Christlike or Not?

[rsc2a]

[quote author=kaba]Jeff Fugate's church has proven that they care about lost souls...

...they have a thriving bus ministry, Christian school, college, VBS, soul winning.[/quote]

These are not necessarily the same thing.

 

[graceandtruth]

Not trying to offend anyone here. But it just seems now a days, people are just out to criticize every little thing. Jeff Fugate's church has proven that they care about lost souls, they have a thriving bus ministry, Christian school, college, VBS, soul winning. Again they were making light of their A/C being stolen NOT someone going to Hell.

Often times church signs are some catchy phrase to catch someones attention. Guess this one caught yours.

It doesn't mean that Jeff is not a good guy with good intentions just because he made a bad choice with this sign.  Non-Christians will definitely not take his sign as a joke.  The good thing is that he could easily fix it whether it was a joke or not by posting "Sorry about last week's sign" on the sign.

 

[Castor Muscular]

Non-Christians will definitely not take his sign as a joke.

So, what?  Is it true or not that thieves will not enter the kingdom of heaven?  So if they remain thieves then it won't be a joke.  I think it works for both audiences. 

Anyway, I still think it was funny, and many are taking it WAY too seriously. 

 

[graceandtruth]

Non-Christians will definitely not take his sign as a joke.

So, what?  Is it true or not that thieves will not enter the kingdom of heaven?  So if they remain thieves then it won't be a joke.  I think it works for both audiences. 

Anyway, I still think it was funny, and many are taking it WAY too seriously.

I don't know if thieves will enter the kingdom but I will ask the thief whose career was ended by crucifixion what he thinks.
It is silly to offend people needlessly (2 Cor. 6:3-4)

 

[Castor Muscular]

I don't know if thieves will enter the kingdom

You should know.

1 Corinthians 6:8-10

8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

 

[graceandtruth]

I don't know if thieves will enter the kingdom

You should know.

1 Corinthians 6:8-10

8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Hey, I already said I would ask the thief whose career was ended by crucifixion if thieves enter into the kingdom.
You have illustrated the underlying thought process that makes it doubtful that his sign was a joke.

 

[Castor Muscular]

Hey, I already said I would ask the thief whose career was ended by crucifixion if thieves enter into the kingdom.
You have illustrated the underlying thought process that makes it doubtful that his sign was a joke.

It was not ended by crucifixion.  If he was still an unrepentant thief, he would not have said what he did to Jesus.  The other thief was still a thief.  You can be guilty of having stolen goods and no longer be a thief.  Check the Greek tense used in 1 Cor 6. 

It was a joke based on a truth, as are many jokes. 

 

[Binaca Chugger]

Our humor often reveals our spirit.  A Christ-like joke would be to place a sign with ref. that read: "Whoever stole our AC units, would you like our cloak also>"  Rather, a spirit of condemnation was revealed by the church, when they essentially told one who had wronged the to go to hell.  Even if the sign was posted in haste and bad decision, we see the initial response of these "Christians" when wronged is to condemn the wrong-doer to hell, which is anything but the Christ-like response of giving your cloak also, forgiveness, love or concern for the souls of men.

Maybe JF didn't post the sign himself and he is a stand-up guy.  However, he is in the leadership and directs the spirit and attitude of his staff or whoever posts the sign.  If the response of his church leadership (those he has led the most and knows his heart the best) is to condemn those who have wronged them, is he really leading people toward Christ?  If not, then how good of a pastor can he really be?

Another thought:  This sign has been around on the internet quite a while.  Like another posted: "He could have put an apology on his sign" if he believed it to be wrong.  However, no apology, ever.  Like so many of his compatriot IFB's, he apparently believes himself to be above error, confession or repentance.  Again, how good of a pastor is that?

 

[Castor Muscular]

Our humor often reveals our spirit.  A Christ-like joke would be to place a sign with ref. that read: "Whoever stole our AC units, would you like our cloak also>" 

I have to admit, I like that one better.

 

[kaba]

You are judging whether he is a good Pastor because of a SIGN you feel is unChristlike?

 

[Binaca Chugger]

You are judging whether he is a good Pastor because of a SIGN you feel is unChristlike?

It is the church's voluntary public testimony to the community, so.......  maybe worth considering.

I get it - don't pass total judgement on one occasion.  However, something this glaring should indicate a problem to anyone not practicing the blind loyalty of the IFBx.

 

[kaba]

I think it is just a lesson on, think twice before you put up the wording on your church sign.