Wearing Crosses and Carrying Bibles

[Neighbor]

Anyone know an excellent Christian Tattoo artist? I want to have a big gold colored tattoo like my avatar here, just for the joy of it. Right now I settle for having it on the cover of my Bible, the one I carry around to  church and other places. Think I'll put one on my  anti-scanning protective man purse too.

[ayin jade]

14 minutes ago, Neighbor said:

That is too bad Bernard.

 Personally I cannot think of hiding Jesus nor the Holy Spirit within. That is what the enemy of our Lord demands.

 

I agree. How can we be a light as He said we should be, if we hide it? 

 

[simplejeff]

4 hours ago, Bernard said:

I do not believe that one must advertise that they are a Christian to others. By doing so, they bring glory and attention to themselves and not God.  Didn't Jesus say; "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35.  It would seem that our loving acts for others was advertisement enough!  Also, " . . . God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart " 1Sam.16:7.  

Yes,  what God says is what is important,  not what men say opposed to Him or instead of His Way.

When a person is born again, and there is a total transformation of their life out of darkness into Jesus' Light,  a complete change of life,  this is evident to people who know them.    People without this inward change of life,  who show no change in their life that others can see,   often feel a need to change their outward appearance.

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footnotes for Biblical research/ verifying:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/631046/jewish/Why-Does-Judaism-Forbid-Tattoos.htm

"The source the prohibition to get a tattoo is Leviticus 19:28: “You shall not etch a tattoo on yourselves.” This prohibition applies to all tattoos besides those made for medical purposes, such as to guide a surgeon making an incision."

[Omegaman 3.0]

To each their own. As I see it, to choose not to wear a cross or carry a bible, for fear of persecution, or because one is ashamed, are not commendable reasons. If we are ashamed of Him before people, He will be ashamed of us before that Father, who wants to be in that position? I wear a cross everywhere. I sometimes where a shirt I made designed to spark conversation, to open up opportunities to witness. Witnessing is not something that I like doing, I am a shy person by nature.

While I do not 'enjoy' witnessing, I feel blessed and privileged to me allowed to do so. I am blessed, that I live in a place and time where I can speak of my faith and not be jailed, tortured or executed. I am ashamed, that I do not speak of my faith more often. Every time I stand in line to check out at a grocery store, is an opportunity to tell someone about Jesus. Every time I do not leave an extravagant time to a rude and under-performing waitress at restaurant, along with a tract, is an opportunity missed. Every homeless beggar that I do not show kindness to and offer tangible help to, is yet another opportunity to show the love of Christ to a peson with needs. An all of these are things, I will bow my head in shame about, when I meet Jesus face to face.

There was a time, that I had an icthus on my van. I removed it out of fear that I might accidentally cut someone off in traffic. I think now, that my thinking was wrong. The motivation was right, but the solution was wrong. The right solution would be to make certain, that I make no mistakes it driving, always be courteous, going out of my way to me the best driver among all those near me.

People are always looking for Christians to be hypocrites. The best thing to do then, is to not be them. Even if they do not like us, or what we stand for, some will think well of us it we diligently follow the teachings of our Lord. Then if they want to hate me or despise me, it is for the right reasons, and I can accept that and feel good about it.

So, bottom line for me is, I carry Bibles and wear crosses, without shame, and also not to show off, but, being willing to be known for what I believe in, even if there is a cost attached to that.

 

[simplejeff]

The Rev. David Wilkerson waves his Bible, disrupts court proceedings ...

Getty Images

David Wilkerson waves his Bible, disrupts court proceedings. News Photo - Getty Images

 

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"Just consider Teen Challenge, a Christian ministry to drug addicts, alcoholics, gang members, prostitutes and others with life-controlling habits. In 1958 Dave Wilkerson, who was pastor to a small church in the small community of Phillipsburg, PA, had read in the newspaper about a gang killing in New York City. Because the Holy Spirit dealt so heavily with him about these lost souls he traveled to NYC to try to reach those gang members. God led David, a country preacher, to a major city he’d never been to before to reach a people that were the polar opposite of everything he believed and stood for.

