Is it our job to tolerate scoffers?

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Adstar said:
What was your reisistance based upon?
What was your thinking at the time?
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My thinking at the time, hmmm, probably much like many other non-believers, though I was not an atheist, for I knew there was some hidden spiritual reality into which I'd had glimpses. I was raised in a fairly strict religiously oriented home, and rebelled big time against what I saw as boring, repetitious, hypocritical, nonsensical, restrictive, legalistic, outmoded and short-sighted traditions. Even so I have very fond memories of some of those traditions, such as what we shared at Christmas time, for mine was a large family (I have ten siblings), and we would sometimes host thirty or more plus people (aunts and uncles and cousins and nieces and nephews and in-laws and friends) for the festive dinner with all the fixings and sweets and board games and card games and all those sorts of things that go into the making of lovely reminiscences.

I was put through all the regular paces, you know, such as infant baptism, first communion, and confirmation, but I had no idea what any of it meant. I could not wait to grow up and find out about all the things we were sheltered from; I left home shortly after turning 18 and dropped out of high school in order to work full time to support myself. I had already started drinking, smoking, and doing drugs.

Even so, I was very much drawn to explore things of a spiritual nature, for which I had a natural affinity. For instance, when I was quite young, perhaps around the age of nine or ten, I'd had a very profound dream which struck me as being more real than my day-to-day existence, which seemed to entail moving through life as merely going through the motions and somewhat-to-largely doing what was expected of me more than anything else. But because of that dream experience as a child, I started doing dream work more seriously as a young adult, and I engaged in that off and on over many decades, with it sometimes yielding stunning results that included multiple experiences of pre-cognizance. I was aware that God revealed certain things to people in dreams, and so although I did not believe in or accept the Biblical God, I did believe those things were gifts from the Spirit of the universe.

I would love to share more with you about all this must must get ready to go out for a bit.

Thanks for asking! :)
 
Cabrillo said:
Is it our job to tolerate scoffers or to defend the gospel? What does blessed are the meek mean?
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You’ve had some great responses to your questions already, especially regarding the meaning of “meek,” so I’ll just share my thoughts about the first question. I’m not really sure if you are thinking that we have to make a choice between “tolerance” and defending the gospel, but in my opinion, a Christian does both, first by living our defense of the gospel—always trusting in God, always armored up against the enemy’s influence, and always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about our faith. Second, because a Christian always displays the fruit of the Spirit, we often have no choice but to be tolerant of non-Christian scoffers. They are in our workplaces, our families, and even our churches. We don’t have to participate in their sins or even pretend to agree, but we don’t have to alienate them with a constant air of disapproval or Bible-quoting either. We can be patient with scoffers because at some point, maybe in one of their darkest hours, they will notice a Christ-like light shining in us—and perhaps, wish they had it, too.
 
Blik said:
Scoffers are our enemies and we are not to resist our enemies or fight with them but to love them and pray for them.

Matt: 5: 28 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; 40 if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well;…
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Scoffers are r their own enemies,,,some of them don't exist,,,, Remember this from Gen 19:14 Lot seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. proverbs: wine the mocker..It is also written some where wine causes us to misjudge.
 
rayzor said:
Scoffers are r their own enemies,,,some of them don't exist,,,, Remember this from Gen 19:14 Lot seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. proverbs: wine the mocker..It is also written some where wine causes us to misjudge.
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That there are different ways to look at scoffers does not change the fact that God wants us to pray for them, be their friend, but not to fight with them.

Think of how the members of the very early church treated the Romans who not only scoffed at the Lord but would kill church members.
 
Blik said:
That there are different ways to look at scoffers does not change the fact that God wants us to pray for them, be their friend, but not to fight with them.

