ONE thing could ruin your testimony.

[bean]

JT, well put. Or how about doing the right thing even though it is not easy?

(09-15-2011 06:22 PM)J.T. Hurley Wrote:  Even one act of evil in front of a non-believer *can* ruin your testimony with them forever. Catch is, it's based on *their* definition of evil, not yours.

Not smoking? No that impressive. Not repaying evil for evil? They notice.

[co_heir]

I guess if your testimony is that Christians have it all together and never "sin," then one little thing can ruin it. If your testimony is that all of us need grace, and that God gives it freely to all who come to him, then there's not a whole lot we can do to ruin our testimony. Unless we try to pretend that we're perfect.

[beensetfree]

(09-15-2011 09:08 PM)co_heir Wrote:  I guess if your testimony is that Christians have it all together and never "sin," then one little thing can ruin it. If your testimony is that all of us need grace, and that God gives it freely to all who come to him, then there's not a whole lot we can do to ruin our testimony. Unless we try to pretend that we're perfect.

Amen.

[pastor's wife]

(09-15-2011 09:02 AM)beensetfree Wrote:  The other day I was warned by PW that "one little thing could cost your whole testimony with an unsaved person."

You scared me for a minute there! I thought you meant ME! (Sometimes people refer to me as PW on this blog.)

I think a big part of the picture in thinking about one's testimony before the world is what motivates us. When we have a huge list of do's and don't's, our motivation is often guilt and fear (or pride as we seek to prove ourselves better than others). Biblically, though, our motivation should be love - love for God and love for others. Then we'll be peaceful, gentle, kind, humble, and joyful. And THAT'S a greater testimony than never letting anyone see you wear pants or walk into a movie theater.

Quote:But a life that is lived from a true saving fear of the LORD is not sequestered. And for me includes enjoying a fine wine with my heathen in-laws, listening to Johnny Cash, and enjoying the beach . It also includes raising my daughter in the Faith , praying for my husband's family and his salvation and living my life in light of who I am as a baptised believer in Christ. I don't think there is a conflict in these things. God has given many gifts we can enjoy responsibly; indeed, we Christians are freest to use them as intended.

Absolutely. I agree, and it's so wonderful to be able to agree and to not have a long list of things I must DO or NOT DO to be accepted or right with God, the way my IFB church taught me.

And maybe if an unbeliever sees me doing something that they think Christians don't do, they might ask: "Hey, why are you watching this movie, drinking that, wearing that, etc.?" and you can explain how your faith rests in what CHRIST has done for us not on what we do.

[beensetfree]

(09-18-2011 02:43 PM)pastors wife Wrote:  You scared me for a minute there! I thought you meant ME! (Sometimes people refer to me as PW on this blog.)

You give PW's a good reputation, thankfully. Thanks for your reply. Isn't it wonderful, that Jesus really sets us free to serve Him in love and give to others. The Lutheran doctrine of vocation really helped me see it this way. I want to hear it at church but it so rarely happens.
I'm really having a tough time deciding what to do because there are no church options here. I've been praying for months for the church and Pastor and have tried to fellowship as believers.
Tonight my daughter said "mecachis en la mar" 3 times in sunday school. Here they toss it out like nothing and it can be considered mildly offensive. The PW took me outside and wanted to let me know about it, which I do appreciate. I'm not so much broken hearted over my daughter swearing, I've told her before it doesn't sound nice but hadn't heard it in a long time. I was really more bothered by the PW's rebuke of it. Though she did preface it with an understanding "she doesn't know what she's saying". Here was the rebuke, "I've heard believers use this phrase before but it's probably not something a really STRONG believer would/should do." And there is the gradient, the slippery slope that I keep trying to ignore.
Couple that with the Pastor's 20 minute emphasis on accepting Jesus into your heart and making Him LORD and Savior and believing with your heart and not just your head.... and Jesus pretty much became second to all of it. I sinned today even though I know Jesus died for my sins but no one at church likes to reassure me and quite frankly it seems like they'd rather not know. And no communion to boot.
This is the advice I get,"you'll get more conservative as time goes on" "I personally don't watch movies with cursing," " One little thing could ruin your testimony" During my marital troubles:"Divorce is not an option. Just make sure your giving him s*x." About my daughter's confession of belief in Christ:"Let's just wait to see if there is any change in her first."
They're incredibly nice people, I'm totally flummoxed.
So, got any PW words of wisdom. If not, prayers welcomed too.

[Naomi]

(09-18-2011 03:57 PM)beensetfree Wrote:  They're incredibly nice people, I'm totally flummoxed.

Please don't get sucked into the Bob Jones world. They are very nice people. But they are sincerely (and dangerously) wrong. They really do believe that if you are the right kind of Christian doing things the right way, that you will be just like them. It's just their "personal" conviction, mind you, but you better hold it sooner or later. If you're right with God, of course.

And wow, worst marriage advice ever. But typical for them.

I believe they have a small God, a god who isn't powerful enough to choose to save people unless they work really hard for it, a god who can't control God's reputation without the right kind of Christians being perfect in front of everyone all the time (thus the testimony 'issues' of your daughter), a god who didn't really mean it when God said all your sins (even the future ones, from your perspective) were totally covered, and a god who can't allow disagreement of doctrine or lifestyle among people who follow God. The burden just isn't easy for them (it's a lot of Keswick theology).

As far as another church, would it be possible to have an informal meeting with Christians in your area? Or do the "church of the internet" and find a good pastor to listen to online? Are there any churches nearby that might be a denomination you'd normally never go to that are led by someone that you could agree with (and who was accepting of your different opinions)?

[oneflewoutofthecuckcoosnest]

Did Jesus have a good testimony?

It seems to me he was accused of being a drunkard and friend of sinners. I guess he shouldn't have been feasting and drinking with all those sinful people. Maybe more people would have got saved.

[MrsSarahN]

(09-18-2011 02:43 PM)pastors wife Wrote:  And maybe if an unbeliever sees me doing something that they think Christians don't do, they might ask: "Hey, why are you watching this movie, drinking that, wearing that, etc.?" and you can explain how your faith rests in what CHRIST has done for us not on what we do.

I LOVE that.

My mom used to rag on me because I would go to lunch "alone" sometimes with a couple of my male coworkers. She thought it would ruin my testimony. I have yet to this day been able to figure out what bad idea people would get from seeing 1 girl and 3 guys eating lunch together on a weekday in business-casual? I guess they would immediately assume we were having foursomes every day after work or in the janitor's closet? =P

[Waldo L]

(09-18-2011 11:52 PM)MrsSarahN Wrote:  

(09-18-2011 02:43 PM)pastors wife Wrote:  And maybe if an unbeliever sees me doing something that they think Christians don't do, they might ask: "Hey, why are you watching this movie, drinking that, wearing that, etc.?" and you can explain how your faith rests in what CHRIST has done for us not on what we do.

I LOVE that.

My mom used to rag on me because I would go to lunch "alone" sometimes with a couple of my male coworkers. She thought it would ruin my testimony. I have yet to this day been able to figure out what bad idea people would get from seeing 1 girl and 3 guys eating lunch together on a weekday in business-casual? I guess they would immediately assume we were having foursomes every day after work or in the janitor's closet? =P

I don't see what's wrong with it either. I think sometimes that fundies have such repressed feelings that they think everything is related to se><. I think someone else said around here, "They hypersexualize everything."

edit: Maybe they would think it's polygamy, or whatever the inverse is?

[Annie Moose]

Polyandry, I believe. I think technically polygamy is a gender-neutral term, though, but I'm not sure what the multiple-wives version's called.