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So in my psalm writing for yesterday, I find myself once again contemplating how to deal with certain people I encounter that say they are Christian but go on to lead a life that stresses secular living...
I have met Christians who believe that every Christian is on a different plain and there are different 'levels' of Christians...I have posted on this about six months ago...in my life, I remember going to my friend's baptist church youth rally...and after leaving there, in my car I felt the Lord chastise me for what I was listening to on the radio...I heard God say something similiar to "How can you say you love me when you delight in wickedness?" or more specifically, in listening to the chaos of this violent music you place so dear to your heart? And as the Jews in Acts were 'cut to the heart' I felt my heart cut; and knew that in order to follow Christ, I had to leave all this wickedness behind me and seek God alone and FULLY.
Now onto what this post is about, Can you be a Christian and continue to listen to 'violent' music? Can you be a Christian and delight in violent/horror movies? He took me to see 'Inglorious Bastards' which I found repulsive, but he loved it and had already seen it once. I talked to him that night about it as I thought it was strange that he loves that sort of movie, and yet he is a psychologist.
Like most people, I have friends that either sleep around or sleep with the person they are dating...and even if they think it wrong, they continue to do it...what are Christians suppose to think of these people who claim Christianity? And what attitude should they take? Should they naive stance of 'not judging them' cause us to accept them fully despite their faults, or should we insist that a foundational part of fellowship has been broken if they insist on living a life of/in sin?
Sometimes I find myself even giving way to them and saying in my head, like to this friend, "Okay they sleep together, but at least they are getting married in a month." And in my heart I even challenge the thought of insisting that they stop sleeping together, which they have done for like two years now, and get separate dwellings for this last month until marriage...
I am reminded of the Israelite that brought a foreign women into his tent in front of all the Israelites, and was killed together with her by a Zealous Israelite and the Lord applauded his tance on holiness.
As it is, wickedness runs rampart even in most churches, with little check on 'how to confront those involved without hurting their (or my--if it was me) feelings'...
And the direct question I want to be contemplated is can Christians still watch secular movies, listen to profane songs, et cetera...and if so, must I separate myself from him completely...or can I witness to him by not doing those things when I am around him?
But even other things, like the fellowship or comradship when I am around him seems somewhat warped...I mean we like spend a lot of time playing video games, and his mind always seems distracted even when doing that...but I am pretty sure that video games have a tendency to just distract people from advancing themselves in Christ, aka I am not sure if anybody EVER has followed Christ to play a video game...it just seems kind of strange to me...
May the Lord inspire us all to seek holiness, and to delight only in him--
not counting the cost--of friends, family, or possessions
tony
I have met Christians who believe that every Christian is on a different plain and there are different 'levels' of Christians...I have posted on this about six months ago...in my life, I remember going to my friend's baptist church youth rally...and after leaving there, in my car I felt the Lord chastise me for what I was listening to on the radio...I heard God say something similiar to "How can you say you love me when you delight in wickedness?" or more specifically, in listening to the chaos of this violent music you place so dear to your heart? And as the Jews in Acts were 'cut to the heart' I felt my heart cut; and knew that in order to follow Christ, I had to leave all this wickedness behind me and seek God alone and FULLY.
Now onto what this post is about, Can you be a Christian and continue to listen to 'violent' music? Can you be a Christian and delight in violent/horror movies? He took me to see 'Inglorious Bastards' which I found repulsive, but he loved it and had already seen it once. I talked to him that night about it as I thought it was strange that he loves that sort of movie, and yet he is a psychologist.
Like most people, I have friends that either sleep around or sleep with the person they are dating...and even if they think it wrong, they continue to do it...what are Christians suppose to think of these people who claim Christianity? And what attitude should they take? Should they naive stance of 'not judging them' cause us to accept them fully despite their faults, or should we insist that a foundational part of fellowship has been broken if they insist on living a life of/in sin?
Sometimes I find myself even giving way to them and saying in my head, like to this friend, "Okay they sleep together, but at least they are getting married in a month." And in my heart I even challenge the thought of insisting that they stop sleeping together, which they have done for like two years now, and get separate dwellings for this last month until marriage...
I am reminded of the Israelite that brought a foreign women into his tent in front of all the Israelites, and was killed together with her by a Zealous Israelite and the Lord applauded his tance on holiness.
As it is, wickedness runs rampart even in most churches, with little check on 'how to confront those involved without hurting their (or my--if it was me) feelings'...
And the direct question I want to be contemplated is can Christians still watch secular movies, listen to profane songs, et cetera...and if so, must I separate myself from him completely...or can I witness to him by not doing those things when I am around him?
But even other things, like the fellowship or comradship when I am around him seems somewhat warped...I mean we like spend a lot of time playing video games, and his mind always seems distracted even when doing that...but I am pretty sure that video games have a tendency to just distract people from advancing themselves in Christ, aka I am not sure if anybody EVER has followed Christ to play a video game...it just seems kind of strange to me...
May the Lord inspire us all to seek holiness, and to delight only in him--
not counting the cost--of friends, family, or possessions
tony