that the reason non-Christians don't like Christians is because they believe Christians are too judgmental and are hypocritical.

A friend dragged me along to a gay pride event recently, and I was pleasantly surprised. There was none of that debauchery you hear about, and a couple of gay friendly churches also attended. However, at the start of the parade, there were Christians standing with signs reminding all of us that we are on the way to hell. I felt like walking up to them and showing them my cross, but my friend held me back.

I believe that as Christians, we are way too judgmental, and should rather concentrate on spreading the Gospel, and showing God's love through everything we do.

 

[UberLutheran]

I am came out of the closet so to speak last year and since then I have been concentrating on myself, and working through all my issues that have been created by myself over the last 20 years because of my thinking that God had rejected me. I have many hurts. The end result is I haven't really been evangelising to anybody nor spreading the word of God. If somebody wants to pray for me, I need prayer to become strong in the Word again, and to have confidence as a Christian.. I also need prayer to help me find the right church for me as I left my previous church because I changed cities.

What do you as Christians do when you come across a person who you believe needs God in their lives, and you need to share the Gospel with him/her?

My opinion is that a Christian should share the Gospel, allow the person to understand that God forgives all sins. Never ever elaborate on that person's sins, but rather highlight that all are sinners, and through Jesus only, they can have eternal life. I touched on this briefly a little while back. Being somebody that has been judged I think that the reason non-Christians don't like Christians is because they believe Christians are too judgmental and are hypocritical.

A friend dragged me along to a gay pride event recently, and I was pleasantly surprised. There was none of that debauchery you hear about, and a couple of gay friendly churches also attended. However, at the start of the parade, there were Christians standing with signs reminding all of us that we are on the way to hell. I felt like walking up to them and showing them my cross, but my friend held me back.

I believe that as Christians, we are way too judgmental, and should rather concentrate on spreading the Gospel, and showing God's love through everything we do.

Interesting: the ONE post anybody has made here about their own Christian walk gets absolutely NO responses.

That says a lot, doesn't it?

 

[Pogue]

I believe that as Christians, we are way too judgmental, and should rather concentrate on spreading the Gospel, and showing God's love through everything we do.

I agree

 

[PinkTulip]

Interesting: the ONE post anybody has made here about their own Christian walk gets absolutely NO responses.

That says a lot, doesn't it?

WELL, it is a little difficult to respond when the forum has been down all day! Very touchy, aren't we?

I do agree with the OP. Of course it is wrong to stand with signs saying, "Gays are going to Hell." How would they know? Are they Christ? Of course not.

As Christians we are supposed to walk like Christ and repent. My only problem with these particular threads is that several of you do not see homosexuality as a sin and never question the possibility that it is.

 

[Rhododendron]

Delete

 

[Brieuse]

I agree with all of this.

On a side note, I've been peeking into the threads here on this subforum, and it seems that many like to attack what isn't really there. This is a debate forum, not an immature community of assumptions thrown out over nothing.

I'm not talking about you, PinkTulip, but just to let some of you know, your opinions will be taken much more seriously when your every post isn't angry and insulting.

I think we've all been guilty of that.

I believe God has been stirring in me to be more compassionate to those that condemn me, to forgive them.

Christians shouldn't be fighting with each other. That is Satan's way. That is why we have so many denominations in the Church. It's a classic strategy in war, divide the forces.

 

[UberLutheran]

Something I keep in mind when self-righteous, self-centered, judgmental True Christians® start going on and on about "who is 'entitled' to go to Heaven and who is not?" and bringing out their various proof-texts:

Romans 8:31-39

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
​

The self-righteous, Pharisaical True Christians® on this board (and many other boards, as well) DO NOT -- emphatically DO NOT make the call on who is saved and who is not saved. That is between you and God alone -- and ultimately we "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phillipians 2:12-13).

 

[PinkTulip]

Something I keep in mind when self-righteous, self-centered, judgmental True Christians® start going on and on about "who is 'entitled' to go to Heaven and who is not?" and bringing out their various proof-texts:

Romans 8:31-39

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
​

The self-righteous, Pharisaical True Christians® on this board (and many other boards, as well) DO NOT -- emphatically DO NOT make the call on who is saved and who is not saved. That is between you and God alone -- and ultimately we "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phillipians 2:12-13).

I have no idea where you will spend an eternity, Uber. Hopefully it is somewhere nice with lots of chocolate In my honest opinion, scripture is clear on sexual sin. We have ALL sinned. The question is, do we keep participating in the same sin over and over or walk away. From some that is very hard to do.

I guess only in the end will we all know. Tulip's 2 cents

 

[UberLutheran]

I have no idea where you will spend an eternity, Uber. Hopefully it is somewhere nice with lots of chocolate In my honest opinion, scripture is clear on sexual sin. We have ALL sinned. The question is, do we keep participating in the same sin over and over or walk away. From some that is very hard to do.

I guess only in the end will we all know. Tulip's 2 cents

Then we're probably going to have to agree to disagree.

Hopefully, where we spend eternity will have prickly pear margaritas and Venezuelan dark semi-bitter chocolate (61% cocoa butter content).