Compassionate Christians - hah!

[bevin]

I didn't want to hi-jack the Crash movie thread, so opened this instead...

Quote:

We get harden-up so our compassion level for others in suffering hinders our impulse to offer a helping hand.

Sadly we have reached a point where christians are not compassionate. There are very few of us on the streets in the ambulances and the police cars.

Going to church acts as a salve on the conscience - and teaches NOT actually acting compassionately, just talking about it.

/Bevin

[Dr. Shane]

If someone isn't compassionate, then he or she isn't a Christian.

"And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." Mateo 9:35, 36

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." Philp 2:3, 4

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it." 1 Peter 3:8-11

"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 1 John 3:10

"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" 1 John 3:17

"And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." 1 John 2:23

"No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." 1 John 4:12

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?" 1 John 4:20

[Gerr]

I know what you mean. I related about someone in real need here in the forum. No one helped.

When I am temped to steel myself against someone asking for help, I tell myself, how can God listen to my plea for help when I won't listen to the plea of someone in need?

Gerry

[Gail]

Good points!

[Norman Byers, N.D.]

Hi Bevin,

Quote:

Sadly we have reached a point where christians are not compassionate.

I don't agree entirely. I would say that not all people who call themselves Christians are compassionate. There are still many compassionate Spirit filled Christians.

Also, the Pharisees did not see Christ as compassionate. They saw Him as a law breaker, a friend of publicans and sinners, a glutonous wine bibber etc.... An enemy of a Christian will not see a Christian as comapssionate.

Quote:

There are very few of us on the streets in the ambulances and the police cars.

That doesn't speak well for those profession then. Christians are not called to be law enforcement types. What you do is great; why there are not more Christians doing that I don't know, everyone has their calling I guess.

Quote:

Going to church acts as a salve on the conscience - and teaches NOT actually acting compassionately, just talking about it.

The purpose for going to church is supposed to be to worship God and gather together with His children to share our experiences and strengthen each other. SS should be a time of outreach but that rarely happens. The sermon should be 20 minutes and the rest of the Sabbath day should be spent ministering to others. That happens in some cases but not many, at least not what I have seen.

There is a lot of talking and not enough love motivated action to reach out to those in need. Denise and I are busy every Sabbath and when we can we are visiting during the week. We have a dead church only in that we are not doing anything as a group. Separately, just about everyone is doing something. I wish that would change and we could start a ministry together. But everyone is "so busy"

Norman