Christlikeness in Everything

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by paynedaniel:
Dear Posters, I would like to start a thread on the importance of Christlikeness in our attitudes and discussions. I am as guilty as anyone else of, at times, writing things in a malicious spirit. Since most of our definitions diverge concerning other topics, I am sure as well that our definitions will differ concerning Christlikeness.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Enjoyed reading the above posts, and kind of sense where you are all coming from. To me Christlikeness is not a thing a believer became when he or she accepted the Lord, for true Christlikeness is an ongoing process. It starts at the moment Christ enters the believer's heart and ends when the believer is called home to the heavenly abode. The truth is that no one achieves perfection in this. Some will shine better than others, but since we are only the mirror image of the real thing our efforts should be focused on the daily cleansing of this mirror so that the light of the Son (and not the sun) may be able to reflect the more! To me, in layman's term, that is Christlikeness. But then, who am I? I only see a fraction of the whole, and I stand somewhere far out there..... one among the Baptists, one among His children.

 

I agree with Barnabas, with special reference to my own personal favorite Bible passage (verse): Philippians 1:6 --

...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

It is a little later in Philippians where Paul talks a little about the subject of this thread. Here is the beginning of Philippians 2:

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his live, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
'Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,...

Thus it is in humility that Christlikeness is to be found for the Christian as much as the flowing of Christ's love through us to others.


With that being said, I do understand the concept that even pagans can exhibit compassion, caring, humility, and many other good qualities. These will not save him or her, but it sure is a refreshing change from a lot of the other junk we get treated to 'out there' in the world!

It is possible to work on Christ-like qualities without being a Christian. But it is not possible to BECOME Christ-like unless one is a Christian, because that is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.


Still, needing to live here in the world for at least a while longer, I must say I at least appreciate any caring, gentle, patient behavior from anyone, no matter what their hearts are like! It makes it tons easier to get through the day...

 

Hey Clint,
Told ya so. The Baptist Board bookie had it 2 to 1 that they would at least wait 2 days and think about what you said. Should have bet the farm...

 

Dr. Griffin -
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> When an unsaved man prays out of a heart of love, the Lord's Prayer, saying "Our father who art in heaven . . . " he is praying to satan. His father is the devil (Jesus said that, don't blame me). And he doesn't even know it. He THINKS he is doing right.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have exhausted my concordances trying to find what you are talking about here. Where exactly IS this scripture in the Gospels?

 

John 8:44 (KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
When we're saved we then become adopted and the children of God.
But I doubt that means that unsaved people are intentionally praying to Satan, but I kinda see his point. Weird though.
da Gina

 

Thank you, Gina. If this is indeed the scripture to which Dr. Griffin is referring, I would encourage everyone on this thread who is a believer to read the Gospel of John, Chapter 8, verses 31 through 47. I am supplying a link:John 8: 31 - 47
This link is to the NIV interpretation. If you are uncomfortable with NIV, please click the version of your choice at the top of the web page.
Christ is addressing Jews who believed Him and this is a prophecy of the Jew's intent to crucify Christ and their refusal to accept him as the Messiah. The Hebrew faith rested on the Old Testament covenants and not on the salvation that Christ offered. The modern believer of Christianity does not fall into this category. Read to the end of the chapter and see that these were people who OPENLY and VEHEMENTLY denied Christ!
Let every priestly believer read for himself this passagee of scripture and see if there is a relevance to Christlikeness or prayer.
Personally, I remain confused to the relevance. - Clint

 

Everyone -

I don't feel enough can be said about this subject at hand (obviously). Anyone coming through here who may be a new or confused believer needs to know that Christ payed the penalty for our sins if we choose to accept Him! A friend of mine once counted the laws in the Jewish faith and came up with a number in excess of 400! Christ came to earth to simplify these conditions. Some on this board would have you believe that Christian salvation is as extensive and complicated as the Old Testament Jewish law. This is not so!
I am supplying a link here that is already on the BB down in the "other religions/non-Baptist doctrine forum" that clearly sets forth the path that begins a believer's journey to salvation. http://www.swordofthelord.com/sure.htm

I got to thinking about the earlier postings on this thread and I am GREATLY disturbed by the intentions of them. If you have taught your children the Lord's Prayer, but they have not accepted Christ into their life, I REFUSE to believe that they are inadvertantly praying to Satan! Some on this board want you to believe that John 3:16 doesn't apply to everyone with the word "whosoever." Again, this is a fallacy!
Christianity is a constant, daily walk with Jesus Christ. It is a refining of your spiritual nature. It is a constant desire to improve yourself.
Christ rebuked the Pharisees because they had taken God's Perfect Word and corrupted its meaning and complicated It to a point that NOONE was worthy of being cleansed! God came to earth in flesh incarnate to OVERRULE this hardline approach to salvation! Don't be deceived bretheren! PLEASE don't!

- Clint

(Edited to correct forum name)

[ January 19, 2002: Message edited by: Clint Kritzer ]

 

This is slightly off the main point, but I'm commenting on the remarks about Sept. 11 and whether or not "we" were there handing out tracts and witnessing. You know what, "we" were. And the obnoxious, un-Christlike attitudes Clint is addressing were plainly displayed for non-believers to see and be offended. My youngest brother was there -- he worked just a few blocks away. A few days after the disaster, while attempting to console a friend whose brother was killed that day, one of "us" came up with a tract and proceeded to tell him that now his brother was in hell and did he want to join him there!!!! I was proud of my brother for standing up to that garbage mascarading as "witnessing" and rebuking that person right there on the spot.

You know who was there who truly demonstrated the love of Christ? The ones who were doing the work, manning the food trucks, sharing a shoulder to cry on -- SHOWING God's love, not preaching about hellfire and brimstone and shaking the judgmental fingers of tract-filled hands in the faces of the grieving lost.

