strenght01

I gotta say that I am very shocked by one of the answers here..... What happened to loving a person as Christ loved you - with your sin/past??? Are some of you saying that no one without would be willing to overlook something like this? Or is that a personal opinion that you wouldn't be able to love someone with an std? I'm asymptomatic so it's just dealing with the thought that it's in my blood. I don't have AIDS or anything that can kill so going to an std site when we're supposed to totally believe in healing teeters towards not having faith that God can do the impossible. Since 1 in 3 people in the US have this std anyway, in some form, I'm not going to go that route. I guess I'm asking, if you began to care for someone and they had an issue, when would you want to know? After a couple of months, before you mention you care? Obviously before the ring, that would just be wrong otherwise. And now a second question for the men, would you not be able to move past that with a woman if you cared about her? Women are so much more accepting of things than men are so I cannot ask the women since I know.

k, long story short... i caught an std from my ex bf. i stayed with im for 3 yrs because of it. i've been single for a year now and a really nice godly man is interested. i am terrified of courting b/c of my past mistake. i guess my question is if i ever get the courage to allow someone to pursue me, at what point do i open my mouth about my past mistake that they would have to deal with if i ever got married??? do you wait until the i love you's? i'm so lost with this. i have no sense of self worth because of this & it's not really something you can understand unless it's happened to you. i guess for those that are healthy, when would you want someone to bring that up? it kills me how if you say you have cancer people feel sorry for you but if you say you have an std in your blood and are asymptomatic, they look a you like you're a dirty person. when in reality you were a good person that just made 1 mistake. 1 mistake ruined your life

Great answers everyone! Just what I was thinking. The statement is so overused and twisted by too many. Now here's my next question, why do people take you trying to help them/ lift them up as being condemned???? For example, say I have a friend that is consumed with porn and I go to them (out of love) and explain why it's wrong to watch, how it destroys families, etc. Why would that person in turn (knowing that I have no struggles in that area) then possibly say that I am condemning them??? - No, this is not a real life situation but I have heard stuff like this over and over & it absolutely floors me that people are quick to jump at the "you're judging me" or "your condemning me" lines. It's like if you know someone needs help & you say something, they attack with that line. But then if you see a struggle & don't help, then you can feel as if you're not doing what you should.

I accidentally posted this in the general forum. Not sure how to delete a post so it's still there but reposting here to the appropriate forum. Someone please help me to understand if I am misinterpreting this scripture. From what I read, it means that these things work out for our good if we ARE Christians, not for those who are unsaved. I have a friend that uses this as a pep thing to lift up a mutual friend that is going through some stuff but taht also is not Saved and literally says their master is the devil. Am I not understanding this scripture? How do I go about explaining to her that this scripture doesn't apply to non-Christians IF I am understanding it correctly?

I've always heard so much on this topic and most answers from all that label themselves as Christians have surprisingly different answers. So I ask, what does God mean by the words we are not to judge others? I have always said that we are to judge others actions, just not the heart.

Love this thread! So much to learn!