How many Christians are all words and no actions?

JohnB · Aug 15, 2023

1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" I have seen this happen many times in church. Someone has a desperate need and Christians say things like "GOD want you to know you have to depend on him" or "GOD is just testing you to see if you will trust him" The Christian will not lift a finger to help the person. They are all words and no actions.

Oncefallen · Aug 15, 2023

IMO in many of these cases, the biggest problem is the culture that the individual congregation has that allows people to be apathetic to the troubles around them.

To give an example, in the church that I have attended for years, and our parent church prior, if someone in the body is struggling; their community group will jump in and help out immediately. If the problem is bigger than what the community group can attend to they will reach out to the entire church. I have never know of a person in our body to have not had their needs met because the culture of the church is to reach out and help.

Ultimately, from a lifetime of observation, as a church gets bigger people are less connected and it becomes easy to ignore other's struggles because you are not personally involved in their life.

Dino246 · Aug 15, 2023

JohnB said:

It is quite possible that God is saying that He wants you to trust in Him, and people's perceptions of their needs usually are not consistent with their actual needs.

God does occasionally test His people, and it is also possible that He is allowing people to suffer the consequences of their own choices.

It's very easy to look at the surface appearance of a situation and conclude that "Christians are all talk and no action" when there might be a whole lot going on that is not readily apparent. That's why Jesus implores His followers to "make a right judgment".

Ted01 · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

Oops John... it seems like you typed a bunch of words but did not provide us with of video of you in action?

Everlasting-Grace · Aug 16, 2023

depends on how you define christian..

HeIsHere · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" I have seen this happen many times in church. Someone has a desperate need and Christians say things like "GOD want you to know you have to depend on him" or "GOD is just testing you to see if you will trust him" The Christian will not lift a finger to help the person. They are all words and no actions.

A lot.

JohnB · Aug 16, 2023

42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

Interesting, these people are going to hell, not for the sin in their lives, but because they refused to help others, even just a little. This really needs to be preached in churches.

Cameron143 · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”

Interesting, these people are going to hell, not for the sin in their lives, but because they refused to help others, even just a little. This really needs to be preached in churches.

Your last paragraph is false. They, like all who perish, do so because they do not possess eternal life.

seoulsearch · Aug 16, 2023

Dino246 said:

Thank you so much for pointing this out. I think it's far too easy to judge a situation from the outside without knowing what's really going on from every angle (I'm plenty of guilty of this myself.)

I had a very kind-hearted co-worker once who was going through some struggles, but she had even more of a heart towards others who were worse off. I prayed and contemplated helping her with her electric bill once, as I had a little extra that month.

But my co-worker had also told me many stories of a her good friend who was addicted to heroin and struggling. I could have been wrong about this, but I believe God told me not to give her any money because my co-worker would use it to help her friend instead, and the friend would just use it for drugs. I didn't meant that in judgment; I felt God was giving me discernment. So I did not give her anything, and from the outside, I'm sure others would have accused me of doing nothing.

But God has taught me a lot about being careful not to enable someone to continue in their wrong behavior, and that I'm just as guilty if I enable it as when I stand by and do nothing, so I try my best to learn His direction in each case.

Likewise at church, I spent a lot of time serving in the nursery. But I became burnt out and sought other things to try instead -- supporting my former adoption agency, corresponding with and visiting inmates and veterans. These were all ministries outside of my home church, and I found much more fulfillment in this kind of work.

But people at church who didn't know this (which would have been all of them except my closest family and closest mentors) surely would have thought I was a lazy, spiritual mooch who wasn't doing anything to help. (I joined the cleaning team at church rather than work in the nursery, and we worked on days no one was there.)

This is just my own perspective, but I think the best we can all do is what God calls us to, and when we see someone else and say, "But God, what about them? Why aren't they helping?" (I've done this plenty of times too,) all we can do is pray about it and give it over to Him. This seems to be especially common when people see others who aren't helping the exact same way as they are.

