No non- Christian friends?

[hillsong_girl]

I am friends with both believers and un-believers. I guess when you are friends with an un-believer, it is just important to remember to stand with your convictions. I don't know, just a thought!

[georgedrw81]

As long as you believe then there is no problem who your friends are.The non believers are the weaker ones and therefore try to feel the emptiness which you dont have

Blessings

[nikki1]

Alright so the bible says not to be yoked with unbelievers. That darkness cannot fellowship with light. That we cannot be a friend to the world and to him. So then, does this mean that we are not to hang out with any non-Christians? Or how does that work exactly?

I will say that it does seem that this naturally just happens because I guess non-Christians would find me weird/insane for having Christian beliefs and boundaries. So it does seem that they naturally will avoid me and not enjoy my company. However, what if I did find a non-Christian frind that was OK with my boundaries and wanted to hang out or whatever, am I to stay away from them?

Blessings, GodPreciousChild

I have to ask the question what do you mean by a non-Christian friend being o.k. with your boundaries? And what possibly could you have in common with a non-believer? When I gave my life to the Lord, my non-believing friends no longer wanted anything to do with me, and I was not interested in hanging out with them. My life completely changed.

We are warned in 1 John 2:15-17

Edited August 24, 2009 by nikki1

[~Shalhevet~]

I once went to a Baptist church. The pastor there told me to stay away from non-Christians and gay people. I disagree with him. Who did Jesus surround himself with? Surely they weren't believers at one point in there life. Our duty as a Christian is to spread the Gospel. By surround ourselves with unbelievers we may be able to save them.

[Guest yod]

But Jesus hung around with the unsaved and non-believers for one reason: To tell of His Gospel message and to prove who he was through His miracles.

Nikki

I disagree. He hung around with them because He loved them. That is the reason they were able to receive the good news from Him.

If you don't have sincere love for people who need help, then they simply become "targets" for conquest....another notch on the spiritual victory belt.

[amor]

But Jesus hung around with the unsaved and non-believers for one reason: To tell of His Gospel message and to prove who he was through His miracles.

Nikki

I disagree. He hung around with them because He loved them. That is the reason they were able to receive the good news from Him.

If you don't have sincere love for people who need help, then they simply become "targets" for conquest....another notch on the spiritual victory belt.

exactly it!

[Guest yod]

But Jesus hung around with the unsaved and non-believers for one reason: To tell of His Gospel message and to prove who he was through His miracles.

Nikki

I disagree. He hung around with them because He loved them. That is the reason they were able to receive the good news from Him.

If you don't have sincere love for people who need help, then they simply become "targets" for conquest....another notch on the spiritual victory belt.

exactly it!

I'm glad we agree on at least that, amor.

And now I'm going to have to mark this time and date as historical!

[tjhawks1]

But Jesus hung around with the unsaved and non-believers for one reason: To tell of His Gospel message and to prove who he was through His miracles.

Nikki

I disagree. He hung around with them because He loved them. That is the reason they were able to receive the good news from Him.

If you don't have sincere love for people who need help, then they simply become "targets" for conquest....another notch on the spiritual victory belt.

You are both right. Is there any better way to show his love to them, then to present them the gospel?

[Guest yod]

Is there any better way to show his love to them, then to present them the gospel?

While I agree with that statement on it's merit, if you are hanging out with people only because you view them as targets for salvation, they will see through the insincerity and have a hard time receiving it from you.

[nikki1]

I disagree. He hung around with them because He loved them. That is the reason they were able to receive the good news from Him.

Blessings, yod

I said:

Jesus hung around with the unsaved and non-believers for one reason: To tell of His Gospel message and to prove who he was through His miracles.

Basically, you are saying what I have already said, only in different words. Of course Jesus loved them.

That his gospel message includes love is basic and already understood from the gospels. John 3:16

However, I don't think that gives a believer a free pass to hang around with non-believers and the unsaved just for the sake of hanging around with them, especially, but not limited to, the new believer and the believer who is weak in his faith. The warnings were written in scripture for a reason. I have seen more than one believer depart from the faith and go back into the world by just hanging out with non-believing friends, and fall into sin again. Jesus alludes to this principle in the Parable of the Sower in Lukes's Gospel Chapter 8.

And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable.

A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down and the fowls of the air devoured it.

And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

And some fell among the thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

And other fell on good ground, and sprange up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. (And when he had said these things, he cried), He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And his disciples asked him saying, What might this parable be?

And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables, that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation, fall away.

And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. vs. 4-16

Nikki

Edited August 24, 2009 by nikki1