Sinister? No. I think they think they are doing the 'right thing'. I really do. I'm not certain that their way of doing things, is God's. Though they think it is, that I'm certain of.
Right on, Kathianne!
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No sinister motives, just going off, half-cocked in most cases and not following the best example; the author of their faith, Jesus.
Even Christian's can have motives that aren't entirely pure, as they are weak, leaky, clay vessels that need constant replenishing from above.
I'm sure the big old "P" word "Pride" does motivate many in a way that mimics one who is trying to get new notches on the old gun handle; recording new souls converted/saved. Pride is the biggest faith killer of Christians......as it emanates from a lack of a submissive and contrite, heart condition in respect to their creator's preeminence/Lordship.
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Often the Christians that make the biggest "boo boos" are the newly converted. In their new-found mental, and emotional peace, and release from troubles and guilt, that often comes after conversion, they will desire to share their good fortune with any and all that they come near, and don't realize that this "new" life is more than sharing a new found "happiness". This new gift of life from above, is intended to have access to every aspect of their soul. Unfortunately, when we are first converted, we still have a lot of "old" baggage from the "old" unconverted life that still has a lot of influence from without and within. Often it's that old baggage that inter-mixes with that new life in Christ and taints or rots the whole basket of apples.
If we were a Control Freak before conversion, we don't become a non-Control Freak seconds after conversion. In fact, "control" is the problem in most folks lives.
Anyway, this Control Person will gradually learn through this new converted life in Christ that their old life's ways are not compatible with the New Life of Christ that now resides in their very inner-most soul. There will be inner conflict until there is "surrender" of this need to be in control of everything.
Thats why Apostle Paul wrote so much about the fleshly or carnal life versus the Spiritual life of a Christian. Paul wrote in most of his letters much about why Christians did the unGodly things that they did. He did a lot of teaching, correcting, and disciplining of believers in his day.
The Corinthian Christians were so blessed with Spiritual gifts, yet they totally abused this graciousness from God. They bragged about their spiritualness. They bragged about what teachers they preferred or followed. They even became very lax, and unrespectful of their time of Communion. Even immoral conduct was becoming a problem. They basically slipped into very carnal lives as a church-body of believers.
Though they were very endowed with 'Spirtual gifts from God, Paul called them mere, "babes" in Christ. They were very immature in their Christian "walk". Paul said that love was lacking in their lives..........and that was probably the greatest indictment. Lack of love is indicative of a lack of looking outward at a source of life greater than one's own. Lack of love, is often a sign of self-centered, soulishness.
Soulishness, or self-centeredness is unconverted man's only means of solace, as he lacks any permanent/reliable source to seek or tap into to assuage his problems of life. His only external sources of hope and help are temporal. Temporal means temporary, and that adds to the misery. Introspection leads to more introspection. It basically become a mundane sad routine of sorting and resorting garbage.
Christians find themselves in this trap too. They revert to their old unconverted life's habits to deal with their problems and their blessings too, and lose their original spiritual moorings, or dependence. Instead of giving up and letting God have his way, they try even harder to cope and live-out the Christian life, and fail, and fail, and fail.
Little do they know that their trying and trying has been impeding God from using their life. That is why Paul said, "When I am weak, He is strong. Therefore I will boast in my weaknesses!". This is antithetical to the unconverted and often antithetical to the Christian that has just become converted. It is a learning process for the new Christian. Learning to "wait", rather than "do" is very hard for many Christians.
Thats why folks often get turned-off by Christian evangelism! The unconverted aren't seeing Christ's life in these Christians. They're seeing the same old, same old. All they're getting is a Christianized, secular, motivational lecture. Not hope from above; not love from above; not life from above actually connecting/communicating with them.
Without love, people of faith become cold, selfish, heartless, and then they become just like Pharisees. They have the head knowledge or doctrine, but lack the love or life that was imparted as a gift, not of their own merit, but God's. They become prideful, and have no patience or compassion for anyone that differs from their views of life.
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It's definitely an attitude of the soul. Evangelizm will go far when it's done by Christians that have finally surrendered in their souls to their Lord. Any other motivation or work done may bear limited success, but in the long run, it doesn't please God, and often leaves the unconverted angry, confused, or indifferent about Christianity.
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