I know there are been many times I've thought the same thing about others, and God has pretty much answered me with, "You know, my calling for him/her really isn't your business right now. (And just as Jesus told Peter when he asked what would happen to John, God will say,) You -- just follow Me."

Blade · Aug 16, 2023

How many believers followers of Christ walk by faith and have the works... its so beautiful.

"Interesting, these people are going to hell, not for the sin in their lives, but because they refused to help others, even just a little. This really needs to be preached in churches." Holy Jesus.. forgive us Father.

Praise God we don't get to look into His books. He already died for the sin of the world. "refused to help others" is not written as a unforgiveable sin. Fact everyone here over their life time have not helped the poor like we should other times we have. We are not saved by our righteous deeds.

Your a believer you have the light in you.. now ask to see what He sees not what the enemy sees. Speak words of life.. talk like your Father who calls those things that be not a though they were. He always speaks faith. Faith moves Him. So talk like Him...so those that read all this .. show grace to those that hear.. EPH 4

Cameron143 · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" I have seen this happen many times in church. Someone has a desperate need and Christians say things like "GOD want you to know you have to depend on him" or "GOD is just testing you to see if you will trust him" The Christian will not lift a finger to help the person. They are all words and no actions.

None.

JohnB · Aug 16, 2023

Many years ago when I was involved in a church singles group, they had a pot luck once a month. One time I missed it, I was doing something else in the church that night. After the study I went into the fellowship hall after the singles singles group ended. The singles pastor was very upset and berating the group over the pot luck. He told the group he watched as people came in and few brought in any food. He said, most of you men brought nothing. You only came in here to eat. The pastor noticed me walking in and said, "John this is not about you. I know you bring in great food" I would go out to a sandwich shop and buy a couple of 3 ft sandwiches. I wanted to make sure I had something nice to eat too. It was very embarrassing to see Christians showing up with little to nothing. Paul had an issue with this too and wrote about it. I guess things have not changed in 2000 years.

"
So, my friends, when you come together to the Lord’s Table, be reverent and courteous with one another. If you’re so hungry that you can’t wait to be served, go home and get a sandwich. But by no means risk turning this Meal into an eating and drinking binge or a family squabble. It is a spiritual meal—a love feast. 1 Corin 11: 33 -34

Everlasting-Grace · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

Thats error

They are going to hell because they did nto believe. And because they did nto believe. They were not born again, And because they were not born again, They did nto act like Christ. Because they did not have Christ in them

Everlasting-Grace · Aug 16, 2023

The answer to the OP is non. No true christian is a hearer only.. Only a make believer has no works

JohnB · Aug 16, 2023

Everlasting-Grace said:

So Jesus was wrong? Jesus said why he was casting them out. They did not help anyone, not even a little

Everlasting-Grace · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

No he was not wrong

The people who ARE saved do those things

The people who do not do not

Jesus made it clear in John 3. Whoever believes is not condemned, whoever does not believe is condemned already

Lets not puff ourselves up and think we are better than others..

JohnB · Aug 16, 2023

Everlasting-Grace said:

Yet there are some in the church who will not help anyone, yet believe they are saved. We may be shocked by who we don't see in heaven. Interesting that the church does not consider this a sin.

Everlasting-Grace · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

Well thats between them and God.

We should again not puff ourselves up. There are many make believers..

studentoftheword · Aug 16, 2023

JohnB said:

Jesus here is pointing out False Christians ------and there are many today ------The word Christian is so misused and Abused today ------many claim to be Christians but their hearts are far from God ----

They do good work to elevate their ego -----only ----their motives are wrong in their doing good ------

The wicked can do good works but they glorify themselves Not God in their doing ------

This scripture happens at the end of the tribulation when Jesus comes to separate the Sheep from the Goats ----for the final judgment -----

Matthew 25 NLT

The Final Judgment
31 “But when the Son of Man[d] comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations[e] will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.

JohnB · Aug 16, 2023

Everlasting-Grace said:

so you would not warn others of this?

How many Christians are all words and no actions?

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