Should a non-Christian have Christian friends?

[amigo de christo]

Its going to be difficult for a unbeliever who loves sin. (they all do) to want to have a Christian as a friend, as the Christain is going to bring conviction to the unbeliever and they dont like how that feels.
The sinner (unbeliever) would rather bond with others who love sin, as that is a natural situation for them and "feels good".

Now how true this is my friend .
But then a man might respond and say , But hey i have many non christain friends
and we all get along just fine .
To which i would say THEN MASSIVE COMPROMISES have been made .
Because light makes manifest , it reproves and those who love sin Come not to the light lest their deeds be reproved .
ITs as you wrote my friend . But many seem not to grasp that simple truth you just wrote .

 

[JustMe]

There’s a thread in one of the “Christians Only” forums asking if Christians should have non-Christian friends. I thought it might be interesting to approach and explore the question from the opposite direction: Should a non-Christian have Christian friends?

It is essential to clearly define what constitutes a friend, a non-friend, and who qualifies as a true Christian and not, when addressing this question. Without a clear understanding, answers to the question can become confusing or irrelevant for some people. Put simply, the response might hold different meanings for different individuals. This leads to disorder, and the original intent of the question is quickly forgotten. As I have already observed...

 

[Matthias]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1977972947366355023

Do any of your friends - I remember that you’re ”Christian friends only” - believe anything that you don’t agree with?

 

[Matthias]

 

[JohnDB]

Do any of your friends - I remember that you’re ”Christian friends only” - believe anything that you don’t agree with?

Of course they do.
I have a far ranging group of friends from most of Christian denominations.
The SDA being the most difficult denomination to be friends with. Not on my part but on theirs mostly.

The DOC don't like it if I lead a Bible study because I give zero wiggle room on the diety of Jesus.

I could go on....but if the core definitions of what constitutes Christianity are the same...we can find common ground and get along just fine. Irrespective of our differences.

 

[Matthias]

Of course they do.
I have a far ranging group of friends from most of Christian denominations.
The SDA being the most difficult denomination to be friends with. Not on my part but on theirs mostly.

The DOC don't like it if I lead a Bible study because I give zero wiggle room on the diety of Jesus.

I could go on....but if the core definitions of what constitutes Christianity are the same...we can find common ground and get along just fine. Irrespective of our differences.

So despite those differences you can still be friends. So can I.

 

[JohnDB]

So despite those differences you can still be friends. So can I.

I can't when there exists zero common ground.

We don't speak the same languages. When I speak as a Christian the words I use have a very different meaning than the same words they use.

And if you can't have a conversation....they can't be my friends.

There's nothing I can do about them.

Theres nothing we have in common.

 

[Matthias]

I can't when there exists zero common ground.

We don't speak the same languages. When I speak as a Christian the words I use have a very different meaning than the same words they use.

And if you can't have a conversation....they can't be my friends.

There's nothing I can do about them.

Theres nothing we have in common.

Thanks for your reply. Not everyone is equipped to win Muslims for Messiah. That’s not a knock on you or others. It certainly doesn’t mean persons who aren’t equipped for that service can’t do other things for Messiah.

 

[JohnDB]

Thanks for your reply. Not everyone is equipped to win Muslims for Messiah. That’s not a knock on you or others. It certainly doesn’t mean persons who aren’t equipped for that service can’t do other things for Messiah.

WOAH WOAH WOAH.

Huge difference between winning souls and making friends.

TWO distinctly separate and UNRELATED actions.

In discourse terms or debate terms that's moving goal posts or shifting subject matter....a logical fallacy.

And yes, I have "won souls" as others might claim. Most took years.

You were discussing friendships....like sharing meals, inviting them over to my house to play with my family and etc.

That doesn't happen with those of another faith like Muslims or Buddhists. We don't have enough in common for that to happen.

 

[Matthias]

WOAH WOAH WOAH.

Huge difference between winning souls and making friends.

