Are You a Nice Person?

[gray wolf]

I always find myself in heated discussions with Christians about whether believers should behave nicer than ordinary nonbelievers. Many seekers look for noble behavior in Christians to see if what they have is genuine. The believer replies well, they are just looking for an excuse not to believe. Should Christians be above stabbing you in the back at work, cutting you off in traffic or other annoying, petty behavior? The standard answer is that a seeker should look to God, not humans. But where are they to see the Image of Christ if not in His followers?

[Guest]

hello gray wolf,

I've found this passage of Scripture to give an answer to your questions...it happens to be one of my favorite Scriptures...

 

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[c] Do not be conceited.

¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”^[d] says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”^[e]

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21

 

I'll let the Scripture speak for itself.  Personally, I know that God has set the standard high for my conduct towards not only those in the family of God, but especially to those who do not know Him.  There are many places in our bible that speak of our behavior, but this passage in Romans, man, Paul gets right to the point!!!

 

God bless you,

Randal

[Guest]

The standard answer is that a seeker should look to God, not humans. But where are they to see the Image of Christ if not in His followers?

 

Were

 

Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, Psalms 40:7

 

Indeed

 

Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Hebrews 10:7

 

~

 

It Is Step By Step

 

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17

 

And Yet Most

 

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Proverbs 3:3-4

 

Will Not

 

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Step

 

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Proverbs 3:7-8

 

See?

[alphaparticle]

While I think it's good to try to be nice/kind to others, I don't think 'mean' Christians are why unbelievers are unbelievers. They are unbelievers because they don't think the gospel is true, for many reasons.

 

God takes believers and makes us more like Christ over time, whether we like it or not. Sometimes unbelievers recognize the Spirit in us, and actually hate *that*, no matter how nice you think are you trying to be. Also some will think you are a jerk for speaking the truth, no matter how respectful you think you are being.

[Guest]

While I think it's good to try to be nice/kind to others, I don't think 'mean' Christians are why unbelievers are unbelievers. They are unbelievers because they don't think the gospel is true, for many reasons.

 

God takes believers and makes us more like Christ over time, whether we like it or not. Sometimes unbelievers recognize the Spirit in us, and actually hate *that*, no matter how nice you think are you trying to be. Also some will think you are a jerk for speaking the truth, no matter how respectful you think you are being.

 

 

~

 

One

 

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. Proverbs 8:36

 

Or The Other

 

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

 

It's Your

 

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

 

Choice

 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

[gray wolf]

I seem to recall that Ghandi said he would have become a Christian if not for the Christians he knew.

Good verses Randal. It is something to strive for.

Edited October 24, 2013 by gray wolf

[Guest]

Then

 

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:5

 

And Now?

 

But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Matthew 24:37-39

 

~

 

I seem to recall that Ghandi said he would have become a Christian if not for the Christians he knew.

 

So

 

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

 

True

 

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

 

~

 

Ghandi

 

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Isaiah 64:6

 

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty." http://sourcesofinsight.com/gandhi-quotes/

 

Was An Enemy

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15
 

"We do not need to proselytize either by our speech or by our writing. We can only do so really with our lives. Let our lives be open books for all to study." http://sourcesofinsight.com/gandhi-quotes/

 

Of Truth

 

He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. Luke 11:23
 

“A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.” http://celebratequotes.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/a-man-is-but-a-product-of-his-thoughts-what-he-thinks-he-becomes-gandhi-quotes-positivefocus/

[alphaparticle]

yeah I have to agree here with FresnoJoe. Ghandi confused Christianity with another religion that promotes a 'nice' life. It's not that.

 

1 Cr 15:3,4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

[Guest ninhao]

I always find myself in heated discussions with Christians about whether believers should behave nicer than ordinary nonbelievers. Many seekers look for noble behavior in Christians to see if what they have is genuine. The believer replies well, they are just looking for an excuse not to believe. Should Christians be above stabbing you in the back at work, cutting you off in traffic or other annoying, petty behavior? The standard answer is that a seeker should look to God, not humans. But where are they to see the Image of Christ if not in His followers?

 

As to the bolded yes. The Christian should be above this behaviour or be convicted it isn't acceptable. ( Colossians 3 esp 3:10 )

 

Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

 

[*Zion*]

"Are you a nice person?"

 

I have been accused by others of being too nice, others still of being too weird, and then there are always those who want to me to live up to their standard of how a person should be have, because they are so perfect.

 

I possess no tact in my speech, I talk too much anyway, and I question a lot because I'm very inquisitive.  To most, I'm probably not a nice person to be around, but I do have some friends.  What matters to me more is that I follow Christ.  Not man's point of view of me.  John the Baptist wasn't nice, but God chose him to be His forerunner.  The first evangelist.  He led people to Christ, and he didn't have to be nice about it either.

 

I don't think the 'nice' part is what we should be concentrating on.  Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.