Are You Discriminating?

[Diatheosis]

Recently came to think of the subject, so this ended up here through personal inner reflection. The main thing is, are we being totally honest with what we believe in? Let me clarify what I am after.

 

As we all know, being in the Inner Court, God is to be glorified of the blessings one gets to enjoy each and every day. Although, our perceptions of the Heavenly Father may and do vary, sometimes quite a lot. Not perhaps too much at Worthy, but considering all the branches of Christianity world wide, that is something we cannot deny.

 

What I really started to think of, was the difference, even a subtle one, we can make between a born again Christian and anyone else who does not match that standard, even more so if from another religion or no religion at all. It may be very a subtle thing, but I do recognize it when it happens.

 

God is the God of Creation, which makes Him God of everyone, no matter if they believed in Him or not. We are all equal in this sense, even though Salvation changes pretty much everything about the relations in our lives. But that does not as such make us better people in relation to the rest of the folks of whatever faith. Don't get me wrong, Jesus is the way and the truth and the life, but as people we just as much God's creation as everyone is. People's thoughts do not change the core, structure or the rules of Creation. Our God IS.

 

So I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I sometimes find myself making this certain difference between God's creations. Jesus people and those who are doing other stuff. Of course, 

you would only need to know their password, so they would open the door of their heart for the Lord. Someone once knew mine, and the former atheist then new ager saw the real light. It's that simple, it's usually us who make it hard. In reality, we should only be pouring mercy to their way.

 

And it is somewhat annoying to find these sorts of tiny thoughts crossing my mind at times. If anyone it should be me who smells the spirit of religion far away.

 

The freedom in Christ should have long ago ended such discrimination. But as for myself, acknowledging this makes me continue in that pursuit. The open door itself is hope come true, but forget not to walk in. When we think we are, does not make it so. When we believe we are, all depends completely is our heart with us. But when we live it, then we KNOW it is so.

 

Are you finding any of this stuff resonating with your reasoning about who's who in the zoo? 

[kwikphilly]

Blessings Diatheosis

     I like the who's who in the zoo..............cute! Can I be totally honest?Well,,of course I will be but I was thinking maybe I should say nothing at all?

Maybe it is just me today,I am kind of tired & I am not sure f I am running on all 8 cylinders yet today.........................I have no idea what you are talking about,I read your post 3 times & I understand what you mean that some people(believers in particular)do speak condescendingly to non-believers on many occasions & do seem to think they are better than those that have not come to Christ....they  appear to have forgotten they were not born :born again"....................am I up to speed so far?Well,then after you said you find yourself making certain differences in Gods creation,Jesus people & people doing other stuff...............then you lost me(or I got lost-lol)

     Perhaps you can help me to better understand what you are trying to say............is it simply that you want people to consider that they may treat non-believers with discrimination?                                                                 With love-in Christ,Kwik

[OneLight]

Seriously, not much in the darker font made sense to me. Sorry ...

[missmuffet]

Blessings Diatheosis

     I like the who's who in the zoo..............cute! Can I be totally honest?Well,,of course I will be but I was thinking maybe I should say nothing at all?

Maybe it is just me today,I am kind of tired & I am not sure f I am running on all 8 cylinders yet today.........................I have no idea what you are talking about,I read your post 3 times & I understand what you mean that some people(believers in particular)do speak condescendingly to non-believers on many occasions & do seem to think they are better than those that have not come to Christ....they  appear to have forgotten they were not born :born again"....................am I up to speed so far?Well,then after you said you find yourself making certain differences in Gods creation,Jesus people & people doing other stuff...............then you lost me(or I got lost-lol)

     Perhaps you can help me to better understand what you are trying to say............is it simply that you want people to consider that they may treat non-believers with discrimination?                                                                 With love-in Christ,Kwik

Yes,I am with you kwik.And your point Diatheosis?

[fire-heart]

I think i understand his point as i have experienced these things. i noticed how even though i am saved i find this very annoying thing happens to me all the time. i want to see ppl as God does i know that each and every person is amazingly beautiful to him and such a treasure so thats how i want to see them. however when i see a person in my subconcious i judge them by their looks their attitude their word and such. as soon as i catch my mind doing this i yell at my self saying who are you to judge anyone!? its not my job to judge anyone  for anything.

i value others lives far more than my own both the saved and unsaved the good ppl and the evil ones and why? because they are all Gods beloved children whom he loves with his every being and if they are that precious to him they are that precious to me.

