Despite or Because?

[Bravus]

It's not a direct quote, but I'll understand if it breaks the rules here and the thread is deleted.

I often hear comments like "He's a nasty piece of work, although he's a Christian".

I hear it so often, though, that I feel as though the automatic assumption that being a Christian means being a good or nice person no longer really holds.

Of course, a huge number of Christians are good and/or nice. But the automatic assumption...? I'm not so sure.

(This is not about pointing fingers at others: I'm all too aware three point back at me. As a Christian, am *I* good and nice?)

[Outta Here]

It took me 30 years to shake off that automatic assumption. To me now, the assumption is a Christian is aware of the dichotomy between good and evil; he aims for the good while often missing the mark.

[Tom Wetmore]

Aubrey, good point, I think.  But in the trying, results should matter.  

A number of surveys/studies have suggested rather strongly that Christians aren't succeeding all that well at being so different when it comes to a significant number of ills and defects that plague humanity.  We have often heard that the marriage failure rate for example is no better and perhaps a bit worse than the rest of the population.  I think there are a number of other social ills with similar statistical results.  We as Adventists have mistakenly assumed that our success in overcoming such things should be better with our superior grasp of the Truth, being God's peculiar people and all that.  But that is not so.   

But more to the point of the OP, one would think this a far more simple cause and effect result of living by the creed of the One from whom we derive our religious ID.  Love one another. Even our enemies.  Turn the other cheek.  Go the extra mile.  The golden rule.  Exercise humility. Be kind. Especially to those who need an act of kindness or that really can't pay it back. This sort of behavior is so much in our control to make it happen. 

Do we eventually at least miss the mark less often?

[Gail]

Good question!

[GayatfootofCross]

Tom Wetmore,

I like what you said and I can't pin down all these thoughts and experiences in my own walk to chime in...but doing a lot of thinking cause of what you said.

[debbym]

I  know when i spend more time in meditation and prayer, and letting jesus touch my thinking and my motives... that i am different...     and when i don't my thorns  cut those around me easily too easily.

i need a miracle to be a representative of heaven.

am i about me, or am I about Jesus, this is the question.....

this is a hurting dying world in need desperately in need of the life giving kindness, patience, mercy... and strength of Jesus.

i am selfish, deeply selfish and that is all those around me will read written upon my being... unless heaven writes something better.

[aka]

Debby, you blessed me with the words of your message here.

There is much truth in what you typed.

It's worth reading again and again while meditating on what was written.

To you I give a smile and hug from me... the one who has only one identity but clothed in multiple aka's. 

[Joel Melashenko]

I'm beginning to realize that the knowledge of 'the truth' will likely only have superficial results compared to knowing and allowing 'the Truth' to live within us, and change us in a way where we are different in how we respond to day to day living.  

[aka]

Spot on, Joel. Knowing as we do that Jesus is "the Truth" we gradually come to see that knowledge is not 'truth' in most cases. You said rightly how when The Truth lives within us we behave according to The Truth's values and and thusly interact with the people and enviroment we are moving in.