Im new to this group! Does the bible say anything about how we should respond to people who don’t believe in God? I usually respond with “ I respect that.”
Discussion
25 comments
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“You’re wrong” Romans 1
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You are to tell them the truth. If they dont care to hear, then you brush the dust off your feet and go to the next person as Christ did..
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sometimes that is because they didnt understand the gospel
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Ask why and speak the truth in love. Know your scriptures and be prepared. Its up to them really, to prove He doesn’t exist
We have enough to show He does. -
Responding with “I respect that” usually earns respect if the person your talking to is mature. With that said, it needs to be followed up, but let the HS dictate how because that varies with every scenario.
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There’s absolutely no reason to respect the reason(s) why atheists reject and hate God.
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By not even taking any stand for the gospel by saying “I respect that” to an atheist who rejects God is being nothing but a stumbling block to them and being an enabler to their hatred. Now that doesn’t mean hammer them with scripture, tell them they’re going to hell, and becoming a complete jerk and belittle them for not believing, that’s not what I’m getting at, but 1 Peter 3:15 commands us to give a defense and reason for why we are followers of Christ and we are to do so WITH A LOVING AND GENTLE ATTITUDE. We are to give a defense for why we believe and know the gospel to be true and warn them of their continual rejection. In essence, when we share the gospel we actually are telling them they are wrong for being atheists without actually saying the words “you are wrong for being an atheist”.
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Speak the truth, but with love.
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So you respect fools?
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I have responded in different ways, from shrug it off , to saying things such as “that is a very arrogant view”. You have to understand who you are talking to. Some will just argue, some may listen and some may simply insult you and walk away. I try not to solicit an adverse reaction.
When it comes to some one that you can have a conversation with with out it turning to hostility, there are things that can be said. One thing is that there are men who are by far smarter than you and I and have put far more thought into it it that we bother together have, and they came to the conclusion that there is in deed God. So you have to be honest with yourself and say that you don’t care if there is God rather than there is no God. Unless you think yourself smarter and more thoughtful on the matter than the myriad of philosophical thinkers that came to the conclusion that there is God. -
You can witness but they may not receive what you are saying. That’s okay One plants another waters but God that gives the increase
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When someone tells me they dont believe, I say that I do believe. I dont start an arguement but I dont deny my belief. If they want to discuss, I discuss. If they insult, I dont return an insult. I walk away and pray for them in private.
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I often ask why. Helps me get into there head.
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Yes. Jesus sent his deciples to spread the word. If they were accepted that was great. But if they weren’t accepted, they were to shake the dust of their sandals in protest. That is an insult in their culture. You were saying “not even the dust of your home is worthy of the bottom of my feet.
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You could ask them what they believe, say that you do believe, and ask if they’re interested in discussing the reasons for each. If they don’t want to then they can simply answer “no” to your question and you can move on. That shows that you respect that it’s their choice. I assume that’s what you’re trying to communicate to them. Rather than you respecting their actual atheism which in itself isn’t something admirable to aspire to if you are convicted of biblical truths. Respecting someone’s self determination, right to make their own choices etc is different to respecting what they choose, and saying “I respect that” to their belief in atheism might not clearly communicate the difference. But good on you for bringing it up with people anyway – how would they hear the good new if someone doesn’t share it 🙂
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Not believing in God does not stop Him from existing. I would ask them what they believe regarding their own existence?
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You might want to change how you respond to a statement like that. Have you ever read in the Bible about Jesus cursing the fig tree that wasn’t bearing any fruit? With an answer like what you usually give, you are that fig tree.
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I understand that you’ve picked up the common kind of talk that you’ve heard pushed at you about equality. But it’s not appropriate for a Christian – do you really respect someone’s decision to hate their own perfectly good Creator? It doesn’t make any sense, and we cannot lie to people just to keep fake peace, see.
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Jesus wants us all to become members of His church, the church OF Christ so we all need to evangelize.
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I never say I respect lies .. I try to respect the person as long as they dont make me lose respect but never the damning lies they believe
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I ask them, why not? Then I listen intently to their answer if they choose to answer. Often discussing the reasons why they don’t offers the opportunity to plant some seeds, water some seeds, and even share the full gospel with them. 🙂
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Yes. Pray and ask are you sure??
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I’ve sometimes wondered how much people that say they don’t believe in God actually believe what they are saying. I have spent years having religious conversations with people. One time years ago, while in Australia, a man tried to have an argument with me over religion. I walked away so as to not be contentious. This man claimed to be an avid atheist. As I walked away I had flashbacks of all the atheists I had met and talked to and then this thought came to me, “I’ve never met an atheist that didn’t hate God.” Now I am not saying that is true of all atheists, but it was true of my experiences with them. There are a lot of good people who claim to be atheists. I think when it is all said and done how we live what we believe will actually hold greater sway than what we believe, and in the end honest character will overrule theological misunderstandings.
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