Last we forget how we were

[creativemechanic]

Based on something amusing i once saw.  Ever notice how condemnatory some people can be of younger  or less mature Christians forgetting how bad they themselves  we're once  before the matured or even got saved.  Sometimes we can unconsciously  get prideful and less sympathetic  to others forgetting that people sometimes need the patience and guidance we were afforded rather than blasting

[shortangel]

yep it's true that some Christians enjoy shooting the wounded

[Jason Yzaguirre]

Way too many Christians fall into this. Before I became one myself, I remember some that before they became all churchy as I used to say, they weren't exactly the model of perfect teen. I do remind these people of this when they get critical of others. I will never forget my roots, I wasn't a bad person nor did I ever break the law or anything that extreme but I was not on the path. I refuse to judge anyone because that is up to God. What is just amazing about Jesus is that he focused his attention not just on sinners in general but the "scum of the earth" as the holy men of his day would say. He wants so badly to save the ones cast aside and as Christians, I think many of us forget this.  I can't judge peoples imperfections because our lord would never had done such a thing. The best thing to do is to pray and be an open ear if they want to talk. 

I remember listening to a pastor tell a story of how he went off on a homeless person offering to wash their windows for a dollar and was bragging about it. I asked if he seemed shady or perhaps his intentions weren't good and he said that he didn't but that person needs to quit begging and go find a job. That floored me that a pastor would have that attitude because my response was that the man obviously has a story and he was willing to work for that dollar and perhaps he needed to hear the gospel and some kind of help. At the time I was not a Christian but was agnostic so this didn't help my attitude towards Christianity at the time. It goes to show that even people that have been preaching for a long time forget their way too. 

[LadyKay]

16 hours ago, creativemechanic said:

Based on something amusing i once saw.  Ever notice how condemnatory some people can be of younger  or less mature Christians forgetting how bad they themselves  we're once  before the matured or even got saved.  Sometimes we can unconsciously  get prideful and less sympathetic  to others forgetting that people sometimes need the patience and guidance we were afforded rather than blasting

I have to say I never encounter people like that in my life. Does that happen to you a lot?  Do people calling themselves Christians actually talk that way about other Christians?  

[Logostician]

Love is the key.  We need to live like we are loved (by Jesus).  And living it means loving our neighbor.

As far as Christians getting prideful, Paul addressed it best.

1 Cor 13-

Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, and have not charity (love), I am as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal (empty/hollow/substanceless).  And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  CHARITY SUFFERETH LONG, AND IS KIND.  CHARITY ENVIETH NOT.  CHARITY VAUNTETH NOT ITSELF, IS NOT PUFFED UP.

I think what Paul is saying here is that all the fruits and gifts of the Spirit are useless without love.  All of power of God in us, and with us, is to be shared to strengthen and enlarge the Kingdom.  This power can only penetrate a stoney heart with love.  Love draws people.  Anger, pride, hate, and other negative emotions are the old carnal man fighting with the Holy Spirit.  The old carnal man needs to be crucified so the Spirit of love can reign.

1 Jno 4:16

And we have known and beleived the love that God hath for us.  GOD IS LOVE, AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE, DWELLETH IN GOD, AND GOD IN HIM.

[missmuffet]

We are not to judge hypocritically. Their lives are in God's hands not my hands. 

[creativemechanic]

15 hours ago, LadyKay said:

I have to say I never encounter people like that in my life. Does that happen to you a lot?  Do people calling themselves Christians actually talk that way about other Christians?  

What I've seen was people blast or talk condescendingly to young people  on topics such as their behaviour and laughing to myself because I remembered when the same person was that are and doing the same thing they were now basically speaking down to.

Mind you it's important to correct each other but when you know you were once guilty of it you should mind your attitude

[Sower]

17 hours ago, LadyKay said:

I have to say I never encounter people like that in my life. Does that happen to you a lot?  Do people calling themselves Christians actually talk that way about other Christians?  

I was a smoker for 51 yrs, and during that time I didn't think/know it was a sin (bad stewardship of my health) till going to church many yrs.
When I was convicted to quit, I realized nicotine was the hardest drug to get off of, hands down as quoted by the medical group.
I was not often confronted by my friends, and when confronted, could tell those who had genuine love/concern and those who were judgemental.
It was the paramount struggle of my life. And the shame of hiding around corners so the 'children/weaker' would not be influenced.
One day while driving I heard J Vernon McGee, on his  'Through the Bible' radio show, and the topic was smokers at his church. This outta be good.
He said every member he knew that smoked quit or was trying to quit, as he himself had yrs before. He had compassion for them, not condemnation.
Then he said he wanted to talk about another addiction. The grey haired ladies brigade.
The group of members that would scrutinize/gossip over every new members, especially young attractive couples/singles who haven't yet learned dress etiquette.
Or single moms that were struggling to awkwardly fit in, and had not known the 'church taboos' yet. Great topic for discussion at their get together.
He summed it up with the statement I enjoyed the most.
All those smokers had quit, or were in the process of quitting.
All the gossipers had not quit. Nor did they intend to.

neat quote;
"Be kind,
everybody you meet is fighting a battle
you know nothing about!"

[JTC]

This thread is about a very good point. One problem is we don't all gain spiritual maturity at the same rate. Here on this board I used to try to use the number of posts a member has to guess at his maturity, but that doesn't work. I once heard a preacher say, that some people are 20 years old in the Lord and some are only 1 year old in the Lord but that's okay. The problem is the people who are 1 year old in the Lord 20 times. These are also the people who are lukewarm or nominal Christians. After 20 years of being a believer a person should have some spiritual maturity but often they don't. I have found that gaining spiritual maturity isn't that much different than gaining secular maturity in that you must put some effort into it.

[creativemechanic]

We forget where we've come from and where we can go if wete not careful.