Relating to people differently

[anon49823460]

In talking with an evangelical friend, she said that when you meet somebody you should determine whether or not they are ‘christian’. You can do this by asking them. If they answer yes then you should ‘discern’ whether or not they are actually living a christian life. If they are then you could allow them to be a close friend. If not, they you should consider them non-christian and try and lead them to following Christ. She said that this is clearly laid out in the Bible. To me it seems too much like judging people. Any comments/thoughts? Thanks.

 

[ChangingHeart]

In talking with an evangelical friend, she said that when you meet somebody you should determine whether or not they are ‘christian’. You can do this by asking them. If they answer yes then you should ‘discern’ whether or not they are actually living a christian life. If they are then you could allow them to be a close friend. If not, they you should consider them non-christian and try and lead them to following Christ. She said that this is clearly laid out in the Bible. To me it seems too much like judging people. Any comments/thoughts? Thanks.

“The Bible clearly says,” are stereotypical Protestant buzzwords that tend to be followed by heresy. The second a Protestant says, “The Bible clearly says,” get ready to hear something faulty.

The Bible CLEARLY says very little, as even what seems obvious from Scripture may not be the case. That’s why it needs an authoritative Church to interpret it, a Church that has been given the guarantee that The Holy Spirit will lead it in all truth. That has to be the very Church that wrote and canonized the Bible, with the divine authority to do that, The Catholic Church

 

[FightingFat]

To me it seems too much like judging people. Any comments/thoughts? Thanks.

I think this is a very astute observation. I think we should witness to people, but by demonstrating the joy that comes through living the Gospel, not telling them that if they don’t “believe” this, then they’re going to hell!

 

[puzzleannie]

In talking with an evangelical friend, she said that when you meet somebody you should determine whether or not they are ‘christian’. You can do this by asking them. If they answer yes then you should ‘discern’ whether or not they are actually living a christian life. If they are then you could allow them to be a close friend. If not, they you should consider them non-christian and try and lead them to following Christ. She said that this is clearly laid out in the Bible. To me it seems too much like judging people. Any comments/thoughts? Thanks.

I’m with you. No one, except the priest in confession, can judge the state of another person’s soul. that being said, of course we are better off choosing friends whose values support our own, but a better witness than harangueing and proselytizing is an upright life of Christian discipleship, righteousness and service that we live and model.