Why do Christians purposely provoke? It accomplishes the opposite of what Christians are called to do.
Controversies?
- Thread starter 2ndAmendment
- Start date
Tilted
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Do you want the cynical answer?
The question was rhetorical, so no.
Tilted
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msqtech
Citizen
The answer may be in James 3
<SUP>13</SUP>Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30318 value="14">14</SUP>But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30319 value="15">15</SUP>Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30320 value="16">16</SUP>For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
<SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30321 value="17">17</SUP>But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30322 value="18">18</SUP>Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
I am thinking perhaps we speak to soon and without enough of the wisdom of James 3:17
<SUP>13</SUP>Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30318 value="14">14</SUP>But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30319 value="15">15</SUP>Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30320 value="16">16</SUP>For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
<SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30321 value="17">17</SUP>But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. <SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-30322 value="18">18</SUP>Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
I am thinking perhaps we speak to soon and without enough of the wisdom of James 3:17
ItalianScallion
Harley Rider
There must be some Vallium in the So. Md. water that's all I can say....
Jude 3 says: CONTEND for the faith...
Jesus called the Jews children of the devil in John 8.
Paul did the same in Acts 10.
Jesus said to be meek and humble at times but He Himself went off on the moneychangers. Please open your eyes before branching out on this sissy brigade!
The reason the USA is going down is because too many "Christians" DID NOT speak up when they should have. They were too busy being soft and meek as they mistakenly thought Jesus was. Watch how soft He is when He returns.
I don't intend to sound mean but I'm tired of everyone thinking Christians have to be cream puffs while unbelievers walk all over God's Word!
Jude 3 says: CONTEND for the faith...
Jesus called the Jews children of the devil in John 8.
Paul did the same in Acts 10.
Jesus said to be meek and humble at times but He Himself went off on the moneychangers. Please open your eyes before branching out on this sissy brigade!
The reason the USA is going down is because too many "Christians" DID NOT speak up when they should have. They were too busy being soft and meek as they mistakenly thought Jesus was. Watch how soft He is when He returns.
I don't intend to sound mean but I'm tired of everyone thinking Christians have to be cream puffs while unbelievers walk all over God's Word!
Starman3000m
New Member
True story:
Shortly before I became a born-again believer, some guy pulled into my driveway when I was outside and flat out said to me: "If you were die today, do you know where you would spend eternity?"
He was a Christian on fire for the Lord and that was his way of witnessing. While others may have viewed this as being provoked, it did get a rise out of me but it got me to really thinking harder to find the truth and I believe it was the Holy Spirit who made that man stop by.
My point is, we all have varying ways of ministering and although I see the sincerity of your post and concern, 2A, there are some times when our words and approach will provoke others and yet it could actually be the work of The Holy Spirit. There are varying ways that need to be taken to get people's attention. I say this in brotherly love and respect for your witnessing efforts on these threads.
So let me pass along the same question to all who read this post:
"If you were to die today, do you know where you would spend eternity?"
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PsyOps
Pixelated
Christians do not have to be cream puffs. But this is entirely off the topic of the point of the thread.
The point is you responded. If you had not, then he, who ever he was, should have gone his own way. But this, too, is entirely off the topic of the point of the thread.
If I'm not mistaken, you appear to be
I guess it may be seen that way, but it is intended as more of a rhetorical cause for introspection.
Starman3000m
New Member
Hmmm... OK, but witnessing and sharing God's Plan of Salvation to someone in person is alot different than exchanging comments on a forum where people keep replying with cult-ideologies and/or half-truths from pseudo-Christian denominations. That's where it becomes controversial and things can get a bit heated and people become offended for sure.
In person, yes, you can and should turn and walk away from someone who does not accept what you have to say. However, on a religion discussion forum are you suggesting that when we present Biblical Truths to non-Christians and those involved in pseudo-Christian beliefs who get offended that we are to "walk away" quit posting and not respond to their comments and perhaps let another believer explain the Gospel differently?
Im_Me
Active Member
A. There is a difference between saying hard truths and being hard on people when you say stuff.
B. I'm glad you heard what you needed to seek your Salvation, Starman. The man who approached you was aggressive and challenging, but not personal or attacking.
C. One guy out of many will come to be born again by being challenged. The others will be put off to stay in sin. Are you going to pat yourself on the back for getting the one guy, or regret your affect on the others?
D. Finding three or four examples of passionate outbursts in a book that otherwise preaches to "turn the other cheek" is not a mandate to act that way. The word Love is used in the NT 179 times (KJV), Mercy: 53 times, kind or kindness:15. Smite appears 10 times, anger 5 (and some of these mentions were against smite and anger), challenge and sarcasm don't appear.
