Friendships with Unrepentant Christians

Should you continue friendships with unrepentant Christians? I am thinking of one person in particular, who continues to have premarital sex with every guy she dates (and pretty early on in the relationship). She is otherwise a great person, goes to church, and is a caregiver. She works in customer service so I have witnessed her being a good worker. It will be very hard for her to practice abstinence until marriage. I feel I have the same conversation with her each time/every guy. Two people I know have discontinued friendship with her due to her lifestyle.

What about other situations as well? Such as a friend in an extramarital relationship, or someone who is unkind to a family member/friend, or someone involved in a scam business, etc.

1Co 5:1
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
1Co 5:2
And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
1Co 5:3
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Co 5:6
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
1Co 5:7
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
1Co 5:8
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1Co 5:9
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
1Co 5:10
Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
1Co 5:11
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
1Co 5:12
For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
1Co 5:13
But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

If the brother or sister repents, then you should welcome them back.

2Co 2:6
Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
2Co 2:7
So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
2Co 2:8
Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

P.S.

The scam business that you mentioned would probably fall under the category of extortioner.

think about that phrase: "unrepentant Christian". there's no such thing as an unrepentant Christian. you can not be a Christian without sins forgiven. although we all are sinners, a Christian sin's are forgiven by the spilt blood of Jesus dying on the cross for sins to be forgiven. the difference is taught this way: a born again Christian will sin but he or she has the nudging or promptings of the Holy Spirit convicting you of the sin & your conscious, soul, mind & spirit will realize the conviction, know that the sin is wrong, you will implement correction thru your convicted, converted transformed mind. ( Romans 12:2 ). there must be improvement thru edification, transformation, regeneration, scripture study & experience in a Christian's life, otherwise, someone who says he or she is born again just went thru the motions without true intentions. the woman you speak of is not Christian. there's no change in her life. i know of a lady who says she became a born again Christian then married a woman. NO, NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!!!. she is not born again. if someone thinks she is, that means anyone can abuse God's word & do what they want: NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!! ( 1st Thessolonians 5:9, Hebrews 11:6 ). i do not social around or deal with anyone involved in the last statement you made. since about 1990, i have had nearly no friends because of my strict ways & that, around here, there's a huge dark cloud of unfriendliness, lack of real teaching pastors & too many partiers. blessings to you.

Paul basically said the same thing here:

Eph 5:3
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Eph 5:4
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
Eph 5:5
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Eph 5:6
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Eph 5:7
Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Eph 5:8
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth)
Eph 5:10
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Eph 5:11
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Eph 5:12
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
Eph 5:13
But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
Eph 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

Btw, the same Greek word pornos that is translated as whoremonger in verse 5 is translated as fornicator in 1 Corinthians 5:9, 10, and 11.

Is it affecting you emotionally or in your behaviour?

I would say this woman needs help, she is trying to fill a spiritual/emotional need in other ways.
Perhaps you can get her to seek help?
I think this depends on who this person is and if you sense she would like to be freed, telling her it is wrong probably is not going to be enough.

No, her behavior does not affect me. She is monogamous. So, I think the issue is her finding the right guy.

What do you mean by she is "monogamous" when she is with always with different men?
Can you clarify?

I understand why people would want to cut off ties with people. For instance, I would probably cut off ties with someone involved with criminal activities as that is outside my comfort level, and for safety reasons.

However if it is a lifestyle issue, I think they need our presence in their lives. I find that people cutting off ties do so because they are frustrated with that person, which isn't really a good reason. There is also an unhelpful judgemental tone involved, like that person has the yuck factor. As long we make it clear we do not condone their lifestyle due to religious reasons, it is really up to them if they want to maintain relations with us.

phunnneee in a way but not really. never heard of that 1.

This seems very reasonable to me, she may see in you what is lacking in her own life, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Thank you for reading my situation, feel a lot better limiting time with such people, wait and minister to them in prayer, when the time comes for a Godly repentance to occur
rejoicing can be represented from personal life giving back glory to our Father
Our calling

This is just me there are 2.2 billion "christians" in the world according to arizona christian university only 4.4 % of christians ( i prefer the label believer) actually stand up for their faith. Example my youngest nephew and family were watching the news and a some news story about homosexual couple facing trials. Which in recent decades is laughable now the entire world celebrates it. My nephew shouts in disgust at 2 men kissing his mom immediately said "Gabe you are not supposed to say that we are supposed to be respectful." I sat there and said nothing because i was fearful of the repercussions of saying Gabe is right 2 men should not be kissing it is sinful. If the world says yes but the Father says no believers should say no as well.
It is time to either stand with God or stand on the sidelines the world lies to all only a few see the truth and even fewer follow Jesus.
It is as clear as this 5000 were fed 12 followed him and one saw him in his last moments of agony.

The simple answer is discontinue the relationship in such a circumstance, though I would take the particular situation to God before coming to a final conclusion. There is a criteria of if the person understands that they are going after sin. Even that is not simple though, because many people deceive themselves.

I know that for me, God showed me I needed to cut off a relative who decided he wanted a gay marriage. Not only did God show me the verses that say to hand such a one over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh (1 Cor. 5), but God even gave me verification that application of this fit him by showing me that he still professed being a Christian, which is essential criteria. For as it says in verse 12:

What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?

so... does this person even acknowledge this behavior is sinful and is a problem?

.

Hello MsMediator, if your friend didn't claim to be a Christian, this would be easier, but she does, and that's a problem (both for her and for others).

The thing is, it was important for you to tell her that you don't condone her sinful lifestyle, but since she didn't change afterwards, then for her sake, and for the sake of those who know you two, you need to do more (because right now, believe it or not, your silence is telling her, and others, that she has your tacit approval to continue ).

The Bible is simply LOADED with verses and passages telling us that we are not to have sexual relations of any kind outside of a traditional marriage (as I know you know). Perhaps you should ask her how she is able to justify her sinful lifestyle as a Christian before God (considering all that He has to say about it)? Take this short passage, for instance.
She's your friend and you care for her, so make sure that she knows that you do by doing the right thing for her (which should include praying for her regularly going forward, as well finding new, creative ways to reach her with the truth directly, because the road to perdition is broad/easy, and our time to find the narrow way to Him is very limited).

It may become necessary for you to walk away from your friendship with her for a time (until she repents), because that may end up being the only "message" from you that she'll actually listen to (unless she's willing to admit that she really isn't a believer).

Praying for you and for her!

God bless you!!

~Deuteronomy (David)

Yes, but she doesn't recognize the severity. She may associate sex more with love than with sin.