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Order ofMelchizedek
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Re: What labels are you comfortable with?
quoting
not with the "I believe" would not be as loving as not offending me.
I don't think "I believe" is strong enough. What if they're sure of it? What if they could ask you some questions to really cause you to contemplate the issue on a deeper level?
quoting
They would likely cause me to back away from Christianity further-which has been the case.
But that's your own choice, and it' really not a fair judgment to make. Let's say I meet Bookworm in person and he mentions that he is good friends with Cassie. Then, he punches me in the nose. Out of no where, just whack! I pick myself up off the ground and say, "You say you're friends with Cassie? Well, she is an awful person because you hit me! I'll never speak to her again."
Sounds kind of silly like that, doesn't it?
In the same way, you cannot blame Christianity itself for the actions of fallen humans who claim to follow Jesus. They may or may not be true followers, but you cannot judge Him by what they do.
What do you think? 
--- 
Do you not know? Have you not heard? He gives strength to the weary. To those who hope in Him, they will soar like eagles. -RSJ |
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8/27/2009, 12:10 am
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Bookworm88
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Re: What labels are you comfortable with?
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Order ofMelchizedek ...
I don't think "I believe" is strong enough. What if they're sure of it? What if they could ask you some questions to really cause you to contemplate the issue on a deeper level?
Isn't it a good thing to conyemplate issues on a deeper level? Isn't that what we want unsaved people to do when we witness to them? I can be sompletely sure of something even as I say "I believe" since it is completely true that I believe whatever it is that I believe, But I want the person I am discussing things with to be open to examining things on a deeper level. Therefore I think it is strong enough to say "I believe" even when I'm sure, since it keeps the conversation active instead of having my hearer feel that they are just being lectured to.
quoting
quoting
They would likely cause me to back away from Christianity further-which has been the case.
But that's your own choice, and it' really not a fair judgment to make. Let's say I meet Bookworm in person and he mentions that he is good friends with Cassie. Then, he punches me in the nose. Out of no where, just whack! I pick myself up off the ground and say, "You say you're friends with Cassie? Well, she is an awful person because you hit me! I'll never speak to her again."
Sounds kind of silly like that, doesn't it?
In the same way, you cannot blame Christianity itself for the actions of fallen humans who claim to follow Jesus. They may or may not be true followers, but you cannot judge Him by what they do.
What do you think?
It may be a fair judgment to make if Bookworm says "This is what Cassie thinks of you" as he does the punching. You may think that Cassie actually wants to punch people. As you say, you can't blame Cassie if she has a follower who acts like that, and you can't blame Christianity if some Christians act like that. But Christians should be aware of how they present the message, because sometimes the way we present it can make it feel like a punch simply due to our presentation. My job is simply to present the message, even with an "I believe," and I'll count on God to do the convicting (which in all cases is more potent than any "punch" I could provide.)
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8/27/2009, 10:20 am
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Order ofMelchizedek
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Re: What labels are you comfortable with?
True, we should be careful with how we witness - definately in love, but not watered down.
But I don't think we can really drive someone away. We do not have the power to make a conversion, so we don't have the power to prevent it, either.
Salvation is of the Lord, and He can use even bad teaching to convert someone. However, that does not remove the accountability from the person witnessing.
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Do you not know? Have you not heard? He gives strength to the weary. To those who hope in Him, they will soar like eagles. -RSJ |
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8/27/2009, 11:35 am
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Staybrite
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Re: What labels are you comfortable with?
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garycg ...
quoting
What labels are you comfortable with?
Christian for me is good, but not religious, i dont much care for the name "religion" because religions are manmade.
I do follow the principles of the Southern Baptist.
Make sense or no? 
Love it Gary. I too am not really comfortable with "religious". I don't want to be part of any religion. I want to be a child of God.
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Peace, that brief period in history when everyone stops to reload.
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8/27/2009, 1:44 pm
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Order ofMelchizedek
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Re: What labels are you comfortable with?
Hey Cassie! Did you happen to come across The Good Test while you were lurking around here?
Check it out, as well as the comments afterward and let us know what you think.
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Do you not know? Have you not heard? He gives strength to the weary. To those who hope in Him, they will soar like eagles. -RSJ |
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8/27/2009, 11:43 pm
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Order ofMelchizedek
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Re: What labels are you comfortable with?
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I guess I can do that, of course it will be a post in disagreement, but those can be fun. Just warning you.
I've heard it said that if two people agree on everything, then one of them is irrelevant.
So, disagreement can be a good thing.
You seem pretty strong in what you believe in. What do you base your beliefs on?
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Do you not know? Have you not heard? He gives strength to the weary. To those who hope in Him, they will soar like eagles. -RSJ |
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8/30/2009, 11:39 pm
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Of course, it would also assume that I haven't contemplated the issue on a deeper level, which might also effectively ruin the conversation.
Just warning you. 