Eph 4:31-32 Let all bitterness , and wrath , and anger , and clamour , and evil speaking , be put away from you , with all malice : And be ye kind one to another , tenderhearted , forgiving one another , even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (I'm no good at this cutting and pasting verses)
B. I'm glad you heard what you needed to seek your Salvation, Starman. The man who approached you was aggressive and challenging, but not personal or attacking.
C. One guy out of many will come to be born again by being challenged. The others will be put off to stay in sin. Are you going to pat yourself on the back for getting the one guy, or regret your affect on the others?
D. Finding three or four examples of passionate outbursts in a book that otherwise preaches to "turn the other cheek" is not a mandate to act that way. The word Love is used in the NT 179 times (KJV), Mercy: 53 times, kind or kindness:15. Smite appears 10 times, anger 5 (and some of these mentions were against smite and anger), challenge and sarcasm don't appear.
Eph 4:31-32 Let all bitterness , and wrath , and anger , and clamour , and evil speaking , be put away from you , with all malice : And be ye kind one to another , tenderhearted , forgiving one another , even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (I'm no good at this cutting and pasting verses)
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Larry Gude
Strung Out
At present, I am supposed to be cremated and lacquered into the top of my Les Paul.
PsyOps
Pixelated
At present, I am supposed to be cremated and lacquered into the top of my Les Paul.
Now there's an interesting idea. But what if that Paul ends up in the hands of a really bad guitar player?
BTW... will you look like glitter or like that tread stuff they put on floor matting?
Larry Gude
Strung Out
ItalianScallion
Harley Rider
This is my point exactly! Jesus came with love, servanthood and a new teaching (a.k.a controversies so as to stay on topic) and they hated, then killed Him.
There are times when I will not even reply to some folks on here because they have been told the answer many times but they just want to argue. In other cases, however, I will "contend boldly for the faith". Call me names or whatever I don't care but, in a time when anti gay speech is soon to be hate speech, Christians need to be protected too. I'm going to push for a law that no one can speak out against us either! (Yeah, like that will happen)...
Finding three or four examples of MEEKNESS in a book that otherwise preaches "as John the Baptist did" is not a mandate to act that way.
The Bible speaks more about HELL than it does about Heaven.
Chew on that one creme puff!
Starman3000m
New Member
At present, I am supposed to be cremated and lacquered into the top of my Les Paul.
Don't forget to put your soul into it or the riffs will never sound as good! lol
Starman3000m
New Member
Honestly, my regret is having missed some past opportunities to be aggressive and challenging of people with hard truths when I had the chance to share the True Jesus with them. Not knock them on the head aggressive but jolt their indoctrinated mindset aggressive.
If I have been too harsh on anyone here, I ask forgiveness - as I ask forgiveness from God for any comments that may have been out of line in sharing God's Love for you and His Merciful Plan of Salvation through Jesus.
Since this is about controversies, what I am saying is that Christians argue about stuff that in the grand scheme of things does not matter. Catholics believe in confession to a priest; protestants believe we can confess to any Christian and to God directly. In the grand scheme of the Bible, is a priest not a person, a fellow Christian?
Satan keeps Christians fighting among themselves over trivialities so they are not doing the work of God.
The One that should unite all Christians is Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, God come as man.
Instead of being united in Jesus, we argue over on what side of the doorway the coat hooks should be.
As far as witnessing on a board (not the topic), I think you present the scripture and people either accept or they don't. If there is a true interest in discussion by someone wishing more, that should be followed up. If it is just rebuttal of competing views, then argument is worthless and your time is better spent witnessing to someone who is receptive. There will be those that chime in with derogatory comments; just ignore them. Many of them are only trying to provoke you anyway and any exchange is worthless. And of course you have those that are just trying to be funny or make themselves the center of attention as some have in this thread. Ignore those too.
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And how do you think Jesus feels about you calling one of His names?
As Christians, we can be bold for Jesus without being crass. Are most people going to hell? Yes. Is telling them they are going to hell going to change that? Not for most. Will someone that is down and out and in need be open to the message that God loves them especially when presented by someone who acts out of love and with a loving, caring spirit? I believe so.
Even when Jesus rebuked people, He did it in a loving manner with one notable exception when He threw the moneychangers out of the temple. Jesus did not even rail against those that beat, tortured, and crucified Him. He asked that they be forgiven.
Is there a time for fire and brimstone preaching? Absolutely! But that is mostly for the lukewarm and not for non-believers.
Think about the reaction of the non-believer to these two statements.
- You are going to hell!
- Did you know that God loves you?