So, this thread doesn't really have a specific goal or seeks to ask any particular questions.
I am making this up as I go but I do think I have a lot to convey and what I can convey may help someone out there.
Listen, if you think you are in love with someone and may be absolutely blinded by that, I hope this thread makes you stop for just a tiny moment to introspect.
When we love other people, we tend to gloss over every flaw and ignore anything that could hurt us. As Christians, most of us also try to follow this principle of being with other believers.
"The light and darkness have nothing in common" is such an oft quoted verse that at least for those of us on CC - we have all come to a consensus on this.
So what can cause somebody who claims to be a Christian, spouts scripture and praises to God, appears to be all pious and for the most "an exemplary example" commit some of the most treacherous acts?
So none of us are perfect but since we are on an online forum, I think I am narrowing my scope to mostly this.
However it happens in real life too, when seemingly good, valuable Christians of society have so many skeletons in their closet that when they tumble out, it shocks the entire community.
Abusive spouses, fraud, catfishing (yeah go check this out. The internet happens to be a cesspool of this), online/real life predators.
I would like to think that the label Christian protects us from all that but I have come to realize this is not the case. We need to exercise our discernment at all times.
The older I get, the harder I find it is to trust anyone. Even if they throw all sorts of emotional bombs at you, know that if their actions don't show they care for you, they probably don't.
All relationships - whether romantic or even friendships are built on a foundation of trust.
If you can sense a relationship is moving seriously and you have expressed hopes of it being more or any attraction, then you are responsible.
Some people like to rely on this explanation - "Well I told you, I am always like this. I never do blah blah blah" If you never did all that, then why did you encourage someone else to form such a relationship with you?
Many people blame the victims of these deceptions - like oh they weren't being wise or discerning but that doesn't take away the fact the other person has still DEFRAUDED another human being.
If there is no trust, no integrity and no respect then love cannot grow there.
If you ask me, I really have no solution to any of this. Maybe you can be smart and save yourself the pain of some of the above stuff like abuse and catfishing by watching red flags but I still cannot say for certainty that a person in question is really the right one.
Only God can do that. Only God knows the hearts of people and reveals their intentions. Only God can protect us.
Frankly, there will be more people out there who will deceive others. There will be more catfish, more abusers, more liars, scoundrels than we can ever truly count.
But there is only one God and He watches us all.
Don't think if you are treacherous in your behaviour you can get away with it. It is not that we are all perfect people but if knowing that what you have done is wrong and you willfully continue on that path, then you are accountable to God.
We all are.
I don't know how to end this thread.... let God be true and all men be liars.
Psalm 25:3
No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
I am making this up as I go but I do think I have a lot to convey and what I can convey may help someone out there.
Listen, if you think you are in love with someone and may be absolutely blinded by that, I hope this thread makes you stop for just a tiny moment to introspect.
When we love other people, we tend to gloss over every flaw and ignore anything that could hurt us. As Christians, most of us also try to follow this principle of being with other believers.
"The light and darkness have nothing in common" is such an oft quoted verse that at least for those of us on CC - we have all come to a consensus on this.
So what can cause somebody who claims to be a Christian, spouts scripture and praises to God, appears to be all pious and for the most "an exemplary example" commit some of the most treacherous acts?
So none of us are perfect but since we are on an online forum, I think I am narrowing my scope to mostly this.
However it happens in real life too, when seemingly good, valuable Christians of society have so many skeletons in their closet that when they tumble out, it shocks the entire community.
Abusive spouses, fraud, catfishing (yeah go check this out. The internet happens to be a cesspool of this), online/real life predators.
I would like to think that the label Christian protects us from all that but I have come to realize this is not the case. We need to exercise our discernment at all times.
The older I get, the harder I find it is to trust anyone. Even if they throw all sorts of emotional bombs at you, know that if their actions don't show they care for you, they probably don't.
All relationships - whether romantic or even friendships are built on a foundation of trust.
If you can sense a relationship is moving seriously and you have expressed hopes of it being more or any attraction, then you are responsible.
Some people like to rely on this explanation - "Well I told you, I am always like this. I never do blah blah blah" If you never did all that, then why did you encourage someone else to form such a relationship with you?
Many people blame the victims of these deceptions - like oh they weren't being wise or discerning but that doesn't take away the fact the other person has still DEFRAUDED another human being.
If there is no trust, no integrity and no respect then love cannot grow there.
If you ask me, I really have no solution to any of this. Maybe you can be smart and save yourself the pain of some of the above stuff like abuse and catfishing by watching red flags but I still cannot say for certainty that a person in question is really the right one.
Only God can do that. Only God knows the hearts of people and reveals their intentions. Only God can protect us.
Frankly, there will be more people out there who will deceive others. There will be more catfish, more abusers, more liars, scoundrels than we can ever truly count.
But there is only one God and He watches us all.
Don't think if you are treacherous in your behaviour you can get away with it. It is not that we are all perfect people but if knowing that what you have done is wrong and you willfully continue on that path, then you are accountable to God.
We all are.
I don't know how to end this thread.... let God be true and all men be liars.
Psalm 25:3
No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
