Just my two cents...

[Varmit]

And that is exactly why we will not talk about this.

Well...whatever, I was just answering your question.

[Patriot]

Patriot, those are definite possibilities.  I know that I have in the past, and to some extent still do, suffer from a bit of both of those.  I know that sometimes its hard to witness, at least for me, because the conversation leds to an area that I'm not sure of and I don't want to get it wrong.  And then again, sometimes you don't want to come across the wrong way.  Thats probably the hardest part for me, I don't have very many "sugar coating" skills.

We all miss the mark at times.  I would say, however,  that sugar coating isn't a prerequisite for training, correction, reproof or exhortation.  I have found that unvarnished (read: uncoated) truth is often more effective!  Sugar coating brings to mind the drawing in of teachers who will 'scratch tickling ears', and that would be what's wrong in so many 'churches' these days. No?

[Patriot]

Would you say more about  "theological exegetical"  Thanks.

Even better, read this article.....

http://www.crivoice.org/reading.html

[Diane Amberg]

 Patriot, I have read the Bible... a lot. I even still have the one from when I was Baptized. Excuse me when I say this, but I still get the creeps when I think about a couple of those fine "saved" righteous, pious people who turned out to be the worst kind of molester, who got every one's confidence and exploited it..And my poor girlfriend from long ago who I've mentioned before, who took it all so seriously she got to the point where she couldn't make as simple a decision as picking cereal for her kids breakfast unless she could find a scripture to justify it.  She finally had a complete break down and ended up in the hospital. Her girls turned to drugs for comfort and her husband finally took them and left for good. I don't admit to hating people but that preacher I surely did hate . His answer to everything was to get down and pray more,more, more. Beg for forgiveness. Keep doing it over and over.  It got her nothing. The good people at the hospital were finally able, with another compassionate ministers help, and a good psychiatrist and counselor to get her head back on again. I haven't seen her in years. Very rare I know but sad just the same.

[Varmit]

I agree.  But even I'll admit that, at times, I come across a little harsh.  Not real good at easing into a subject, tend to just jump in with both feet.

[srkruzich]

Patriot, those are definite possibilities.  I know that I have in the past, and to some extent still do, suffer from a bit of both of those.  I know that sometimes its hard to witness, at least for me, because the conversation leds to an area that I'm not sure of and I don't want to get it wrong.  And then again, sometimes you don't want to come across the wrong way.  Thats probably the hardest part for me, I don't have very many "sugar coating" skills.

Well it doesn't need sugar coating but you also can't run over them like a freight train either.

As far as humanitarianism, Uhmm It was a part of the church.  Christ started it.  Now, before christ witnessed to the people, before he took care of their spiritual needs, he met their physical needs first.   He healed the sick then ministered to them, fed the hungry then ministered.   Once he met needs then the spiritual came.  This was carried along in the true New Testament Church.  Now as far as Dianes idea of how the church was a fellowship and moved and ect, the New testament church christ started is still today the same new testament church it was 2000 years ago.  Around 300 bc i think it was the catholic church fell into apostacy, and the NT church was attacked by them.  It went underground for many hundreds of years til luther.   The NT church included montanist, anabaptist, to todays groups of amish, mennonites, baptists, and a few other smaller ones.  

[Patriot]

Patriot, I have read the Bible... a lot. I even still have the one from when I was Baptized. Excuse me when I say this, but I still get the creeps when I think about a couple of those fine "saved" righteous, pious people who turned out to be the worst kind of molester, who got every one's confidence and exploited it..And my poor girlfriend from long ago who I've mentioned before, who took it all so seriously she got to the point where she couldn't make as simple a decision as picking cereal for her kids breakfast unless she could find a scripture to justify it.  She finally had a complete break down and ended up in the hospital. Her girls turned to drugs for comfort and her husband finally took them and left for good. I don't admit to hating people but that preacher I surely did hate . His answer to everything was to get down and pray more,more, more. Beg for forgiveness. Keep doing it over and over.  It got her nothing. The good people at the hospital were finally able, with another compassionate ministers help, and a good psychiatrist and counselor to get her head back on again. I haven't seen her in years. Very rare I know but sad just the same.

Bad, bad situation which proves my point exactly:  "...a couple of those fine "saved" righteous, pious people who turned out to be the worst kind of molester..."  Not Christians at all and, in all likelihood, improperly 'tolerated' by others when righteous judgment of them would have ferreted out their weak character earlier on.  Read Matthew 23 for emphasis on piety & false righteousness and how Jesus saw it.  Tolerance leads to complacency, and complacency can lead to ruin. 

Now, can you forgive and leave condemnation of those fools to the One who said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay."?

That Bible you say you read gives lots of instruction about properly judging and dealing with unbelievers.  Look out for wolves in sheeps clothing.

[Diane Amberg]

Personally, I forgave long ago and believe me it wasn't easy. But then to have a couple of people suggest that I'm not a Christian because I don't quite fit THEIR idea of a Christian. GRRRRR .I only have two cheeks. Well, the ones on my face anyway. I've got to go get cleaned up for bed. I have a 15 year old Spanish exchange student coming to visit the fire house tomorrow morning. He thinks he wants to be a firefighter some day and he's all excited about seeing American firefighters and all the apparatus.

[Patriot]

Well it doesn't need sugar coating but you also can't run over them like a freight train either.
 

I would agree in most situations.  There are, however, times when a hammer is called for.  By way of example look at Paul's approach to the church at Corinth when one of their members was sleeping with his father's wife..  Paul was quite direct.  Like a freight train I would suggest.  As was Christ with the money changers in the temple. And, on occasion with his own disciples.

As for humanitarian care, you are right on.  A starving unbeliever is not likely too concerned about the condition of his spirit in eternity.  But let us not ever forget that his/her spiritual condition is eternal.  Hunger is only temporal.  If we feed, we feed for the day. If we teach, we feed for a lifetime.

[Wilma]

It seems to me that Christianity is something that should be lived.  A Christian's way of life is all the witness that is needed.  You can spot a real Christian just by the way they conduct themselves.  Their sharing of their beliefs shouldn't be necessary.  Their actions speak for themselves.  One of the biggest influences in my life was the old couple that lived next door to us during my formative years.  They accepted me and my tomboyish behavior and because they did, I tried hard to be the kind of person they liked.  They were true Christians.

One day when I was working income tax, a couple came in that immediately made me feel good, even before they said a word.  There was such an aura about them, you just wanted to be with them.  As I worked their taxes I realized that these people were true Christians, just by the things I found in their records.  Days later, their daughter came in and she had the same aura.  I asked her if she knew these people and she told me that they were her parents.

All the words in the world and all the preaching and sharing of beliefs isn't going to make a person a true Christian.  It has to come from inside the person and has to be true, not just from the mouth.  Somewhere in the Bible, God tells us to not stand on the street corner and proclaim to the world what a good Christian we are.  Rather we are to do our praying in private.  I wish I could remember the rest of that because I don't want to take the time to look it up now.