Do christians attract people more or less

[tigger398]

I was listening to a service, and he was saying that if your saved people want to be with you more. Well I get the oppisite or how ever you spell it, I used to have more friends then I could handle, now it's like people don't want me near them, I was talking about non christians.

[Guest]

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 1 John 3:1

[meagain]

The friends I once had don't want to be around much anymore, I hardly ever see them, but God sent me some new ones.

But that's ok, I have different interest now.

[Believer1997]

I don't think I've gotten 'rid' of old friends from my past - I've been a Christian for many, many years and I know a lot of people who do not share my beliefs - I haven't necessarily dropped people from my life - I simply do not share an interest in worldly things that I may have enjoyed before becoming a Christian. I think we always need to practice our faith and witness to those who may not be saved by leading a life pleasing to God. Sometimes, we are the only "Bible" others ever see. Blessings Tig!!

[PhoenixJLD]

I was listening to a service, and he was saying that if your saved people want to be with you more. Well I get the oppisite or how ever you spell it, I used to have more friends then I could handle, now it's like people don't want me near them, I was talking about non christians.

I've never found that - many of my friends are non-Christians - but I have heard some Christians claim that if non-Christians want to be around us that we're doing something wrong. They point to John 15:18... "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you." To be honest, this verse has been used to justify a lot of un-Christian behaviour. If we come across to the non-Christians around us as self-righteous and condemning, people will not want to be with us. It's that simple... that's how we know something is wrong in our spiritual lives. But if we just pass it off as the world hating us because it hated Jesus first, we are missing a critical spiritual "warning bell." As Christians, we are not of the world and so yes, sometimes the world will hate us. But more than anything, the world hates hypocrisy.

[artsylady]

If we come across to the non-Christians around us as self-righteous and condemning, people will not want to be with us. It's that simple... that's how we know something is wrong in our spiritual lives. But if we just pass it off as the world hating us because it hated Jesus first, we are missing a critical spiritual "warning bell." As Christians, we are not of the world and so yes, sometimes the world will hate us. But more than anything, the world hates hypocrisy.

I hope I am the least self righteous person my friends know.

I have a lot of unsaved friends and most I have witnessed taking baby steps toward Christ and a few all the way to God.

When the discussion of God comes up with friends of friends, (and it always seems to present itself) one of my friends rolls her eyes and say "here she goes". Although that friend knows where I stand, she would prefer I don't discuss it. I told her "what if I found out that tomorrow Walmart was giving everyone 10,000 tomorrow. Would you want me to tell you?" She said 'Of course". I said, "Well, my salvation is so much more valuable than 10,000 and it's too difficult not to share when I get the opportunity." She's a tough nut. She doesn't have a lot of friends either. Most of my friends admire me for my convictions and for the fact that I can defend my beliefs. I met a guy who was a friend of a friend who was very excited to meet me, telling me that my friend absolutely loves me. I said "oh, that's nice". He said, "You don't understand.. She goes on and on and on about you". I was flattered but gave credit to God. They see me as different for sure. They know I am happier and handle stress and troubles very differently and with better success than they do. I am an oddity.

[PhoenixJLD]

I hope I am the least self righteous person my friends know.

I have a lot of unsaved friends and most I have witnessed taking baby steps toward Christ and a few all the way to God.

When the discussion of God comes up with friends of friends, (and it always seems to present itself) one of my friends rolls her eyes and say "here she goes". Although that friend knows where I stand, she would prefer I don't discuss it. I told her "what if I found out that tomorrow Walmart was giving everyone 10,000 tomorrow. Would you want me to tell you?" She said 'Of course". I said, "Well, my salvation is so much more valuable than 10,000 and it's too difficult not to share when I get the opportunity." She's a tough nut. She doesn't have a lot of friends either. Most of my friends admire me for my convictions and for the fact that I can defend my beliefs. I met a guy who was a friend of a friend who was very excited to meet me, telling me that my friend absolutely loves me. I said "oh, that's nice". He said, "You don't understand.. She goes on and on and on about you". I was flattered but gave credit to God. They see me as different for sure. They know I am happier and handle stress and troubles very differently and with better success than they do. I am an oddity.

And that's just the way it should be. Different, but not the kind of different that pushes people away... the kind that draws them in.

[nebula]

did Jesus not attract great multitudes?

