I Was a Better Christian When I Wasn't Christian

[Aimes]

I'm a better Christian than I was yesterday .... now that's a thread I can support. 

[other one]

On 2/18/2020 at 1:43 AM, copenhagen said:

One of the ironies that's struck me recently is that for much of my adult life I took little interest in Christianity or in attending church. As a matter of fact, those who proselytized and tried to recruit irritated, even angered me. I often tried to avoid them but when I couldn't, I occasionally argued with them but stopped since they enjoyed it so much assuming they had a foot in the door so to speak.

But during this time, I was so tolerant, perhaps even more "loving." Someone did drugs? Oh well, they made some bad decisions. I didn't think they were bad people. I wished them well and was optimistic that many would recover and overcome addiction. Gays? I just didn't care, as long as they didn't impose on me. Even when they were open about it, I didn't care enough to be terribly bothered by their behavior. Rock music? Yeah, I avoided the extreme stuff such as certain heavy metal acts, but listened to the rest of it with abandon.  Racists? Sure, they sucked, but I couldn't bring myself to hate them. I just assumed a certain percentage of the population had such sentiments. I accepted it.

 

Now that I am a Christian and given my life to Jesus and attend church and volunteer more than I have at any other point in my life, I get so frustrated and angry with sinners. Gay lifestyles really tick me off. They anger me. Drug addicts? I despise drugs and addiction. Sex and porn addicts? How could they?!? My level of tolerance has dropped off drastically. It's almost as if before I was far more empathetic and tried to understand their situation rather than blaming them. I find that much more difficult to do now. Also, of course, I am far more exacting with myself. I often nitpick the music I listen to, and scrutinize pop and rock song lyrics. If I eat too much (common) I get upset with myself. 

 

I'm obviously not giving up on being a Christian. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't give up my faith at this point. I'm certainly not going to give in to temptation and listen to crazy devil worshiping music. I won't indulge and eat as much or eat whatever I want, that's just not practical or healthy. But I feel more tense, more judgmental and in a sense more angry as a Christian than when I hadn't devoted my life to Christ. 

 

I'm not sure if I'm doing or thinking Christianity "the right way." I've listened to enough sermons and read enough of the Bible to be more  loving. But I feel stressed out trying to meet Christian standards and seeing others especially so-called fellow Christians openly flaunt their non-Christian behavior. 

If being Christian is supposed to bring peace, there's something I'm not doing right lol. 

I read your post right after you had posted it this morning....   and I've been thinking about it all day long.....   three times I started to post a note to you but I didn't really like what I was reading and had to just delete it.    I went through something similar to what you are experiencing...   I pushed myself to what I considered perfection because that's what I thought I was supposed to do, and I fully expected others to do the same.....    well the problem was that I ended up hating myself because I could not live up to being as holy as God and I expected to be able to do that.....      Well guess what......   we are not gods, we are still people and we all have our problems now and then...    we still have hormone problems that we have to deal with and most everyone I know who is a christian still has some anger issues sometimes.     It took me a few years to be able to forgive myself for my shortcomings....    and another personal problem was that for about ten years I walked with the dark side so they pretty much constantly bug me about things....   middle of the night remind me of something I did 50 years ago that the Lord and I have already settled..

Remember that you are not responsible for others and if they are not doing what they should, just ask them about it and ask them if they think that is ok....   if a lot think it really is then I personally would find a new group of friends and or a new church to attend.

There is nothing wrong with being tempted with things for the dark ones have a job in doing that....    I have found over the years that if you just remind them of where you will spend eternity and where they will, they will slow down or stop throwing those things up in your face....    and remember that even if you have really turned your eternal life over to Jesus we are still human and have failings....   I think Paul said it best that he would do the very thing he didn't want to do....     so even the big guys had problems with this.

Try and get a grip on your anger though and remember that it is Jesus that judges those folks and it's not your place even though what they do is irritating.

Most important it keep up and build a close relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit....   and let the Spirit deal with those other folks.   It is OK for you to ask the Spirit to deal with them though...    and if you are lucky you will get to see it all come down when he does....   and it is so great because it's the best for everyone.

