Most people who identify as christians actually don't know what they are doing in terms of how they interpret the scriptures and doctrines. One of the subjects where they are misled is concerning christian-love and it's expressions. Christians still carry on with the secular definitions and idealizations of love, ie: "showing love to all men..". But this is worldly(secular) and is false, and you have been tricked because you now look to non-christian systems to define your christian doctrines.
So firstly, From a christian POV: You CANNOT love non-christians. You can only give respect to all men, not love. These two(Love and Respect) are not the same. You CANNOT love a person with whom you are not joined (by doctrine, marriage, contract, etc) together with. Love\affection comes from the knowledge that the welfare of such a person is your welfare too, it is in your interest and your duty to invest in their development and security. So, Doctrine-wise, you cannot have such a relationship with any non-christian. Thus the saying:
"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." --(Matthew 7:6)
Now somebody might say: How about "Loving your neigbour as yourself...(Mark 12:31)" [FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]and i say: The neigbour in the scripture refers explicitly to christians. He is your neighbor because you share the same neighborhood, this means: the same doctrine/faith. This is the interpretation of the passage. Spiritually, a non-christian cannot be your neighbor, though he might be literally. So to love your neighbor as yourself is to demand the same abidance to doctrine of your neighbor just as the same doctrines demands of you.[/FONT]
So, besides respect, the best you can do for non-chistians is to invite them to join your doctrine. If they do, then you are mandated to show them christian-love, else let them go about their lives as they deem fit. How they live is non of your #%&*$=+ business. It is not for you to reach beyond your church to enforce christian doctrines on non-christians. Doing so is not christianity, it is tyranny.
Now for those who share your faith, you have a duty to watch and judge their conduct and demand their conformity to the faith, just like Paul did with the churches in his time. It is either you conform to the faith or you leave the congregation, and this is christian-love,
For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights (Proverbs 3:12, Hebrews 12:6)
You cannot practice love with people with whom you have no relationship(doctrine in this case). no more, no less.
So firstly, From a christian POV: You CANNOT love non-christians. You can only give respect to all men, not love. These two(Love and Respect) are not the same. You CANNOT love a person with whom you are not joined (by doctrine, marriage, contract, etc) together with. Love\affection comes from the knowledge that the welfare of such a person is your welfare too, it is in your interest and your duty to invest in their development and security. So, Doctrine-wise, you cannot have such a relationship with any non-christian. Thus the saying:
"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." --(Matthew 7:6)
Now somebody might say: How about "Loving your neigbour as yourself...(Mark 12:31)" [FONT=Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]and i say: The neigbour in the scripture refers explicitly to christians. He is your neighbor because you share the same neighborhood, this means: the same doctrine/faith. This is the interpretation of the passage. Spiritually, a non-christian cannot be your neighbor, though he might be literally. So to love your neighbor as yourself is to demand the same abidance to doctrine of your neighbor just as the same doctrines demands of you.[/FONT]
So, besides respect, the best you can do for non-chistians is to invite them to join your doctrine. If they do, then you are mandated to show them christian-love, else let them go about their lives as they deem fit. How they live is non of your #%&*$=+ business. It is not for you to reach beyond your church to enforce christian doctrines on non-christians. Doing so is not christianity, it is tyranny.
Now for those who share your faith, you have a duty to watch and judge their conduct and demand their conformity to the faith, just like Paul did with the churches in his time. It is either you conform to the faith or you leave the congregation, and this is christian-love,
For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights (Proverbs 3:12, Hebrews 12:6)
You cannot practice love with people with whom you have no relationship(doctrine in this case). no more, no less.