Think of how the members of the very early church treated the Romans who not only scoffed at the Lord but would kill church members.
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A real mocker will not be a friend if they see you as one of his.I agree, to be kind.See them as they are. ones that oppose them self's,,,consider the way lots brother in laws perceive lot and ask that we dew better.Real mockers are like the children Elisha bears ate. [those r two witnesses] 2 kings 2:23
 
akaBeliever said:
You’ve had some great responses to your questions already, especially regarding the meaning of “meek,” so I’ll just share my thoughts about the first question. I’m not really sure if you are thinking that we have to make a choice between “tolerance” and defending the gospel, but in my opinion, a Christian does both, first by living our defense of the gospel—always trusting in God, always armored up against the enemy’s influence, and always ready to give an answer to anyone who asks about our faith. Second, because a Christian always displays the fruit of the Spirit, we often have no choice but to be tolerant of non-Christian scoffers. They are in our workplaces, our families, and even our churches. We don’t have to participate in their sins or even pretend to agree, but we don’t have to alienate them with a constant air of disapproval or Bible-quoting either. We can be patient with scoffers because at some point, maybe in one of their darkest hours, they will notice a Christ-like light shining in us—and perhaps, wish they had it, too.
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I'm the OP. That is an outstanding response. Thank to every else as well.
 
Cabrillo said:
Is it our job to tolerate scoffers or to defend the gospel? What does blessed are the meek mean?
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Yes, it is our high calling, in my opinion. We must never get tired of defending the wonderful Gospel and abounding in the work of the Lord.. Otherwise, our usefulness to our Father will cease.

2 Timothy 4:2

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
 
the bible says to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints

in other words you make a stand.

As for the meek yes they will inherit the earth. Meek people are like 'the salt of the earth' type. some people call them 'good sorts' people who just go about their Fathers business, doing good whenever they can.

scoffers and mockers will fall into their own trap, so, you dont really need to do much or be afraid of their (useless) words. Just pray they will come to know the truth eventually before its too late and they realise their own mortality.
 
SaltwaterGirl said:
Yes, it is our high calling, in my opinion. We must never get tired of defending the wonderful Gospel and abounding in the work of the Lord.. Otherwise, our usefulness to our Father will cease.

2 Timothy 4:2

2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
Click to expand...
When Christ came, he came announcing that the new kingdom of heaven was here and gave revolutionary ways for the citizens of that kingdom. Christians became citizens of heaven, not of the world they lived in. For 300 years, until Constantine, the church Christ established followed those rules. They lived with scoffers who not only scoffed but killed, yet by following Christ they only stood fast in their citizenship in this kingdom but did not offer resistance even, yet they were powerful and even grew. They were longsuffering, they reasoned with them, but they did not fight. Jesus taught love your enemies instead,
 
Magenta said:
My thinking at the time, hmmm, probably much like many other non-believers, though I was not an atheist, for I knew there was some hidden spiritual reality into which I'd had glimpses. I was raised in a fairly strict religiously oriented home, and rebelled big time against what I saw as boring, repetitious, hypocritical, nonsensical, restrictive, legalistic, outmoded and short-sighted traditions. Even so I have very fond memories of some of those traditions, such as what we shared at Christmas time, for mine was a large family (I have ten siblings), and we would sometimes host thirty or more plus people (aunts and uncles and cousins and nieces and nephews and in-laws and friends) for the festive dinner with all the fixings and sweets and board games and card games and all those sorts of things that go into the making of lovely reminiscences.

I was put through all the regular paces, you know, such as infant baptism, first communion, and confirmation, but I had no idea what any of it meant. I could not wait to grow up and find out about all the things we were sheltered from; I left home shortly after turning 18 and dropped out of high school in order to work full time to support myself. I had already started drinking, smoking, and doing drugs.

Even so, I was very much drawn to explore things of a spiritual nature, for which I had a natural affinity. For instance, when I was quite young, perhaps around the age of nine or ten, I'd had a very profound dream which struck me as being more real than my day-to-day existence, which seemed to entail moving through life as merely going through the motions and somewhat-to-largely doing what was expected of me more than anything else. But because of that dream experience as a child, I started doing dream work more seriously as a young adult, and I engaged in that off and on over many decades, with it sometimes yielding stunning results that included multiple experiences of pre-cognizance. I was aware that God revealed certain things to people in dreams, and so although I did not believe in or accept the Biblical God, I did believe those things were gifts from the Spirit of the universe.

I would love to share more with you about all this must must get ready to go out for a bit.

Thanks for asking! :)
Click to expand...

One of 10 siblings.. We have that in common.. And dreams too.. Yep i have had them through my life.. Dreams of the future that started in my childhood to more symbolic spiritual dreams as i was becoming a Christian and afterwards too..

Thanks for sharing.. :)
 
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