And after one sermon a huge number turned away. (John 6)

[jesussaves]

I was listening to a service, and he was saying that if your saved people want to be with you more. Well I get the oppisite or how ever you spell it, I used to have more friends then I could handle, now it's like people don't want me near them, I was talking about non christians.

I do not know if you are measuring yourself by how other people view you or accept you, but if you are, don't. People approval is not the measure of a Christian. It is that blessed assurance, that knowledge we are forgiven and set free, that knowledge of who Jesus is because he now resides with us and His Spirit has filled us with the knowledge of God...we are born again, just like Jesus said and now we have peace and joy and are growing daily as we read His word and develope a relationship with Him.

There are times in our walk that we will be rejected. There are times in our walk we will be sought out as someone that can pray. There are times in our walk that we will be led by the Holy Spirit to tell someone about Jesus, and times we will be at peace even with those who hate us.

There is a term, know who you are in Christ. The devil will try to destroy your faith that you are born again, but if you know that you know what the Lord did in your life, nothing on earth can take that away because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. The Lord will bring you through every trial. So do not base your salvation on how many people like you or not, or how many people have come to Christ through you or anthing else ourside the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that you are saved and whomever the Lord puts in your path or takes out of your path, He has a reason for it and He will show you in His time.

Be blessed and rejoice in that your are counted worthy to suffer the sufferings of Christ because He was rejected and spit on and beaten and His enemies, for a time, because the Father allowed it, held Him captive...But God!!! The Lord always has something good in mind when we are put through trials..;who knows that many people will come to Christ because of your attitude of love through your rejection??? Keep on keeping on and let your light so shine!!!

[OnetrueGod]

I was listening to a service, and he was saying that if your saved people want to be with you more. Well I get the oppisite or how ever you spell it, I used to have more friends then I could handle, now it's like people don't want me near them, I was talking about non christians.

I do not know if you are measuring yourself by how other people view you or accept you, but if you are, don't. People approval is not the measure of a Christian. It is that blessed assurance, that knowledge we are forgiven and set free, that knowledge of who Jesus is because he now resides with us and His Spirit has filled us with the knowledge of God...we are born again, just like Jesus said and now we have peace and joy and are growing daily as we read His word and develope a relationship with Him.

There are times in our walk that we will be rejected. There are times in our walk we will be sought out as someone that can pray. There are times in our walk that we will be led by the Holy Spirit to tell someone about Jesus, and times we will be at peace even with those who hate us.

There is a term, know who you are in Christ. The devil will try to destroy your faith that you are born again, but if you know that you know what the Lord did in your life, nothing on earth can take that away because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. The Lord will bring you through every trial. So do not base your salvation on how many people like you or not, or how many people have come to Christ through you or anthing else ourside the inner witness of the Holy Spirit that you are saved and whomever the Lord puts in your path or takes out of your path, He has a reason for it and He will show you in His time.

Be blessed and rejoice in that your are counted worthy to suffer the sufferings of Christ because He was rejected and spit on and beaten and His enemies, for a time, because the Father allowed it, held Him captive...But God!!! The Lord always has something good in mind when we are put through trials..;who knows that many people will come to Christ because of your attitude of love through your rejection??? Keep on keeping on and let your light so shine!!!

Wonderful words of wisdom here Jesussaves. While we are not to shove the word of God down the throats of unreceptive people, It is certainly our service to God to share the love (and the word) of our Savior with everyone we have influence with. We don't want to be self-righteous and pious, but we don't want to run away from an opportunity to share our faith with others either. Even, when our own attitude is right, and we don't mean to insult or offend someone, and we tell them the truth in the nicest of ways with true concern for their souls, they may turn away from us. They do that because they are not ready to accept Jesus Christ in their lives or change from the way they live presently in sin. This will sometimes make you an enemy.

Galatians 4:16 (New King James Version)

16 Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?

Paul felt this, when he had to let the church in Galatia know that what they were doing was not in line with the will of God. It is not pleasant sometimes, and your friends that don't want to hear the truth, may leave. But remember they are really not running from you, they are running from God. Be loving with them, be patient with them. I have found that even years later, when their hearts may become more receptive, they may look you back up to for comfert in a bad time of their life, or because they see the love of Christ in your life and say..."I gotta get me some of that!" Don't judge yourself by the way people react to your faith, but rather know that it is the relationship of you to your Savior that means more than any other "friendship" with anyone on earth.

When I first bacame a Christian, I lost a few friends...found out who my "real" friends were...and immediately formed new friendships with people who shared my faith.