 

i have met some christians who would argue only the saved are his children but this is not true he has children who are saved and children who are lost and he wants to wrap as many as he can in his arms and never let go. why else do you think he died on the cross? why else do you think he has delayed the rapture for so long?

Edited April 23, 2014 by fire-heart

[Willa]

I am also confused. But to simply be told that we are a Christian because we have read a certain prayer or have been confirmed or even baptized by a certain church doesn't make it so if there has been no change in the heart. If our hearts have not turned from the sins of the world, the flesh and the devil toward Christ as our Savior, we won't know if we are saved. Perhaps when we find our desires and way of life changing we better realize that God has come to reside in us.

But my pastor says it is when we start feeling miserable about doing things that we never thought were so bad, it is then that we know we are a Christian. That is the Holy Spirit conviction of sin that shows us we can never be good enough to go to heaven, and that only His Life within us is worthy of heaven. Even if that Life for the moment is making us miserable. So we continue to repent and ask God to remove the bad attitudes from our hearts and replace them with His thoughts and attitudes toward people and things. Actions will follow naturally.

But I do remember how amazed hubby was when for the first time he did not curse in his frustration while working on the plumbing under the sink.

It is hard to see our own growth. Often the thing we grieve about doing is not what God has been changing, so by focusing on that thing we are blind to all the other changes He has done. It works best to just focus on Jesus and not on our faults or our self.

In the same way it is best not to focus on the failures and faults of others, but rather to focus on any good to be found in them. Many people we think are just religious are simply babes in Christ who are very slow to grow because of the false trappings of some churches. Bowing to statues, or trying to earn heaven, or even thinking we can achieve anything of worth through good works can lead us astray. So our basic faith in Christ as Savior has never grown because it has been fed bad food. Good works are produced after salvation by our faith, but they must also be powered by God's love. They are not done to be seen by men but are best to be done in secret and rewarded in heaven.

It is God Who knows the password to get us to open the doors of our hearts. But it takes humility to let Him in, and being vulnerable.

God is patient and waits for the right opportunity to get our attention. Meanwhile we may be able to soften that person with fairness and undemanding kindness. Just a friendly word can make such a difference. We are light in a dark world. It doesn't take much and normally we don't even realize we are doing it.

I hope this somehow applies to your OP.

[other one]

Just my thoughts....

 

 

That door you want to open to others is a very private thing for each of us......    you may point out that door to people, but the Holy Spirit is the only one with the combination....   It is Jesus himself who knocks on that door, and the individual person has to open that door......   but the Holy Spirit is the entity with the combination that can help a person open that door.....   Neither you nor I nor any other mortal can do that.

 

But it is very important for us to make people aware of the door.

 

I see nothing wrong with discriminating against believers and non believers.....    Not that we put them down, but in trust levels in all spiritual matters.   While we should never put ourselves over other people for you are correct in that we were once in that same group of non believers.....   however we are changed and we are different and you should treat believers differently......    not meaning that anyone should mistreat unbelievers.....   but they can't be the same.

[Guest]

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

[HisWordIsSufficient]

Im not sure exactly what I just read so I do hope this answers your question:

We are all God's creation for sure. What makes us equal? We are all born fallen and sinful. We all deserve hell. We are all under the same judgement.

The difference is regeneration. And since salvation is a work of GOD, we cannot be judgey judges and looky downers, because the only difference between us and the lost is what God has done. Not that any man should boast.

I see things for what they are. I am no better than those who arent saved. I have just been rescued by God and therefore now have the ability to be something other than wicked! I do not know which unsaved people will or will not be regenerated in there lifetimes therefore it isnt my business to go about guessing, judging and so on. Its my job to preach the gospel to every creature, and God does the rest. I dont have their passwords. I have Gods orders. He has their passwords.

The lost, to me, are simply Potential regenerates. I dont know who is who. I only know I once was among them and now im not and its nothing I can give myself credit for. Saved by grace through faith. Which is given by God. Repentance is also from God so go figure!

I suppose im trying to say.... yes I do discriminate, in the simplest of terms, since the bible does, but I dont judge or think im better than anyone else.

Ephesians 2:8-10

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast.For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

+ i second fresnojoes scripture also :-)