Many people thought David Wilkerson was crazy to try taking the gospel to drug-addicted teens in New York City. Today, few of those critics are willing to question the overwhelming success of the Teen Challenge ministry. Today many of those graduates serve as ministers and missionaries throughout the world reaching their “neighbors” with the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, in defining the responsibility of neighborliness, ended the discourse with these words. “Go and do likewise” (v.37b)."

[Bernard]

Thank you everyone for your responses, I treasure all of them.  You know, living in the 21 century sometimes leaks back into our reading and understanding of the bible.  It is not very helpful, most of time.  Rather, we should try to understand the context of the text!  A wise man once said, "A text without a context is a pretext"!  That means if we do not study to understand what the author meant by what he wrote and how the people at the time understood it, we are in danger of reading anything we want into the passage.  The church in multiple times and places has certainly been guilty of that!  But, back to the point of this post.  I am sure that most of you will agree that our example and model for christian behavior would be Jesus Himself - although Paul suggests that his readers copy his behavior too.  Jesus did not wear a cross although He would certainly certainly carry one up the hill of Golgotha.  Jesus did not carry a copy of the Torah around with Him and hit backsliders over the head with it.  Yes, He certainly chastised the temple leaders most pointedly, but remember how patient and kind He was when He spoke to the woman caught in the act of adultery - "Daughter, go and sin no more".  Jesus didn't stand on city corners shouting that all sinners were going to hell.  If He did say something like that, we know who He said it to.  Jesus met the people where their needs were;  He healed them, He fed them, and then He taught them challenging them to walk the narrow path.  I would say that if the church spent more energy feeding, healing, and teaching we wouldn't have to be so concerned about filling the pews.  God will take care of that if we follow the example of Jesus.  That is more important than wearing large visible crosses and carrying bibles.  I do not mean to be dogmatic here and this is certainly not a condemnation of those Christians whose conscience is clear regarding the issue.  I rest on this; "Jesus said, 'When He, the Spirit of truth. has come, He will guide you into all truth'". 

[simplejeff]

2 hours ago, ayin jade said:

How do you know they are not Christian? 

The assumption has been in this thread that anyone carrying a bible is a terrible person. 

 

Perhaps like Corrie ten Boom in nazi germany - a spy, pretending to be true,  took her money and then turned her in to the nazis, and her family and others with her.

She still helped that person , that spy,  but inside they were suffering unimaginable misery either in this life, or in the next....

There are more "spys" among people than there are good true Christians, by far.  More actors on the stage of life,  than self-sacrificing Ekklesia living CHRIST'S LIFE , for the Gospel's sake.   Many fake, pretend "Christians" in churches and on forums , just so they can have friends ,  with no reality in their faith nor testimony. 

Test everyone, everything, every message -- well, not actually -  there's not enough time... test only those messages/ persons that you want to continue believing - in that case , test UNTIL PROVEN TRUE.    Otherwise it may well be like leaning on a broken cane that will pierce your own hand.

[Guest]

I understand totally with what you say. Some subtlety is better. I do wear a cross some days but not a big one. I do carry a bible but it is a small new testament and psalms pocket size inside my handbag. I have it for only my private use and comfort, for when i have to wait anywhere. 

I would never begin a conversation with a bible quote. That is a great way to put people off. I wait to gauge if someone may wish to discuss their faith. It is vital to pick one's moment not be in people's faces with it. 

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2019 by Melinda12

[simplejeff]

Reading through all the Bible,   the men of God, the prophets,  the servants of God, the messengers of God,  the people of God,

were "in their faces" with a lot if not all of their conversations/ confrontations.....

Realize that the next time we see someone,  they might be being physically and wholly tossed into the lake of fire eternal judgment!

Better to get in their face now, today, even if embarrassing , 

than in that judgment day to see them perish forever.....

as it is written :  "Open Rebuke is Better than Hidden (quiet) Love" ....... 

[Neighbor]

11 hours ago, Melinda12 said:

I would never begin a conversation with a bible quote. That is a great way to put people off.

Now I am thinking, how do  I or how would I start a conversation  with a Bible quotation? 

Oh! "Greetings In the name of the Lord Jesus" or maybe a John Wayne movie like intro not a Bible quote but generally referencing Christians, "Welcome pilgrim".   A greeting that lifts me personally  is just a  "Have a blessed day", but an actual Bible quote, hmm? Just doesn't come to mind, what would one be?