What the world thinks about Christ?

[bobznew]

Heard a preacher make an interesting statement lately:

"Unsaved people generally don't have any real problem with Christ Himself. Rather, the problem they have is with CHRISTIANS."

Thoughts?

 

[JimB]

I have found this to be the case, too. Christians (so-called) have given the word a bad name and today when people ask me if I am a Christian I will say, “I am a follower of Jesus.” If they press me, I will say that everyone who calls themselves “Christian” is not necessarily a follower of Jesus and I would prefer to be known as a follower of him. It makes a point.

Being a follower of Jesus is what the unbelieving world expects of us. They have no problem with Jesus (at least the historical one); it’s his followers that make them wonder if what he taught was more than just idealism.

Fact is, and it’s sad but true, some of the worst people I have ever known called themselves “Christian”.

~Jim

What the heart knows today the head understands tomorrow.​

 

[Deba]

What the world thinks about Christ?

Depends upon the Christian(s) they have met. Christ left His reputation in our hands.

 

[knownbeforetime]

I don't know. I told my sister that everybody sinned but Christ died for us. She got really mad.... For some reason, she finds comfort in the belief that we have to prove ourselves to God...

 

[bobznew]

I have found this to be the case, too. Christians (so-called) have given the word a bad name and today when people ask me if I am a Christian I will say, “I am a follower of Jesus.” If they press me, I will say that everyone who calls themselves “Christian” is not necessarily a follower of Jesus and I would prefer to be known as a follower of him. It makes a point.

Being a follower of Jesus is what the unbelieving world expects of us. They have no problem with Jesus (at least the historical one); it’s his followers that make them wonder if what he taught was more than just idealism.

Fact is, and it’s sad but true, some of the worst people I have ever known called themselves “Christian”.

~Jim

What the heart knows today the head understands tomorrow.​

I hear ya. Love it when someone asks me, "Well what do YOU believe?" I always just say it's not about what I believe, but about Who I KNOW. (Or WHOM I know, for all the grammar cops out there LOL )

 

[bobznew]

Depends upon the Christian(s) they have met. Christ left His reputation in our hands.

Yeah, exactly my point. There are MULTITUDES of people out there who have been hurt in some way be people, many of whom probably have called themselves (and have BEEN) Christians. My prayer for these people is that they will have their focus turned away from the people of this earth and onto the Creator and Redeemer of the earth.

 

[enoch son]

Who cares what the insane think of the people God has made sane? It's the christian who are still of ones self and insane that the problem. they try to bring them self into the world that is only Christ.

 

[JSGuitarist]

This quote is a two-sided coin. The first side is, yes they do hate Christ because of those who claim to follow Him. On the other hand, the world will hate us. Jesus said that would happen. People would gather in scores in the coliseums just to watch them get devoured and tore up by lions.

We do share responsibility, that is clear. In another sense, many are simply doing as their father would do, and "other Christians" are simply the scapegoat.

 

[BenAdam]

Heard a preacher make an interesting statement lately:

"Unsaved people generally don't have any real problem with Christ Himself. Rather, the problem they have is with CHRISTIANS."

Thoughts?

What they don't have a problem with is their view of Christ as a great teacher, good man, etc. They have a huge problem with Christ as God and the things He said as recorded in scripture. Christians can be problematic and I am pretty critical of us in general, however the big problem the unsaved have is that we preach Christ as God and He being the only way.

just my 1/50 of a $

 

[KingZzub]

It is utter nonsense to suggest that the reason people do not turn to Christ is Christians. Sounds like a way to throw guilt across the entire body of Christ.

I read in the Bible that we are persecuted for His name's sake, not because of our imperfections. Also we are told that we are persecuted when we are like the Master and we go through tribulation when we desire to live godly!

Read Romans 1 - people reject God and knowledge about God.

I think it is arrogant to say that people reject Christ due to Christians. The truth is that we are not rejected as much as Jesus was and the apostles were because we need to be a little more like Christ.

It is a lie that if we were just like Christ we would be universally loved. More accurate to say that if we were just like Christ we would be nailed to a cross, probably by some religious people. But the crowds would be cheering it on...

