ECT Nicer Than God; Remix

[Ktoyou]

This is a remix of Clete’s original thread.
Nicer Than God


Christians today are nicer than God.

Or at least they are trying to be so. In the Church there is a standard of niceness that Jesus failed to reach while on earth. Comparing God’s attitude and behavior with that of the Church today shows that believers are far more polite, tolerant, understanding and respectful to the wicked than God is.

The Church is also less offensive, rude and sarcastic than God’s men in the Bible were. And no Christian would ever be caught dead mocking the wicked, as God’s men in the Bible sometimes did.

Jesus was offensive. Most people were offended by him. The proof for John the Baptist that Jesus was the Christ was that the blind see, the lame walk and the majority are "offended" by Him (Mat. 11:2-19). As Jesus said, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Mat. 11:6; Luke 7:23). In Galilee, Jesus did not plead with his neighbors to understand Him when "they were offended at Him" (Mat. 13:57; Mark 6:3). If unbelievers are offended, so be it (cf. Luke 14:3-4; John 5:8-16). "Shake off the dust from your feet" (Mat. 10:14). But alas, that is no longer a Christian attitude.

Christ’s apostles asked Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard [Your] saying?" (Mat. 15:12). What is the accepted Christian response today after an offense is taken? Quick, apologize! Ask for forgiveness! Tell them you are sorry. How did Jesus respond? He said to ignore the complaints of the unbelievers: "Let them alone. They are blind," (Mat. 15:14). Today, many Christians condemn Christ’s attitude as unloving.

Christians think if the world hates them, they have failed. The reverse should be true. It is not that a Christian wants to be hated; it is simply an occupational hazard.
I find this exceptionally true as modern Christianity has become more tolerant of allowed sinners to be welcome without repentance. Today it seems Christianity tries to embrace all what was once unacceptable. Many church services are more like going to a music concert than to hear the Word of God preached well.

We do have fundamentalist churches, but they seemed to be moving to the fringes of the Christian community.

There has to be a standard there must be, and by including all who sin and being overly tolerantly of sin, it seems we are not satisfied with God. We think we can improve on Him. Be more kind and more accepting of differences, even when these differences are sinful.

It seems to me more Christians today are basking in their tolerance, being nicer than God.

 

[Eeset]

And Christians today wonder if we went to the moon!

 

[Ktoyou]

And Christians today wonder if we went to the moon!

That is a silly statement. Very few , if any assume that.

What many Christians assume is heaven is guaranteed just by calling yourself a Christian.

They only receive the positive messages from modern preachers. For preachers and ministers today talk about hell; it is too negative and not uplifting.

Too many Christians today think more about not offending anyone than rebuking one; they believe they are supposed to be perfectly tolerant.

God does not want us to be tolerant of sin

 

[glorydaz]

That is a silly statement. Very few , if any assume that.

What many Christians assume is heaven is guaranteed just by calling yourself a Christian.

They only receive the positive messages from modern preachers. For preachers and ministers today talk about hell; it is too negative and not uplifting.

Too many Christians today think more about not offending anyone than rebuking one; they believe they are supposed to be perfectly tolerant.

God does not want us to be tolerant of sin

I'm afraid there are too many church goers who are trying to impress other people. But those who simply love and trust in the Lord are keeping more and more to their own small groups. Getting ready for the last days as we watch good being called evil....and evil being called good.

The hate is palpable.

 

[Danoh]

This is a remix of Clete’s original thread.
Nicer Than God


Christians today are nicer than God.

Or at least they are trying to be so. In the Church there is a standard of niceness that Jesus failed to reach while on earth. Comparing God’s attitude and behavior with that of the Church today shows that believers are far more polite, tolerant, understanding and respectful to the wicked than God is.

The Church is also less offensive, rude and sarcastic than God’s men in the Bible were. And no Christian would ever be caught dead mocking the wicked, as God’s men in the Bible sometimes did.

