The divide between Christians and Non Christians
80Fruits Of The Spirit
Guilt is not only with nonbelievers!
When it comes to guilt over dissension between Christians and non-Christians I am sad to say, guilt goes both ways. It is unfortunate that many attacks come from Christians which I believe hurts Christianity.
unfortunately there are those who have been
hurt by a "christian" or a "christian church." This category is the worse. It is very hard to repair the damage done by those who "represent" Christianity
Non Christians attack Christians for many reasons. I think because they do not understand what we as Christians believe and why we believe it. Many times I believe they do not want to understand it because they are happy living the lifestyle they are living and Christianity requires change because God requires change. There are also those who believe in something or someone else. Christianity is contradictory to their beliefs and in a sense we are telling them that they are wrong, even if we never say those words. No one likes to be told they are wrong! There are also those who do not believe in anything at all. I do not want to sound judgmental, but what I have observed is that those who have faith in nothing are usually negative people. I am sure there are exceptions!
Now we come to the extremists: There are extremists on both sides of the spectrum. I will be frank about this which will make me unpopular with some sects of Christianity. There are those who believe you have to be mean in spiritual warfare they liken it to the crusades! I call it extremism and as bad as the Islamic Jihad that Martyrs themselves to blow up airplanes full of people. One kills the soul misquoting the Word of God the other kills the person using a bomb! I say it this way because the so called christian will not win a soul for Christ using anger and malicious aggressiveness. Jesus taught us to use love and perseverance. So when the so called christian turns the once possible convert away with their atrocious unchristian behavior, that soul could be lost in death forever.
I see that there can be a common ground. Christians who believe what Jesus Christ taught in
Galatians 5:22-23 (New International Version)
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
and put it into practice, can heal the divide between Christians and Non-believers. In doing this, maybe we can even bring some more believers to the foot of the cross! If you practice what you preach, live what you believe then how could you not influence a friend, relative, coworker, etc... to not want, what you have? It will shine so brightly through you, that inquiring minds, will want to know!
Non-believers, can see there is no reason to see a true Christian as a threat. Or to dislike or hate one. A true Christian stands on Galations 5:22-23 the fruit of their Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. If they claim to be a Christian and are not acting like this--I would question their sincerity (They definitely need to repent and ask for forgiveness) or validity as a TRUE follower of GOD, Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirt --All ONE. My response would be showing them this scripture. Yes, even if you are a non-believer. Remember, they are and are supposed to follow the word of God! It is not necessary to fight, argue and act ugly. A few well chosen verses should do the job. If not, I would simply stand firm in your opinion that they are not acting in a way that supports their own beliefs so, No Thanks and Good Bye!
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bayareagreatthing, Thank you so much for your insightful and encouraging words.
You are amazing!! My actions are spoken here....For really, some non-believers prefers that we Christians not say anything at all, and that's when we Christians need to show God's Word...
You are right, that both sides, non-believers, and extremists, are not going to like this....
God Bless You for having the courage to speak out on this....And if one is just reached, especially an extremist who sees themselves here, it would be well worth it....Thank You My New Friend....
Thank you Ellie for being supportive. You are a friend :)
Kebennett1
Keep it up,
M't:5:44: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Bless ya
Thank you for your support Hoowantstono! It is encouraging to know that there are Christians out there who do believe the same way I do!
This is nice to know your passion for christianity but do u ever think that there are some wrong beliefs in christianity? believing Jesus as god's child is fundamental belief in christianity. but does god the almighty needs a child? if it is true that Jesus is his son where is god's wife? where are other children? why only a son? why not a girl? Jesus had no wordly father so god is his father. but could you tell me who was Adam's father? if Adam was created by god without parents, then it is possible to create Jesus without father.
Upal 19, Thank you for reading my Hub! I personally believe in Christianity, God and Jesus. What you believe in is up to you. All I will say is I pray whatever it is, is fulfilling, peaceful, loving and will end with you in eternal peace or as our believe call's it "Heaven". I condemn no loving, peaceful person.