TWO distinctly separate and UNRELATED actions.

In discourse terms or debate terms that's moving goal posts or shifting subject matter....a logical fallacy.

And yes, I have "won souls" as others might claim. Most took years.

You were discussing friendships....like sharing meals, inviting them over to my house to play with my family and etc.

That doesn't happen with those of another faith like Muslims or Buddhists. We don't have enough in common for that to happen.

A person who can’t have conversation with them will be unable to convert them.

 

[Riven]

WOAH WOAH WOAH.

Huge difference between winning souls and making friends.

TWO distinctly separate and UNRELATED actions.

In discourse terms or debate terms that's moving goal posts or shifting subject matter....a logical fallacy.

And yes, I have "won souls" as others might claim. Most took years.

You were discussing friendships....like sharing meals, inviting them over to my house to play with my family and etc.

That doesn't happen with those of another faith like Muslims or Buddhists. We don't have enough in common for that to happen.

That's sad. You're both human. Isn't that enough?

 

[JohnDB]

A person who can’t have conversation with them will be unable to convert them.

Ok...
Again with the shifting goalposts!

Being civil and pleasant with someone is not the same as claiming that someone to be a friend.

The two are very very far apart.

I can be nice without extending kindness.

 

[Matthias]

Ok...
Again with the shifting goalposts!

Being civil and pleasant with someone is not the same as claiming that someone to be a friend.

The two are very very far apart.

I can be nice without extending kindness.

I can’t.

 

[JohnDB]

I can’t.

And that would be a huge problem on your part.

If you can't even order a coffee from a barrista without exchanging "pleasantries" or saying a kind word or two....you have severe problem with socialization and then your whole "friend" list becomes suspect.

Jesus clearly demonstrated circles of friendships.

The inmost circle was John, Peter, and one other. The next level was the 12....
Then the (200+) disciples....
Then Believers....
Then Israel....
Then the goyim.

 

[Matthias]

And that would be a huge problem on your part.

If you can't even order a coffee from a barrista without exchanging "pleasantries" or saying a kind word or two....you have severe problem with socialization and then your whole "friend" list becomes suspect.

Jesus clearly demonstrated circles of friendships.

The inmost circle was John, Peter, and one other. The next level was the 12....
Then the (200+) disciples....
Then Believers....
Then Israel....
Then the goyim.

I can only be nice by extending kindness.

I’m sure there must be others like you but I can’t recall ever having met any.

 

[Riven]

What if the barista gets the order wrong?

 

[quietthinker]

Should a non-Christian have Christian friends?​

Absolutely! However, will Christians be friends with prostitutes and tax collectors?

 

[JohnDB]

I can only be nice by extending kindness.

I’m sure there must be others like you but I can’t recall ever having met any.

Being nice is not the same as extending kindness.

I CAN be kind without being nice....I use this most often with teenagers and young adults.
I can also be very nice without being kind.

You can be respectful and nice with words and a lack of body odor. Kindness costs you something EVERY time and can be just time itself but is usually more than that.

Words are nothing anymore....

 

[Matthias]

Should a non-Christian have Christian friends?​

Absolutely!

Blessed are those who do.

However, will Christians be friends with prostitutes and tax collectors?

Tax collectors are a tough sell.

 

[Matthias]

Being nice is not the same as extending kindness.

I CAN be kind without being nice....I use this most often with teenagers and young adults.
I can also be very nice without being kind.

You can be respectful and nice with words and a lack of body odor. Kindness costs you something EVERY time and can be just time itself but is usually more than that.

Words are nothing anymore....

Purely as a matter of curiosity, have you ever looked up the word “nice” in a Thesaurus?

NICE Synonyms & Antonyms - 184 words | Thesaurus.com

Find 184 different ways to say NICE, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.

www.thesaurus.com

An observation. You and I can’t be friends, and I count that as loss to me.

Are you more receptive listening to someone whom you consider to be a friend than you are to someone whom you don’t consider to be a friend?