Can I Be Friends With A White Witch?

[goofyjim]

Would He go to a ouija board party and be nice and polite to everybody, do you think?

Actually he did hang out as a guest of sinners often and most times there was no record of what he said. Are we to assume he was telling them anything rather than just being in their presence?

 

[goofyjim]

But we don’t have to be. That’s what the Gospel is all about.

Unless we embrace the fact that we are always sinners we have no need to be saved by Christ. That’s what the Gospel is about.

 

[elt1956]

I agree Jim. I “think”, how can anyone be certain, Jesus hung out with sinners, loved, forgave their humaness, but didn’t get up on a bench and preach to them that they were sinners. He strikes me as someone who doesn’t give advice unless asked for it.

 

[jmcrae]

Actually he did hang out as a guest of sinners often and most times there was no record of what he said. Are we to assume he was telling them anything rather than just being in their presence?

Considering that they repented and converted to the Gospel immediately after meeting with Him, one has to assume that He told them something and that He wasn’t just sitting there smiling and laughing at dirty jokes, or anything like that.

 

[goofyjim]

I agree Jim. I “think”, how can anyone be certain, Jesus hung out with sinners, loved, forgave their humaness, but didn’t get up on a bench and preach to them that they were sinners. He strikes me as someone who doesn’t give advice unless asked for it.

Yes. One only needs to read the Beatitudes. They were addressed to sinners. Often sinners are much better at showing mercy to each other than the selfrighteous. This is why I embrace my sinfulness and realize that the only way to be saved is by Christ. I will never be sinless. Only two people fit that bill.

 

[elt1956]

Not meaning to be a smart aleck, but one can “assume” anything until proven right, or wrong. Perhaps Jesus just showed by His example rather than preaching. I would imagine the group, or individuals of those groups were very curious about this man that had a very different message from what they had heard before.

 

[jmcrae]

Unless we embrace the fact that we are always sinners we have no need to be saved by Christ. That’s what the Gospel is about.

What religion are you? That sounds like Calvin’s doctrine of the Total Depravity of Man. Don’t you believe in the possibility of sanctification?

 

[jmcrae]

Not meaning to be a smart aleck, but one can “assume” anything until proven right, or wrong. Perhaps Jesus just showed by His example rather than preaching. I would imagine the group, or individuals of those groups were very curious about this man that had a very different message from what they had heard before.

How would they know that He had a message, or what it was, without Him telling it to them?

 

[goofyjim]

Considering that they repented and converted to the Gospel immediately after meeting with Him, one has to assume that He told them something and that He wasn’t just sitting there smiling and laughing at dirty jokes, or anything like that.

The Gospels do not record that each and every one converted instantly. And while they leave old sins behind they always pick up new ones. This is humanity. Accept it. Except for Jesus and Mary there haven’t been and never will be sinless people.

 

[jmcrae]

Not meaning to be a smart aleck, but one can “assume” anything until proven right, or wrong. Perhaps Jesus just showed by His example rather than preaching. I would imagine the group, or individuals of those groups were very curious about this man that had a very different message from what they had heard before.

Not meaning to be snarky, but have you actually read the Gospels? Jesus did just about nothing else besides preach and perform miracles. “Jesus wouldn’t preach” - where the heck is that coming from?

 

[goofyjim]

What religion are you? That sounds like Calvin’s doctrine of the Total Depravity of Man. Don’t you believe in the possibility of sanctification?

I believe in its possiblilty after we die. The only two people to live sinless lives on earth were Jesus and Mary.

 

[jmcrae]

I believe in its possiblilty after we die. The only two people to live sinless lives on earth were Jesus and Mary.

Well, yes. Unlike Jesus and Mary, we all sin in childhood and in the teen years. We have the possibility of growing up into the people God designed us to be, though. We don’t have to be trapped in our selfish and rebellious ways for our entire lives.

 

[catharina]

Would I trust a witch to care for my children? No. Would I trust a witch to care for my elderly parent? No. Would I trust a witch? No. So I wouldn’t have a witch as a friend. (Very simple.)

 

[Contarini]

The anger on your posts broders on hysteria.

It’s truly hilarious that you would accuse me of this, given the tone of the posts to which I’m responding. There is a moral issue here, and it’s exactly the opposite of what many of you suppose.

As for me, knowing my faith, I would never encourage anyone to be friends with someone who is involved in withchcraft.

You still don’t bother to address the point about Christ’s victory over the powers of darkness. No doubt because you can’t. Your position is utterly devoid of faith, so you simply ignore the issue I’m raising.

Friendship with a witch? Ah noooooooooooo. In case you’ve forgotten, witchcraft is sin and folly. Is that better?

And we are not supposed to be friends with sinners? Where do you see this in the NT? This makes no sense whatsoever. It’s a completely un-Christian position.

Never mind that most people practicing “witchcraft” today (the term can cover a lot of things and usually has very little to do with what paranoid Christians think it means) are acting out of ignorance and confusion and are not fully responsible for their actions.

Edwin

 

[goofyjim]

Well, yes. Unlike Jesus and Mary, we all sin in childhood and in the teen years. We have the possibility of growing up into the people God designed us to be, though. We don’t have to be trapped in our selfish and rebellious ways for our entire lives.

We have to live constant lives of repentance because we are in some degree of sin. Not all sin is just selfishness and rebelliousness. We stumble inadvertently, meaning sin. It does not mean we are totally depraved but we also never reach complete sanctification down here. That’s why there is purgatory.

 

[Contarini]

The disciples didn’t remain sinners, though. Are you under the impression that Matthew continued to collect taxes for the occupational government, or that Simon Zealote continued to ambush and kill people, after meeting Jesus and beginning to follow Him?

No. And no doubt five minutes in Jesus’ presence was enough for people to make a decision one way or the other. The rest of us are not Jesus. Generally it takes a lifetime of patient, loving friendship before a non-Christian has any chance of really seeing God’s grace in our lives.

Edwin

 

[catharina]

Contarini - Read this:

Would I trust a witch to care for my children? No. Would I trust a witch to care for my elderly parent? No. Would I trust a witch? No. So I wouldn’t have a witch as a friend. (Very simple.)

 

[jmcrae]

We have to live constant lives of repentance because we are in some degree of sin. Not all sin is just selfishness and rebelliousness. We stumble inadvertently, meaning sin.

It is not possible to sin inadvertently. You can make an error inadvertently, but it isn’t a sin unless you intended to do it.

It does not mean we are totally depraved but we also never reach complete sanctification down here. That’s why there is purgatory.

Some do. I’m not claiming to be one of them, but what about Little Thérèse? What about Maria Goretti?

 

[jmcrae]

No. And no doubt five minutes in Jesus’ presence was enough for people to make a decision one way or the other. The rest of us are not Jesus. Generally it takes a lifetime of patient, loving friendship before a non-Christian has any chance of really seeing God’s grace in our lives.

Edwin

YES!!

That was exactly my point. :extrahappy: :extrahappy: :extrahappy:

 

[goofyjim]

It is not possible to sin inadvertently. You can make an error inadvertently, but it isn’t a sin unless you intended to do it.

Some do. I’m not claiming to be one of them, but what about Little Thérèse? What about Maria Goretti?

Did they ever go to confession on a regular basis? What would be the need for it if they did not have some sin to get rid of. Some have a higher degree of sanctity than others but it never reaches complete sinlessness.