God did not need a child. We, man and woman, needed God to send us Himself, manifested as himself in His Son Jesus Christ. Why do we need God's son? Because Man and Woman chose to bring sin into their lives beginning in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve did not follow the rules God set down for them. He sent Jesus to die on the Cross for our sins so that we will not have to pay the price of death for our sins. Instead, Jesus has done that for us. We are forgiven by this Grace and sacrifice that God has shown us when we choose to believe in God, and ask for forgiveness and not continue to do the same sins over and over again. God has no wife. His son was born in the womb of the virgin Mary. The seed of Jesus was planted there by God Spiritually. Jesus had an adoptive father named Joseph who married Mary after she was with child. Joseph was a carpenter and the two raised him together. Adam was created by God out the dust of the Earth.
Thank you for asking and I hope I was able to answer your questions sufficiently.
This is another outstanding piece of work by you. And, I'm guilty. I have reacted with anger to comments on occasion and have not been as loving as I should have been to lost people. I am going to try to be a kinder, gentler James from now on. Thanks for the admonishment. I can always use it.
We have all been guilty I believe at one time or another of not extending that olive branch or arguing with anger in our heart instead of discussing with love in our heart. We are at last--simply human! Thank God that He is the giver of second chances! Thank you for your support James. I take compliments on my writing from you serious as you are an awesome writer!
Hi, It's ok that you have your own feelings on your religion. I thought it from my childhood that why there are many religions when god is only one. I was born in muslim family. but I didn't accept the religion blindly. so, I tried to learn other religion. I think christianity is nice but there is a blunder in belief. before christ there were so many prophets like abraham, moses, noah, jacob, adam and so on. nobody told that god would send his own son to earth. only paul who is not a apostle of jesus directly wrote it that jesus is god's child. paul never saw jesus. he was a foe of jesus. why should we believe in paul's saying when there is no sign in previous books on sending son to earth. I can't understand.
upal19 Hello again friend, Paul did begin as one who hate Jesus and all Christians. In the end he is known as one of Jesus' greatest disciples. Historians and Theologians alike have validated the writing of At least seven of the Pauline Epistles—1 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Philippians, and Philemon. I believe that leaves Colossians and Acts to quibble over from a validation stand point. Colossians is soon to be validated. Those sections of Acts where the first person plural is used are universally regarded as the work of an eye-witness. In the second place, the framework—the account of external events in the life of Paul—is for the most part accepted. In the third place, the tendency of recent criticism is decidedly towards a higher estimate of the general representation of Paul. The conciliatory attitude toward the Jews, which the book of Acts attributes to Paul, is no longer regarded as due altogether to an "irenic" purpose on the part of the historian. This book too, as you see is close to validation. Now, Paul did not have to know Jesus first hand to know he existed, Paul knew other disciples who knew Jesus. Paul did know the Holy Spirit which is part of the Trinity! When you take the Bible as a whole, and break it down into its historical written books. There are many books written at different times. Then they are all put together in one volume, THE BIBLE. Each of these books were written in different periods of time by different authors and each of them tells the same basic story. One supports the other. The say's a lot for supporting Truth.
Faith is one of the cornerstones of the Christian belief!What we can not always find in fact, we believe by Faith. But there is a lot of Fact that has been supported.
Hi Ke I got into this hub. Perfect. You are right on sister. We must walk our talk as believers. God help those that do not believe. I pray the people I know come to Christ. How is it so hard to believe Jesus died on the cross for our sin, so we could be forgiven and spend eternity in heaven. Yikes. I am so grateful for my salvation. Great Hub. The HS is on you my friend.
With Love
Thank you so much Skye. You always have such wonderful things to say. God is such a wonderful inspiration for me, how can I not write about Him and what He has taught me?
bayareagreatthing Level 2 Commenter 2 years ago
Nice Hub Kebennett1. I am often reminded of how we must look to others. When we are supposed to be known "by our love", how do get so sideways? It is ironic to me that the anger and challenges that Jesus displayed were always towards the "religious" leaders of the day...not the "sinners". Keep your focus-- you are on the right path.