Blessings,
Ben

 

[mont974x4]

We certainly need to be aware of our impact on the name of Christ. However, that is not the reason people do not get saved. The bottom line is they choose not to accept Him. 2 Cor 4 says the god of this world has blinded some so the Gospel is veiled to them. It would not matter how we act or what we said, they would still not have eyes to see or ears to hear.

 

[nhisname]

Heard a preacher make an interesting statement lately:

"Unsaved people generally don't have any real problem with Christ Himself. Rather, the problem they have is with CHRISTIANS."

Thoughts?

A lot of churches have really watered down the gospel to get more people to come and while doing so it's hard to tell the Christians from the rest of the world.

 

[Cassidy]

It is utter nonsense to suggest that the reason people do not turn to Christ is Christians. Sounds like a way to throw guilt across the entire body of Christ.

I read in the Bible that we are persecuted for His name's sake, not because of our imperfections. Also we are told that we are persecuted when we are like the Master and we go through tribulation when we desire to live godly!

Read Romans 1 - people reject God and knowledge about God.

I think it is arrogant to say that people reject Christ due to Christians. The truth is that we are not rejected as much as Jesus was and the apostles were because we need to be a little more like Christ.

It is a lie that if we were just like Christ we would be universally loved. More accurate to say that if we were just like Christ we would be nailed to a cross, probably by some religious people. But the crowds would be cheering it on...

Blessings,
Ben

I think you are right in a sense..yes we are going to be hated anyway. But what I've found is that there are those who would love nothing more than to become a believer but who don't want to become the 'Ned Flanders' type. It's Christians that turn them off, I know this because I've seen it.

They then meet a Christian who is genuine and loving and imperfect and BANG they get saved because they see that Christians are human too.

Pharisees turn people of Christianity!

 

[lismore]

What the world thinks about Christ?

I dont think the average Joe thinks about Christ very much at all.

 

[KingZzub]

I am not convinced Lismore, I don't think they admit it, but many times we have been speaking to people in the streets and they admit that they have always hoped there is a God, or that Jesus is real, or that there is a way for them to be saved.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Christians aren't hated and persecuted unless they're targeted by their behavior as being christians. Most of them blend with the world. If they're being badmouthed for other behavior that's not persecution, that's reality. It's too bad that Christ gets a bad name for it, but they are not ambassadors of Christ. If they called themselves followers of Christ their bad behavior would point them out as liars. Which would also irradicate the abuse placed on Christ by those saying "God made me do it" Maybe allah

 

[New_Wineskin]

I hear ya. Love it when someone asks me, "Well what do YOU believe?" I always just say it's not about what I believe, but about Who I KNOW. (Or WHOM I know, for all the grammar cops out there LOL )

I am with you and Jim . Christianity ( small "c" ) is the greatest hindrance to Christ .

 

[lismore]

I am not convinced Lismore, I don't think they admit it, but many times we have been speaking to people in the streets and they admit that they have always hoped there is a God, or that Jesus is real, or that there is a way for them to be saved.

That's my point though.

I've been involved in about 5 or 6 different groups doing street evangelism over the past ten years. Why 5 or 6 groups? Because they all fizzle out through low numbers and apathy. I am the last surviving member of at least three evangelistic outreaches.

Of course if you went out into the highways and the byways and confronted people they would think about Jesus and God. But very few Christians are doing that. Therefore the average Joe doesnt think about Christ.

I have come to the conclusion that most people are never going to darken the door of a church on sunday and most sunday churchgoers are not going to darken the door of the lost.

Sad but true.

 

[enoch son]

That's my point though.

I've been involved in about 5 or 6 different groups doing street evangelism over the past ten years. Why 5 or 6 groups? Because they all fizzle out through low numbers and apathy. I am the last surviving member of at least three evangelistic outreaches.

Of course if you went out into the highways and the byways and confronted people they would think about Jesus and God. But very few Christians are doing that. Therefore the average Joe doesnt think about Christ.

I have come to the conclusion that most people are never going to darken the door of a church on sunday and most sunday churchgoers are not going to darken the door of the lost.

Sad but true.

Liz my friend when man understands it Jesus and not them, then a big change is a hand.

 

[KingZzub]

That's my point though.

And it is a good point. Why not start a new group???