Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
Sinners in the world, or sinners in the church? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 5 what to do with unrepentant sinners in the church, and the world. And I don't consider him a legalist.
Tares Reveal Themselves by what they DON’T Say...And They Are With us Here .How to Identify Them...
- Thread starter BloodBought 1953
- Start date
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
You might not have that job...that office...but you are certainly free to evangelize people outside of the church. The good thing is, you give me the sense that you know doing that can have harsh consequences. So none of us should venture into that service to Christ willy-nilly.
Maybe, but that doesn't mean no one can evangelize the lost. And it doesn't mean the church is not to turn unrepentant sinners in the church over to satan for the destruction of the flesh.
Not sure what you mean by a Pauline calling on my life... but I call it RESPECT.... they know that I am a Christian... and I pray for them... The world is full of Christians who are more than ready to correct and convict... and they cause much damage in my opinion... Like I shared before... my own relatives are of this mind set that it is their job to judge others and convict... I have seen the effects of this belief system... and it brings death... not life. Anyways... to each their own...
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
Paul had a special calling on his life. He didn't have the choice whether or not to perform his service to God. The Biblical reference I have in mind escapes me at the moment.
And there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I think you and I who don't have a special calling and gifting on our lives to evangelize are more effective by being godly people in the midst of so many ungodly people. When we do that we stick out like stars on the dark background of this world (Philippians 2:15). And praying for them in the privacy of our own hearts and minds.
Even though I used to evangelize with a 'not so right' motivation (lol), it still bore fruit. I remember stirring up a demon in a young girl about 100 pounds lighter than me that scared me to death and made me not want to witness ever again. A few months later, she said she had an epiphany about her life. I don't know what happened after that, but maybe we will meet in the kingdom and she will thank me for sticking my head out and planting some seeds in her life. She will be my reward in the kingdom and we will be glad together and we will praise God. We'll see......
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
It just came to me, lol....
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16
That's special to Paul and everyone else who has received a specific calling and gifting for service to God. Me and you don't have that. We're good to witness wherever and whenever we want. The only thing that we effect is whether we have reward in the kingdom of God for our service to God, or not. I gots the feeling you've been beat up by the evangelical church that says, 'woe to you if you do not evangelize!', right? Been there.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
Well, I certainly warned my own kids. They are all adults now and are on their own concerning that. I did my part. But, beyond that, it is 'to each his own'. To each his own according to the gift he has received and the measure of faith he has received to walk in it (Romans 12:6), and to each his own what office, if any, he has been given (Ephesians 4:7, Ephesians 4:11).
I AGREE that we all have different giftings.... and I am all for evangelism... I do recognize that it is a GIFT... I think of people like Reinhard Bonnke who evangelized to millions of Africans. That is a GIFT ..... but what I am talking about are those who will shout on the street corners that the SINNERS are going to hell... those that will not show mercy on someone who is perhaps struggling getting on the straight and narrow but is desperately trying... and dying in despair.... these angry and judgemental Christians do damage to those type of people in my opinion. I do not see that having a "not so right" motivation is pleasing to God in the least.
When I was younger... not a Christian and having to work as a waitress in a hotel... I had a "Christian" woman babysitting for me... because she lived in the same building as me... About 1 month after watching my son.... she decided that the LORD told her that she should no longer watch my son because she felt it was condoning working in a bar... I have never ever forgotten this... It was the most despicable action to take against a single mother who was trying to make ends meet.... THIS is what I am talking about. Anyways... this argument of correcting is never ending.... but I take great offence to those who would label me as one who condones sin because of the stance I take on correction.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
@Addy , what I was going to say was no one should evangelize if they are not ready to go to jail. Then I remembered you're from Canada. You will go to jail for witnessing to your landlord if they report you, right? We Americans aren't going to be prepared for this when that happens here, very soon, I think.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
Like I say, it started to bear fruit for me. Even I was shocked, lol. But I'm not condoning evangelizing with the wrong motive. But as usual, God has a way of turning bad things around for good. He is God after all.
I think any Believer that would backslide into “ unbelief” is in very serious trouble.....and if “ belief” Saves , it makes perfect sense to human minds that somebody that fell back into “ UNbelief” would be damned.....
