friendships with non believers or sinners???

janeeen

Most people i know practice sin in some way or another, be it gambling, drinking to much alcohol or, swearing gods name.
After doing some research on the web i came across some Scriptures from the bible which tell christens not to associate with people who practice sin or, non believers.
We are all sinners and I'm not saying we should all not talk to one another but for people who continuously practice sin with no obvious repentance should we limit or keep our distance from such people?
Also should we keep our selfs away from people who say "i don't believe in God"?

Proverbs 12:26
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

vinnylombardi99

first mistake - quoting the bible.

there is a simple rule that you need to keep in mind.
treat others like you would like to be treated. simple, eh? so simple infact that it adorns the lobby of the UN headquarters in new york! it's not a christian-exclusive rule but it's all good.

the bible has been translated and retranslated dozens of times down through the ages. so, read the bible but be careful about what you take from it. there is a danger of misinterpretation. a friend is in maynooth doing theology and he says the lecturers are always argueing about meanings.

http://drcoxmedschool.blogspot.com/

PDN

vinnylombardi99 wrote: »

first mistake - quoting the bible.

there is a simple rule that you need to keep in mind.
treat others like you would like to be treated. simple, eh? so simple infact that it adorns the lobby of the UN headquarters in new york! it's not a christian-exclusive rule but it's all good.

the bible has been translated and retranslated dozens of times down through the ages. so, read the bible but be careful about what you take from it. there is a danger of misinterpretation. a friend is in maynooth doing theology and he says the lecturers are always argueing about meanings.

http://drcoxmedschool.blogspot.com/

Your second mistake - coming into a Christianity Forum and criticising someone for quoting the Bible.

Your first mistake - failng to read the Charter.

Please consider this as your one free pass.

Fanny Cradock

janeeen wrote: »

but for people who continuously practice sin with no obvious repentance should we limit or keep our distance from such people?

I think we all continuously practice sin, no? I also wonder is our repentance as heartfelt as it should be?

janeeen wrote: »

Also should we keep our selfs away from people who say "i don't believe in God"?

Paul is but one example of someone who didn't hide away from non-Christians.

I think there has to be a balance between your faith in Jesus and all that this entails and interacting with family, friends and strangers who don't happen to share your faith. I know many non-believers who I would happily pal around with over certain Christians. But these are good people and I don't see that they necessarily lead me astray.

RachPie

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Friends are not for what they believe in, but who they are. If you want to be friends with someone, be friends with them. If you don't, then don't.

North_West_Art

religion = social control

PDN

North_West_Art wrote: »

religion = social control

Trolling = Infractions.

No more, please.

Fanny Cradock

North_West_Art wrote: »

religion = social control

Profound!

vinnylombardi99

PDN wrote: »

Your second mistake - coming into a Christianity Forum and criticising someone for quoting the Bible.

Your first mistake - failng to read the Charter.

Please consider this as your one free pass.

harsh! by quote i ment taking it literally. my apologies.

chozometroid

We should be "friends" to everyone, but we are not to join in the activities of those who live according to the flesh. We can hang out with them all we want, and be a good example, but we are not to follow their lead or try to fit in to their lifestyle. Being unequally yoked is bound to cause a dilemma where the one trying to live like Christ is regularly faced with walking away or giving in to temptation.
That said, we are all sinners. Some of us, however, have surrendered ourselves to Christ and asked Him to lead the way. We are not to let the world lead the way, so that is the difference.

Zombrex

chozometroid wrote: »

We should be "friends" to everyone, but we are not to join in the activities of those who live according to the flesh.

Reminds me of a joke one of my friends made in college after a group of us had been discussing religion and we realised we were all basically atheist or agnostic, he said Great we can now have guilt free sex!

The joke was because we were all guys sitting around playing Quake over the college network on a Saturday night. Some of us don't choose a sin free life, we have it thrust upon us :P

janeen, hang around with godless computer programming graduates, you should have not trouble :pac:

neuro-praxis

Wicknight wrote: »

The joke was because we were all guys sitting around playing Quake over the college network on a Saturday night. Some of us don't choose a sin free life, we have it thrust upon us :P

This made me lol...love it! :pac:

janeen, I have been a committed practicing Christian for about 14 years. In that time, the deepest, closest and most profound friendships I have had are with other believers...in our little community we worship and pray together, weep and rejoice together. Having said that, there is a wide and wonderful group of people that I love to be with who have zero interest in faith or God. This group too have enriched my life in countless ways and I would hate to be without them. My deepest desire is to see them come to know God; not so that they can be like me (God forbid) but rather that they can know how deeply they are loved and how very much they are worth.

