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"Far too many people who claim the name of Christ don't live the life that the Bible attributes to the Christian. "
What do you generally look for externally to assess whether this appears to be true, or not true? Accumulation of great wealth?
Obviously, some revelation of some hidden significant recurring sin would also be a factor if it occurred. And yes, I know it's not our job.
But people do make assessments.
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(02-22-2019, 02:24 PM)cincydawg Wrote: "Far too many people who claim the name of Christ don't live the life that the Bible attributes to the Christian. "
What do you generally look for externally to assess whether this appears to be true, or not true? Accumulation of great wealth?
Obviously, some revelation of some hidden significant recurring sin would also be a factor if it occurred. And yes, I know it's not our job.
But people do make assessments.
Matthew 7 Jesus says "By their fruits you shall know them"......which is ironic as people like to stop at Matthew 7:1 about "you can't judge because jesus said not to judge". Â We can't judge intent, but it's obvious by the continuation of the thought in that section of the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus says we can know people by their 'fruit'....by their behavior and actions. Â
The NT has a number of passages on the fruit of the Spirit(obedience to Christ and the result) and the fruit of the flesh(obedience to self and sin). Â It has passages about walking in the Spirit and how that looks and walking according to the flesh and how that looks.
Which is why I claim that not everyone who claims the name of Christ is of Him. Â One's fruit.....one's actions.....give them away. I can claim I have an apple tree in my front yard all day, but if the fruit being borne on that tree is pecans, it isn't an apple tree no matter how much I claim.
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So, what do you look for to make such an assessment? Wealth? Self aggrandizement? Private jets?
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(02-22-2019, 02:43 PM)cincydawg Wrote: So, what do you look for to make such an assessment? Â Wealth? Â Self aggrandizement? Â Private jets?
wealth is no indicator, in either direction, of spiritual health or disease. Â Self aggrandizement is likely a good indicator.....although not the best....
Romans 8:4-6
Galatians 5
Philippians 3
all deal with this.
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(02-21-2019, 11:59 AM)Alabuckeye Wrote: Since Pitch is hammering the Catholic Church, I'll comment on something that I've seen in the Protestant side.
Jack Hyles was an early mega-church guy.  First Baptist of Hammond Indiana.  I'm not Baptist, never have been, but I've known  a ton and have alot of friends who are.  Jack spoke at my HS commencement(I attended a Baptist HS).
When Jack died, his Son in Law took over the church. Â This is 2001.....
https://www.nwitimes.com/uncategorized/s...85523.html
This is 2013......I'm a little familiar with some of the backstory and I'm troubled by how the church worked to cover this up. Â I know the law firm that they used to do so, and it's disappointing to me as a Christian.
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazi...st-Church/
So....when we talk about 'do Christians keep actively living a life of sin after conversion?' and "what's wrong with the American Church".....there's a connection between the two. Â Far too many people who claim the name of Christ don't live the life that the Bible attributes to the Christian. Â And as a result, they are creating much confusion about what being a Christian is all about.
The dude was giving a sermon called "The Polished Shaft"-that's a lot more Ron Jeremy than Jeremiah.........................
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(02-22-2019, 02:45 PM)Alabuckeye Wrote: (02-22-2019, 02:43 PM)cincydawg Wrote: So, what do you look for to make such an assessment? Â Wealth? Â Self aggrandizement? Â Private jets?
wealth is no indicator, in either direction, of spiritual health or disease. Â Self aggrandizement is likely a good indicator.....although not the best....
Romans 8:4-6
Galatians 5
Philippians 3
all deal with this.
This is a very good point-being an overly materialistic and/or self centered individual is a good sign a person is a moral dipstick, regardless of religious or political affiliation-the affliction/attitude crosses all ethnic/religious/ideological lines,imo
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(02-23-2019, 04:11 PM)stxbuck Wrote: This is a very good point-being an overly materialistic and/or self centered individual is a good sign a person is a moral dipstick, regardless of religious or political affiliation-the affliction/attitude crosses all ethnic/religious/ideological lines,imo
Religious and virtuous aspects aside, self centered people, with an absolutely insanely distorted view of self worth, have always amused me. Well, at least once I grew out of that phase myself.   I mean we've all been there to one extent or another, but some people just never grow out of it. Those are the people that I could just grab a giant bowl of popcorn, sit back and be a fly on the wall with them for a full day.  Â
Seriously though, people like that honestly just slay me. And I mean in a comedic sense.  Go to any company and go down the list of folks in management. That's where they live and breathe. You can find some of the most spectacular specimens of jackasses that have ever walked the planet in any collection of managers. Typically you'll have a small handful of really solid guys and gals completely surrounded by people that believe that they could compete and win on American Idol, be a pro athlete only if they just did X instead of Y, etc... fill in the blank. Â
This is what I see when I see them. They just slay me. Â
(02-23-2019, 04:11 PM)stxbuck Wrote: (02-22-2019, 02:45 PM)Alabuckeye Wrote: (02-22-2019, 02:43 PM)cincydawg Wrote: So, what do you look for to make such an assessment? Â Wealth? Â Self aggrandizement? Â Private jets?
wealth is no indicator, in either direction, of spiritual health or disease. Â Self aggrandizement is likely a good indicator.....although not the best....
Romans 8:4-6
Galatians 5
Philippians 3
all deal with this.
This is a very good point-being an overly materialistic and/or self centered individual is a good sign a person is a moral dipstick, regardless of religious or political affiliation-the affliction/attitude crosses all ethnic/religious/ideological lines,imo
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