What should be done when Christians show unacceptable behaviour? I have a few accounts that is fresh in mind, which has been occupying my thoughts. These are not uncommon, and I can be guilty of some of it some time or another. But what should be our response to them?
1. Christians who swears and use expletives
2. Christians who are rude and accuse others without any basis in church settings
3. Christians who nurture resentment towards others in the family of Christ
4. Christians who unknowingly are insensitive to others
The pastors and leaders of the church play a crucial part in this but what if they are not in the picture? What if it happens in small pockets of the church with no pastor or leaders involvement?
pearlie
No dogmatic answers Pearlie but you might consider this:
ReplyDeleteIf you have a relationship with the offender then by all means speak to them in private.. if not then just intercede for them.. and maybe, if possible, avoid them.
Pearlie,
ReplyDeleteKB is speaking the truth. If these people are truly Christians, then whatever you do, address them with love, patience, and humility.
It may be as simple as expressing how these things hurt you and hurt their witness to others.
The big thing to me is sifting out what is truly sinful and what is merely cultural or upbringing.
Sin is something we must avoid, where these other things are things we should avoid.
God Bless
Doug
Pearlie,
ReplyDeleteIs it just me, or is this post not word-wrapping correctly?
God Bless
Doug
KB,
ReplyDeleteThanks - you are right - there are 3 options and one of them is to avoid them, or rather, avoid the circumstance. We are still good friends. I am thinking about how best to approach them, am praying about it.
Thanks Doug,
ReplyDeleteI like what you said about expressing how it hurt me and their witness to others - need to do it in love and patience and humility.
Yes, you are right (and it is nice to know another perfectionist .. heheh .. albeit being perfectionists in different things) - there was a problem in my wordwrapping. After leaving my place of work, I am now in between jobs and do not have full access to the pc (like now, my son dancing and singing around me waiting for me to finish using the pc!!!) I blogged from my iPhone and I could not solve the wordwrapping problem from there :)