Born Again Christian Flatmate

RoseFlower

Hi,

I am non religious. I would never have imagined posting on this forum and with what I have to say. These issues are quite sensitive in nature and I understand how others may want to stress it so in answers but why I am here is because I need some clarity and from someone who is a believer, who may give me some words of advice.

My flat mate is a born again christian. He goes to church most Sundays and he quotes the bible and praises Jesus a lot to people he speaks with. He has tried to impose his beliefs on to others, he had at one point, wasn't as exhuberant and bellowing out his faith everyday to me. He knows where I stand with this and I myself, do not mind what he does so long as it doesn't impose on me.

Lately he has taken a different corner, he now is becoming more like a militant christian and going to various websites and contacting people who bascially seclude people of other races. I do not like this and I do not think he knows what he is getting himself into.I tried to have a word with him about his but he dismisses what I say and says its all in the Lords name. I may be not a believer as such but I know when something isn't right and this isn't.

My question is this. Jesus does not exclude people but loves all no matter what race, religion or creed? Right? My flatmate being a born again christian is this typical of them to go like this? I thought they were about the bible and speading God's love not the opposite!

Am I right? I have no one to talk with about this and have come here to find out why is it that he has taken this road?

Thank you

wolfsbane

RoseFlower wrote: »

Hi,

I am non religious. I would never have imagined posting on this forum and with what I have to say. These issues are quite sensitive in nature and I understand how others may want to stress it so in answers but why I am here is because I need some clarity and from someone who is a believer, who may give me some words of advice.

My flat mate is a born again christian. He goes to church most Sundays and he quotes the bible and praises Jesus a lot to people he speaks with. He has tried to impose his beliefs on to others, he had at one point, wasn't as exhuberant and bellowing out his faith everyday to me. He knows where I stand with this and I myself, do not mind what he does so long as it doesn't impose on me.

Lately he has taken a different corner, he now is becoming more like a militant christian and going to various websites and contacting people who bascially seclude people of other races. I do not like this and I do not think he knows what he is getting himself into.I tried to have a word with him about his but he dismisses what I say and says its all in the Lords name. I may be not a believer as such but I know when something isn't right and this isn't.

My question is this. Jesus does not exclude people but loves all no matter what race, religion or creed? Right? My flatmate being a born again christian is this typical of them to go like this? I thought they were about the bible and speading God's love not the opposite!

Am I right? I have no one to talk with about this and have come here to find out why is it that he has taken this road?

Thank you

Hi, RoseFlower.

If you are reading him right, he is indeed in trouble. There is no racism with God - all mankind are His offspring, His creation, and are of one blood. We certainly have divided into language groups, nations and tribes - but we are all men.

The gospel is for all mankind. All who repent and believe will be saved. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, slaves and free are all one in Christ.

So it is not typical for born-again Christians to be racist. But you get crazy-mixed-up people everywhere. Even real Christians can be deceived by crafty teachers, for a time. And those untaught in the Scripture are especially vulnerable to errors.

If you want to help him, I would ask about the details of his new interest: where did he learn of this teaching? Who are the group involved? Then come back to me and I'll see if I can give any light.

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Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

philologos

What do you mean by impose? Do you mean talking to you about Jesus, or how else do you mean? It's important to note that just because someone mentions Jesus in conversation or speaks to you about what He did, that this isn't really forcing you to believe. If you don't want to hear, you should tell them so. It's important to understand the motivation though, he believes that mankind needs to believe and trust in Jesus to be saved from sin.

As for "seclude people from other races". I don't really know what you're getting at here. I don't know if you're talking about ethnicity or what?

Jesus doesn't exclude anyone. We exclude ourselves from Him by rejecting Him. Mankind can either accept Christ's forgiveness for their sin, or be condemned by God at the end of time. Christians present this truth so that people might know God, and know the truth about reality.

Fanny Cradock

Thanks for posting, RoseFlower.

Sad to say, but I'm afraid that Christians can be as overbearing and self-righteous as the worst of them. But then again politics, nationalism, sport and any number of things can equally stir peoples passions in utterly inappropriate ways. Some Christians feel that they have to constantly broadcast the fact that they are Christian. And in this regard they often become a very effective witness against Christ.

Perhaps in years to come your flatmate will become more rounded*. Perhaps not. In the mean time I suggest you have it out (in a respectful manner, of course), move out or get him out. Would you consider showing him this thread?

Still, I wonder what you mean by "impose". A little alarm bell rang when I read this - possibly unjustly. Could you expand on this?

*In this regard I would suggest that he read some Tom Wright, and consider the possibility that there are other ways to preach the gospel; some of which don't require words but do require gentleness and respect.