As Christians we are called to love everyone. The nature of our friendships might be different (better or worse) with believers versus unbelievers, but that's ok. We are called to be salt and light to the world, bringing a bit of God's boundless love to everyone we meet, and although we regularly fail in this, it's a good task, and it would be a crying shame to put limits on who you can love and where you can go.

Christians need to be normal and out there in the world, enjoying all the good things it has to offer. Every inch of creation is God's domain, so we're free to ramble in it. Christian hedonism ftw.

homer911

If the alternative to being friends with non-Christians is to live in an enclosed order, then I'll take the friendship any day - How can Christians hope to share their faith with others if they dont mix with them. There are obvious lines to draw, and not cross and thats where an informed conscience is important - God will guide you in which friendships are right and appropriate and which are not. for example I would struggle to be friends with someone who issues expletives or takes God's name in vain every time they open their mouth. (Bad language is a pet hate of mine - if a person can't temper their language, how can they temper their thoughts or behaviour)

PDN

I think Jesus is our prime example here. He was roundly criticised by the Pharisees because He hung out with tax collectors (on a par with today's bankers) drunkards and prostitutes. However, He did not lower Himself to their standards of behaviour.

Christians have found it notoriously hard to obey Jesus' instruction to be "in the world but not of the world". We tend to either cut ourselves off into a holy huddle, or we become so worldly that there is nothing distinctive left to attract others to follow Christ.

Sometimes we even manage to be "of the world but not in the world".

Stephentlig

Most people i know practice sin in some way or another, be it gambling, drinking to much alcohol or, swearing gods name.
After doing some research on the web i came across some Scriptures from the bible which tell christens not to associate with people who practice sin or, non believers.
We are all sinners and I'm not saying we should all not talk to one another but for people who continuously practice sin with no obvious repentance should we limit or keep our distance from such people?
Also should we keep our selfs away from people who say "i don't believe in God"?

Jesus indeed mixed with sinners, but being sinners ourselves, we are not as strong as the Lord,( who was without sin ) therefore more prone to falling when amongst them, and I feel that this is what the Bible and inspired writers Such as the great apostle St.Paul is teaching us.

If you happen to be amongst an unbeliever whom makes fun of Christ and constantly challenges your belief, then you should re-consider your friendship or at least put some limit to your meeting with such persons.

It's important as scripture says not to give to dogs what is holy or cast our pearls before swine for them to trample on them. But to conclude the above, should you be living a True Life in God I'd be suprised you'd have any friends at all, and not that I consider myself to be living in a True Life in God but since I am on the path to him, if I were to have many friends I'd be very worried indeed, because ever since I came to Christ, my friends of old, like the disciples in the garden of Gethsemene, scattered and I see them no more. St.Clement of Alexandria also said that there are two ways of living the Christian faith, there are those live the Christian faith in the every day world and those who lead the life of Spiritual perfection, we are all called to perfection but its not easy to attain, which is why we work with God when in the world and admit our weakness in the confessional to him and say we are sorry.

I'll now conclude this whole post with a passage from the Bible in which Saint Paul warns timothy in his letter to avoid alex the coppersmith for he opposes them and caused them great evil along with a Biblical commentarie from the great ECF St.John Chrysostom.

Pax Christi
Stephen

2Tm 4,14. “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil; the Lord reward him according to his works.”

Here he again makes mention of his trial, not wishing merely to censure and accuse the man, but to prepare his disciple for the conflicts, that he might bear them firmly. Though they be mean and contemptible persons, and without honor, who cause these trials, they ought all, he says, to be borne with fortitude. For he who suffers wrong from any great personage, receives no little distinction from the superiority of him who does the wrong. But he who is injured by a vile and abject person, suffers the greater annoyance. “He did me much evil,” he says, that is, he persecuted me in various ways. But these things will not go unpunished! For the Lord will reward him according to his works. As he said above: “What persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” (2Tm 3,11). So also here he consoles his disciples by a double consideration, that he himself had suffered wrong, and that the other would be rewarded for his evil deeds. Not that the Saints rejoice in the punishment of their persecutors, but that the cause of the Gospel required it, and the weaker would derive consolation from it.