[steve morrow]

TITUS 1:12  one of themselves even a prophet of their own said the cretians are always liars evil beasts slow bellies --1:13-- this witness is true wherefore rrebuke them --SHARPLY-- that they may be sound in the faith --1:14-- not giving heed to jewish fables and commandments of men that turn from the truth --1:15-- unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled 

ROMANS 2:11  FOR  THERE  IS  NO  RESPECT  OF  PERSONS  WITH  GOD

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EPHESIANS 4:11  and HE gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers --4:12-- for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of  THE  BODY  OF  CHRIST 

--4:13-- till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of  THE  SON  OF  GOD --unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST

--4:14--  that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine --by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 TIMOTHY 3:15  AND  THAT  FROM  A  CHILD  THOU  HAST  KNOWN  THE  HOLY  SCRIPTURES  WHICH  ARE  ABLE  TO  MAKE  THEE  WISE  UNTO  SALVATION  THROUGH  FAITH  WHICH  IS  IN  CHRIST  JESUS

--3:16--  ALL SCRIPTURE -- is given by inspiration of GOD --and is profitable-- for doctrine--for reproof--for correction--for instruction in righteousness

--3:17-- that the man of GOD may be perfect thoroughly furnished ---UNTO  ALL  GOOD  WORKS---

PROVERBS 15:10  correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way and he --- THAT  HATETH  REPROOF  SHALL  DIE 

PROVERBS 15:24  THE  WAY  OF  LIFE  IS  ABOVE  TO  THE  WISE  THAT  HE  MAY  DEPART  FROM  HELL  BENEATH

 

LOVING  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST

Edited February 20, 2020 by steve morrow

[Yeshua153]

14 hours ago, other one said:

One of the ironies that's struck me recently is that for much of my adult life I took little interest in Christianity or in attending church

Sort of similar to me, parents never went to church, but i went to Sunday school at about 10yo & we got a sixpence back in the 60's. They stopped giving it out, so I stopped going. Did not really start going, & searching until my late 20's.

Being saved happens over a lifetime, not a one day, get saved, special offer! If God has chosen you, He will discipline us, through maturing us, through the trials & tribulations that will come your way, gradually dying to self daily, & growing by faith.

At least your honest enough to express what you feel about your own faults, & seeing them in others too, but you might be better suited not to write out your immediate thoughts here, but think on them, edit them, & then present it. I'm not trying to be a teacher here, just a bit of advice, that i need to say to myself too!

[other one]

1 hour ago, Yeshua153 said:

Sort of similar to me, parents never went to church, but i went to Sunday school at about 10yo & we got a sixpence back in the 60's. They stopped giving it out, so I stopped going. Did not really start going, & searching until my late 20's.

Being saved happens over a lifetime, not a one day, get saved, special offer! If God has chosen you, He will discipline us, through maturing us, through the trials & tribulations that will come your way, gradually dying to self daily, & growing by faith.

At least your honest enough to express what you feel about your own faults, & seeing them in others too, but you might be better suited not to write out your immediate thoughts here, but think on them, edit them, & then present it. I'm not trying to be a teacher here, just a bit of advice, that i need to say to myself too!

When you quote someone be sure that the person's name you are quoting is what is going to show up in your post.....   I did not post what you have here, I was responding to it and you left my response off.....     "Bad puppy....    bad, bad puppy."

[copenhagen]

No, my thoughts and feelings haven't changed much on the matter since I initially posted. I was more tolerant and empathetic towards "sinners" when I wasn't a Christian compared to now. Now, I'm far less tolerant and angrier at sin and sinners. I'm not saying that's a bad thing.

I'm saying I'm far more likely to be upset about what's going on around me, which seems perfectly natural and normal in a world where sin is increasingly commonplace, tolerated or even flat out encouraged. At what point will sin become mandatory?

Edited February 24, 2020 by copenhagen

[TheBlade]

I think if you look at this through His eyes. David wrote against thee and only thee do I sin and do this evil in your sight. No one is sinning against you. He didn't come to judge or condemn but to save. The 1st thing He wants all to know is "for God so LOVED the world". What makes me any different than the sinner? I know Christ. All those problems temptations what not still come. Where I could not get away .. I can now. I am set free. See them through His eyes

[Blood Bought 1953]

We will be shown the same mercy and compassion that we show others......