How do/could or should Christians respond?

[iamowen]

Cearphilly if I could spell it right !

[XianPugilist]

and the atheist /agnostic/unbeliever are part of the "world " so in the economy(cosmos) of the earth where satan is still the prince

1Jo 3:5A You know that He appeared in order to take away sins;...

If only he hadn't failed, eh? That Prince, Satan, is one tough dude.

[XianPugilist]

Under the blood, there is no condemnation and all things work to the good giving the believer the grace to grow in rest.

Rom 8:1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. NASB

Your paraphrase was a bit off. Not trying to be ticky tack, but it's a very important verse.
If "under the blood" was all, then the people in 1 john 1 wouldn't have needed a mediator to confess to, when they sinned. 1 john 1:8-10. And we know that JOHN was actually in fellowship with GOD, and walked in the light as HE did. So John was in the light, but the recipients who weren't in fellowship were not and still needed a mediator.

[canny]

It is usual when you walk into a room to introduce yourself, or someone introduce you,,, pop into new members and say Hi to everyone.

[XianPugilist]

Religion is IRRELEVANT.

Amen, gal 5:6 theology means nothing but FAITH EXPRESSING (working) itself through love.
Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.

That is why the church in the west is in such a mess. We are not called to talk about or prove religion.

Oh Wow! DEAD ON! WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE IT AND BE SEEN LIVING IT AND EXERCISING IT IN OUR LIVES!

We are to promote/ preach Christ crucified and be witnesses to Jesus Christ. People can argue about belief systems or interpretations of the Bible. They can not disagree with a person experience of Christ.

Oooooooo we were doing good til here!

While there are definitely many who are called to preach, in the big scheme of the Church it was a lot more doing, than preaching, is what we find in the Bible.

The very word AGAPAO/LOVE/CHARITY requires that we are working. love without demonstration is phileo not agapao.

I think the Bible says it best, as Paul wrote to Ephesia, the purpose of the church is to prepare it's members to do good works, through which they grow in unity and knowledge of Christ, until they become perfect, or mature, or complete, or finished, as much as Christ was. As fully and completely as Christ was. It's through works. that is the purpose you were saved for good works. Not everyone is to evangelize. Some, perhaps, no no, definitely MOST were saved to LOVE/WORK with neighbors.

NASB> EPH 4: 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the [fn4] saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the [fn5] knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature [fn6] which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

NASB> Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

One of the biggest problems in the Church today is they talk TOO much. They try to legislate their faith. Rather than getting involved with the nastiness of loving their neighbor and helping them to make better decisions, we try to post on bill boards and legislate behavior. Instead of screaming why Gay's can't marry, why not solve the problem the Gay's face that makes them want to use the word marriage? Matthew 5 says we are to be perfect like God is perfect. That verse, misquoted or misrepresented as it most often is, says that we should LOVE just like GOD did, who provided even for His enemies. It doesn't say that God loved them, so sent people to knock on their doors and preach at them, until they gave up and surrendered.

I'm not taking away from the evangelistic duty of the Church. But let those with that gift perform their gift. Most of us are going to find a job just loving our neighbors. Especially when we find out that the LOVE talked about requires us to engage and live life with them.

bd.

[canny]

I'm not taking away from the evangelistic duty of the Church. But let those with that gift perform their gift. Most of us are going to find a job just loving our neighbors. Especially when we find out that the LOVE talked about requires us to engage and live life with them.

This is reality, it is so much harder than writing reams to prove it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it's tough out there !

[XianPugilist]

Really? Interesting, so in that new members room, I can find a comment from everyone and get to know them before hand, GREAT!

[canny]

Really? Interesting, so in that new members room, I can find a comment from everyone and get to know them before hand, GREAT!

No, you can introduce yourself to the community tho and gives others a chance to welcome you
welcome by the way.

[XianPugilist]

No, you can introduce yourself to the community tho and gives others a chance to welcome you
welcome by the way.

Heh. and you played along. Gotta love that!

Tis done Ms. Canny.

Which your name by the way, hints at witchery. Do the ultra conservative members give you a hard time? Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live, afterall. :P

Canny in the sense of knowing, was a term referring to the "knowledge" of the herb witches, the diviners, etc.... Of course I pick the most poignant possible definition of your name to poke atcha.

[canny]

Ah, I have a lot of the gypsy in me my friend, and a third eye that is not blind to a bit of banter

I have a spirit guide too.
But I never use a medium,,, always a large