Jesus didn't rebuke the prostitutes, adulterers, thieves, etc. He forgave them and loved them, and ate with them and stayed in their homes. The ones Jesus got ANGRY with were the religious leaders, so full of their pomposity and self-righteousness and certainty of their right theology. And lest anyone think that doesn't apply to us, remember that the Word says we shouldn't think more of ourselves than of them because if He cut off the natural branch to graft "us" in He can just as easily cut "us" off and graft the natural branch back in (which is what I believe He will indeed do during the Tribulation -- but that's a whole different theological can of worms.)

-- Danette

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Danette:
This is slightly off the main point, but I'm commenting on the remarks about Sept. 11 and whether or not "we" were there handing out tracts and witnessing. You know what, "we" were. And the obnoxious, un-Christlike attitudes Clint is addressing were plainly displayed for non-believers to see and be offended. My youngest brother was there -- he worked just a few blocks away. A few days after the disaster, while attempting to console a friend whose brother was killed that day, one of "us" came up with a tract and proceeded to tell him that now his brother was in hell and did he want to join him there!!!! I was proud of my brother for standing up to that garbage mascarading as "witnessing" and rebuking that person right there on the spot. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Danette:

Your post mischaracterizes the situation as "either/or" as the only option. Either one is "Christlike" in meeting physical needs of individuals or one is (shudder) "shaking the judgmental fingers of tract-filled hands" at innocent sinners.

The fact of the matter is that many, many people were both serving to meet physical needs, while at the same time witnessing to people that all who are truly tired, weary and grieved may come unto Jesus and they shall receive rest. While there was no doubt some unsympathetic Christians preaching only condemnation, there were also Christians whose hearts were breaking for those grieving, yet still on their way to hell. There is no real gospel without preaching very real condemnation. Real Christlikeness sees Jesus preaching both condemnation and forgiveness to the woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery.

[ January 21, 2002: Message edited by: Chris Temple ]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR> There is no real gospel without preaching very real condemnation. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Condemnation? By Christians? I think the wrong word has been used here! WE cannot condemn anyone. That is the right of the Son of God (John 5: 26-27)!
Repentance comes from the sinning believer CONFESSING his/her sins, not from being told what they are. Judgemental condemnation on the part of the believer is not effective witnessing nor is it Biblical nor is it Christlike.
I am sure there were many effective witnesses at the tragedy on 9-11. The illustration that Danette gave us of an actual event is one that we should rebuke! Look at the parable of the prodigal son or the lost sheep. Bringing someone into the fold of Christianity is a joyous occassion, not a whipping session. On Judgement Day we will each have to go down on our OWN knee and confess our OWN sins before the father. Luckily it will not be someone else standing before God as a prosecutor!
For a good Biblical example of effective witnessing, read the account of Paul in Athens found in Acts 17: 16 - 34.

May God bless you

- Clint

(Edited to supply link)

[ January 22, 2002: Message edited by: Clint Kritzer ]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Clint Kritzer:

Condemnation? By Christians? I think the wrong word has been used here! WE cannot condemn anyone. That is the right of the Son of God (John 5: 26-27)!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm curious Clint what Scriptures you use in witnessing?

Luke 13:3 "I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

John 3:18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Matthew 12:41 "The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

1 John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Ultimate condemnation fo course comes from God, but the Scriptures themselves condemn the lost, and the truth must be preached to them. "He who does not believe is condemned already". There is no gospel without condemnation.

The judgmentless gospel is one of the symptoms of modern evanjellyism which has replaced evangelicalism.

[ January 22, 2002: Message edited by: Chris Temple ]

 

My $.02 :

there is another aspect of ChristLikeness apart from His meekness and kindness with which some/many/most Christians have a problem (myself included) :

Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

HankD

 

Chris -

Thanks for the response. For effective witnessing I tend to use the story of the woman at the well found in John 4 because of the woman's spiritual thirst and her viewed immorality.
I would also use the ever-popular John 3:16.
But primarily, I just use the words that the situation leads me to use. When I converse on this board, I assume I am speaking to professed believers and scripture is an important device for our debates and conversations. When I am talking to a searching non-believer, I use conversation and trust the Holy Spirit for guidance. If the person is receptive, then is the time to look up specific passages.
My whole point in this matter is that we need first to get the person listening, explain that we need to come to faith as a child (Matthew 18: 1 - 3), that the Christian philosophy is not one of "thee's" and "thou's" but is something one carries in their soul.
To be honest Chris, this thread may well be one of the most effective witnesses I have ever been involved with.

May God bless you, sir

- Clint

 

Another effective witnessing story: Philip and the Ethiopian. Acts 8: 26 - 35

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Clint Kritzer:
Chris -

Thanks for the response. For effective witnessing I tend to use the story of the woman at the well found in John 4 because of the woman's spiritual thirst and her viewed immorality.
I would also use the ever-popular John 3:16.
But primarily, I just use the words that the situation leads me to use. When I converse on this board, I assume I am speaking to professed believers and scripture is an important device for our debates and conversations. When I am talking to a searching non-believer, I use conversation and trust the Holy Spirit for guidance. If the person is receptive, then is the time to look up specific passages.
My whole point in this matter is that we need first to get the person listening, explain that we need to come to faith as a child (Matthew 18: 1 - 3), that the Christian philosophy is not one of "thee's" and "thou's" but is something one carries in their soul.
To be honest Chris, this thread may well be one of the most effective witnesses I have ever been involved with.

May God bless you, sir

- Clint<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree with you here Clint. My only warning is to never use John 3:16 without 3:17-19 as well

God bless you as well