From personal experience, I think God will bring such types back to belief before they die....that is what happened to me......I went from a Believer to Atheism back to being a Believer again....Had I not been brought back to the Truth , I believe the Amazing Grace Of God would have covered it....
“ NOBODY comes to Jesus lest the Spirit draw him” ......God starts the entire process ( not us ) and the Bible says that “ HE” will “ FINISH what HE STARTED”......
The Bible says God is Faithful even when we are not....so what else could it be talking about.....I was unfaithful yet God was Faithful to me.... Nothing started for me until I saw I was a Lost Sinner and Turned to God ( Repentance ) and asked for His Forgiveness .....God has made a Promise that is out there for everybody to see and grab hold of....” Anybody that Asks for Mercy shall receive it”.....I asked for that Mercy.....mercy would take care of somebody stupid enough to fall from belief to Unbelief ......is “ Mercy” for those that don’t really NEED it?
“ Turn to me and I will turn to you if you mess up a little bit, but if you mess up Severely, all bets are off.....sorry, pal.....my Grace is there only if you don’t really need it”.....of course, the Bible does not say that.....God's Mercy extends farther than we can imagine—- probably farther than we want it to....too bad.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
Sooner or later all sinners have to hear that they are going to hell if they don't repent. Some are going to respond in hate, some in humility. The haters are not to make it so the church thinks no one is ever tell sinners they are under the condemnation of God.
This is truly a matter of RESPECT and position in my opinion... I believe that GOD is the convicter of sin... as HE is the only one who knows the heart.... I am not suggesting that one should absolutely keep their faith QUIET.... I am stating that there is a time for everything.... and one must have the proper heart before correction occurs.... To correct strangers one does not even know and further condemn them is not something that is effective or appropriate.... I have seen it happen time and time again...
As far as being Canadian... YES... If I refuse to address someone according to their preferred pronoun... I can be arrested... although this would only affect me if I owned a business... I don't think they would arrest a private citizen.... I will never address a person outside of male or female... I have resolved this in my mind and heart... If ever I encounter this situation... I will handle it according to my beliefs as a Christian....The LGBTQ agenda is certainly a dilemma for us as believers... but it is not the only issue out there.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
So what's the answer? Never ever tell them the gospel? How do you know ahead of time who to talk to and who not to talk to for fear of damaging them? I know a person to whom you do not breath so much as a syllable about the gospel, and so I don't. But I didn't find that out until I had talked to them! You can't just not talk to anybody at all just because there are going to be those who will be offended and will chew your head off.
Last edited:
Grailhunter
Well-Known Member
Reputation and presentation. You would be surprised. Disassociate yourself from evil.
Particularly where you live and work.
Particularly where you live and work.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
But sometimes it is. And that's the point I'm trying to make. You just have to trust God with it. Me, personally, I quit evangelizing because of the abuse. I recognize I don't have the responsibility by virtue of a gifting to do it, so I'm comfortable not doing it. I prefer to talk to people who are already saved about spiritual things relative to us believers. I'm much more comfortable doing that. So that's what I do. I have no guilt about writing unbelievers off and leaving them for someone else to talk to. I could say more but I'm not going to for a reason that I'm not going to share. This goes deeper for me than you realize. And that's all I have to say about that.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
Your country sucks. I'm very angry that's happening there and is beginning to happen here. I will not address anyone, period, when that stupidity gets here.
We are never going to come to consensus about this.... LOL.... It's a beautiful day outside... I need to get some of that FINALLY WARM air into my lungs.... Have a good one.
Grailhunter
Well-Known Member
This brings up another interesting topic. If what she says is true....she pretty much lives under a gag order.
The United States is headed that direction quickly with the Communist demonrats at the helm.
The United States is headed that direction quickly with the Communist demonrats at the helm.
Ferris Bueller
Well-Known Member
Oh, and a single mother to boot, lol!
I don't think I would have ever shrunk that low, but I do know, now, that she probably did that from a very immature state as a Christian. In your heart, give her the benefit of being able one day to grow up in her faith into the image of Christ and realizing that she probably could have witnessed to you the best by staying there and serving you in the love of Christ. Go easy on her. She may be at that more mature state today. Just as her kind are not to condemn sinners, they also are not to be condemned. I think that's fair, don't you?
Similar threads
