Should a Christian have non-Christian friends? - In the world, but not of the world?

[St. SteVen]

A follow-up somewhat to my previous topic:

Life in the Tribal Bubble - The unReal world?

Religious institutions, particularly the churches of Christianity, provide a sanitized sterile environment. A bit like a petri dish in a lab, in which church culture can safely grow. But, tribe members don't live in the bubble. So they have to travel outside eventually. They may surround...

www.christianityboard.com

It seems that many Christians,
in the interest of not being OF the world
have made themselves not IN the world.

Discussion questions:
- Do you have any non-Christian friends?
- If so, how do you maintain a balance?
- If not, how do you maintain a balance?
- Do non-Christians view you as a relevant human?

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[Lambano]

If I had friends, would I be spending all my time on an internet forum?

 

[amadeus]

A follow-up somewhat to my previous topic:

Life in the Tribal Bubble - The unReal world?

Religious institutions, particularly the churches of Christianity, provide a sanitized sterile environment. A bit like a petri dish in a lab, in which church culture can safely grow. But, tribe members don't live in the bubble. So they have to travel outside eventually. They may surround...

www.christianityboard.com

It seems that many Christians,
in the interest of not being OF the world
have made themselves not IN the world.

Discussion questions:
- Do you have any non-Christian friends?
- If so, how do you maintain a balance?
- If not, how do you maintain a balance?
- Do non-Christians view you as a relevant human?

[

Christian friends are hard to come by. Acquaintances are all around me. What must I do and what must they do in order to achieve friendship?

Pr 18:24

A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

As @Lambano has already indicated, why is it that we, he and I also, spend so much time on this forum?

In the most busy of times for me I had few real friends offline. Now I have only one left and he is far away.
What friend is it that sticketh closer than a brother? I have four natural brothers, and even the closest one [geographically] is also very far away.

 

[St. SteVen]

In the most busy of times for me I had few real friends offline. Now I have only one left and he is far away.
What friend is it that sticketh closer than a brother? I have four natural brothers, and even the closest one [geographically] is also very far away.

That's why heaven will be a BIG happy family reunion.

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[amadeus]

That's why heaven will be a BIG happy family reunion.

[

A better place is where we hope to be...

 

[St. SteVen]

In the fear of not being OF the world
have Christians made themselves not IN the world?

Discussion questions:
- Do you have any non-Christian friends?
- If so, how do you maintain a balance?
- If not, how do you maintain a balance?
- Do non-Christians view you as a relevant human?

[

 

[Ritajanice]

To be honest, I have non Christian friend...just lately I’m finding our friendship very difficult....we have very little in common,she’s disabled and I help her a lot, she can be extremely moody as well.

Her family only live down the road, why ami taking on their/ her responsibility.theres the question?

I have prayed to God about her,I feel she’s dragging me down. Maybe I need to post this in the prayer section.

Some people @St. SteVen we must let go of, they stop us from growing? Imo.what say you.

 

[St. SteVen]

Some people @St. SteVen we must let go of, they stop us from growing? Imo.what say you.

Yes. If the relationship is poison, there is no hope of a positive outcome.
Unless God does something to turn it around. I have had to walk away from relationships in the past.

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[Ritajanice]

Yes. If the relationship is poison, there is no hope of a positive outcome.
Unless God does something to turn it around. I have had to walk away from relationships in the past.

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It’s not poison ,Brother, she just seems to expect a lot from me.. I’m praying about it, x

 

[St. SteVen]

It’s not poison ,Brother, she just seems to expect a lot from me.. I’m praying about it, x

Sounds like you may need to set some boundaries.
What can she expect and what is too much.
Learn to say "No."

It helps to get your things on a calendar so that you aren't ALWAYS available.

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[Wrangler]

It seems that many Christians,
in the interest of not being OF the world
have made themselves not IN the world.

I've noticed that too. Very painful.

The way I parse it is being overly spiritualized while neglecting soulful needs.

- Do you have any non-Christian friends?

Yes,

- If so, how do you maintain a balance?
- If not, how do you maintain a balance?

You did not define what balance you are talking about. Friendship is based on common interest. No one needs to have every interest in common. I play Pickleball with one friend. He rides motorcycles and flies model planes. I don't. I read and backpack. He doesn't.

Our friendship is balanced by the overlap of common interests.

- Do non-Christians view you as a relevant human?

Some Christians don't even view me as a relevant human being.

 

[Ritajanice]

Sounds like you may need to set some boundaries.
What can she expect and what is too much.
Learn to say "No."

It helps to get your things on a calendar so that you aren't ALWAYS available.

[

Brother, I believe after reading your posts, the Lord asked me to phone her, as I believe she has gotten to familiar with me, does that make sense?

I must be truthful and honest with her..she’s out at the moment, when she gets back, we will then have a heart to heart..praying that God leads me...I must be honest from my heart.

 

[Ritajanice]

Some Christians don't even view me as a relevant human being.

What does this mean,wrangler?

 

[Ritajanice]

It helps to get your things on a calendar so that you aren't ALWAYS available.

What a great idea.thanks.

 

[Wrangler]

I’m finding our friendship very difficult....we have very little in common

Time to move on.

Back in high school I was pretty tight with a cross country teammate. After high school, we just didn’t have enough in common to maintain the relationship.

No relationship ending argument, just grew apart. This is life. People come in to your life for a season. Tyler Perry has a great skit on this about branches of a tree.

 

[Wrangler]

What does this mean,wrangler?

Some use doctrine as a litmus test.

 

[Wrangler]

on their/ her responsibility.theres the question?

I have prayed to God about her,I feel she’s dragging me down.

Friend. Charity case. Not the same.

Give until it feels good, not until it hurts.

 

[Ritajanice]

Friend. Charity case. Not the same.

Give until it feels good, not until it hurts.

She’s coming round soon, to have a good chat.. I think we have both gotten to familiar with each other.which I know is not good.

 

[amigo de christo]

It’s not poison ,Brother, she just seems to expect a lot from me.. I’m praying about it, x

You are also being shown WHY we cannot be unequally yoked together .
WE can be kind and can help and do good to others
but we cannot be unequally yoked with them .
Their desires are not our desires . just as water and oil cannot be joined
nor can a beleiver and an unbeliever be joined . Friendship with the world is enmity with GOD
We can be kind , we can do good , but we cannot be unequally yoked with them .

 

[Wrangler]

She’s coming round soon, to have a good chat.. I think we have both gotten to familiar with each other.which I know is not good.

Familiarity breeds contempt.