Jesus was offensive. Most people were offended by him. The proof for John the Baptist that Jesus was the Christ was that the blind see, the lame walk and the majority are "offended" by Him (Mat. 11:2-19). As Jesus said, "Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me" (Mat. 11:6; Luke 7:23). In Galilee, Jesus did not plead with his neighbors to understand Him when "they were offended at Him" (Mat. 13:57; Mark 6:3). If unbelievers are offended, so be it (cf. Luke 14:3-4; John 5:8-16). "Shake off the dust from your feet" (Mat. 10:14). But alas, that is no longer a Christian attitude.

Christ’s apostles asked Him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard [Your] saying?" (Mat. 15:12). What is the accepted Christian response today after an offense is taken? Quick, apologize! Ask for forgiveness! Tell them you are sorry. How did Jesus respond? He said to ignore the complaints of the unbelievers: "Let them alone. They are blind," (Mat. 15:14). Today, many Christians condemn Christ’s attitude as unloving.

Christians think if the world hates them, they have failed. The reverse should be true. It is not that a Christian wants to be hated; it is simply an occupational hazard.
I find this exceptionally true as modern Christianity has become more tolerant of allowed sinners to be welcome without repentance. Today it seems Christianity tries to embrace all what was once unacceptable. Many church services are more like going to a music concert than to hear the Word of God preached well.

We do have fundamentalist churches, but they seemed to be moving to the fringes of the Christian community.

There has to be a standard there must be, and by including all who sin and being overly tolerantly of sin, it seems we are not satisfied with God. We think we can improve on Him. Be more kind and more accepting of differences, even when these differences are sinful.

It seems to me more Christians today are basking in their tolerance, being nicer than God.

The actual fact of all that?

That Christ was that way towards religious hypocrisy - the supposed representatives of God ever spitting on any follower of God who did not agree with them.

In contrast, He was very tolerant and even loving towards their victims.

Another fact is that neither He nor the Twelve, nor the one: Paul, appear to conduct themselves towards the lost in the way you are depicting them.

Because Scripture expects the lost to behave like...the lost.

It does not expect them to live by a standard only the regenerated person is expected to, given that he alone has been enabled to.

It does not really address the lost much.

Til later, after this age gives way to the next one, absent of this age's "not imputing their trespasses on them" - "gospel of the grace of God."

Scripture is actually far and away harder, on its own, where such are being hypocrites.

As in Paul's day, and as often witnessed by his own words, today, that would also be the case in the case of so called grace gospelers who are forever spitting on anyone they consider not of their number.

One example of many written by Paul...

1 Corinthians 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised. 4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 4:13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. 4:14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

Another...

2 Corinthians 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 6:8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Why?

In remembrance of the fact of Romans 5:6-8 - in each...our stead.

 

[Lon]

AND "better" than God.

AND "better" than God.

Atheists and some who remake 'god' in their own image also think they are 'better' than Him. They may balk at the suggestion, but when they are appalled that God hates people based on their embrace of sin, they declare themselves better and more fit than the God of the universe instead of rightly being subject to Him Who made it all.

It is part and parcel to 'nicer' imo. Job said: Job 13:15. The problem of Job's friends were that they spoke 'for' God and were soundly rebuked. The reason Job received a lesser rebuke is not that He was speaking for God, only saying if God were such, he'd yet praise Him and trust Him. The friends were rebuked for speaking from their own perspective, creating a false view of God and His justice in their minds. Job was ready to meet God on whatever terms God came to him with, regardless of those terms, because he trusted Him.

"My God loves homosexuals" one musician recently declared in her video. The problem is no one can serve her made-up God. We have to serve God for Who He is and How He is, regardless.

I think it good that people wrestle with "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" yet wonder at things that look Old Testament atrocious or New Testament bigoted. "God is Love." We need to much more often, however, stop wrestling with what looks contradictory to us, and look at ourselves and our own messed up sense of right and wrong. Job 13:15 doesn't look like a 'love' sort of thing at face value. It is a 'trust' thing at face value that God really is light and love, even if I can't figure that part out or see it all by myself, at times or ever. In Him -Lon