2Tm 4,15. “Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.”

That is, he is hostile to us, and opposes us. He has not said, Revenge, punish, expel him, although by the grace given him he might have so done, but he does no such thing; nor does he arm Timothy against him, but only commands him to avoid him, leaving vengeance to God, and for the consolation of the weaker he has said that He will reward him, which is a prophecy rather than an imprecation. And that he says these things to prepare the mind of his disciple, is manifest also from what follows. But see how he mentions other of his trials.

more can be viewed at this link
http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/index.htm

Xluna

janeeen wrote: »

Most people i know practice sin in some way or another, be it gambling, drinking to much alcohol or, swearing gods name.
After doing some research on the web i came across some Scriptures from the bible which tell christens not to associate with people who practice sin or, non believers.
We are all sinners and I'm not saying we should all not talk to one another but for people who continuously practice sin with no obvious repentance should we limit or keep our distance from such people?
Also should we keep our selfs away from people who say "i don't believe in God"?

Proverbs 12:26
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

I'm no theologian nor a believer but I recall Jesus supposedly spent most of his free time with sinners and said something about "let he without sin cast the first stone." Surely you're just avoiding these people to cover your own metaphysical rear end. If you were a real Christian you'd want to spend as much time as possible with the dregs of society to make them "mend their ways ect".

Fanny Cradock

I'm certainly not out to "make people mend their ways".

Xluna

Fanny Cradock wrote: »

I'm certainly not out to "make people mend their ways".

Well not literally make but you know what I mean,encourage cajole,help, give a good example ect.

Soul Winner

janeeen wrote: »

Most people i know practice sin in some way or another, be it gambling, drinking to much alcohol or, swearing gods name.
After doing some research on the web i came across some Scriptures from the bible which tell christens not to associate with people who practice sin or, non believers.
We are all sinners and I'm not saying we should all not talk to one another but for people who continuously practice sin with no obvious repentance should we limit or keep our distance from such people?
Also should we keep our selfs away from people who say "i don't believe in God"?

Hmmmmm!!! :rolleyes:

janeeen wrote: »

Proverbs 12:26
A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

This verse is not telling Christians to not associate with people who practice sin. It simply draws a distinction between how righteous people behave and the result of the way of the wicked.

janeeen wrote: »

1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

You have taken this verse completely out of its original context and applied it to something to make it look as though it supports your limited view. Please read the whole chapter and then you will see where this verse really fits, it has nothing to do with be-friending sinners.

janeeen wrote: »

2 Corinthians 6:14
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

That's more like it, but it still doesn't say anything about be-friending sinners or non believers. What its says is that we should not be yoked (in bondage with) together with unbelievers. Don't fall into the trap that they are in. Try to be Christ-like and preach Christ to them in order that He may deliver them from this trap, and not forgetting that at one time we all conducted ourselves in this manner.

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:1-7

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." 1 Timothy 1:15

Paul thought that he was the worst of sinners and yet wrote 2 thirds of the New Testament and saved the early Church from legalism by preaching Grace and Peace from God through faith in Christ which is what the Gospel actually is.

Hebrews 11 is one of only two chapters in the Bible which venerates men/women. Have a look through this list and you will find liars, adulterers, murders, whores and so on and yet it says that God was not ashamed to be called their God. Why? Because they had one thing in common, faith in God. They trusted God not matter what. And even though they did faulter and fail a lot in the flesh, they always got up pointing in the right direction, toward God. It is these people who are to be our examples, not the the self righteous hypocrite perfectionist legalists.

We would do well to remember that in Jesus' story it was the publican not the Pharisee who got his prayer answered. And that the sins that are the hardest for God to forgive are the spiritual sins, like pride. They are rarely repented of and easy to fall into. This can be done when we make the mistake of taking the splinter from our brother's eye whilst not being able to see the plank in our own. It is better to be a whore and a drunk whilst knowing your need of the grace of God than to be a legalist who thinks that he is beyond needing it. God hates the latter kind and died for the former.

"For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6

neuro-praxis

Xluna wrote: »

If you were a real Christian you'd want to spend as much time as possible with the dregs of society to make them "mend their ways ect".

To butcher a quote of a much wiser person...Jesus didn't come to make bad men good - he came to make dead men live.