known criminal, murderer, sex offender welcome?

So if one of these folks came into your congregation how would they be treated if their past was known?

So if one of these folks came into your congregation how would they be treated if their past was known?

According to Christians in America today, yes, that will be allowed.

But refugees are NOT welcome

All who repent from past sin and live in the Holy Spirit are fellow members of the Body of Christ. Do not look to condemn anyone for we have received mercy to be shared with all others. Avoic all who are unrepentent.

So if one of these folks came into your congregation how would they be treated if their past was known?

According to Christians in America today, yes, that will be allowed.

But refugees are NOT welcome

We are taught when a brother, or anyone for that mattr, continues to be unrepentent after sufficient instruction and/or admonishment we are t treat the person as an unbeliever.

There have been several individuals in my walk who knew my stance in Jesus, Yeshua, yet after much discussion and sharing were yet unrepentent. One in particular was gathering people from a nearby high school to perform a black mass "against" me. Othrs were equally happily in the darkness. I stopped dealing with them after a few months. I pray for all.

So if one of these folks came into your congregation how would they be treated if their past was known?

So if one of these folks came into your congregation how would they be treated if their past was known?

Welcomed, yes, but why are they there? Isn’t the local assembly made up of believers? The gospel may not be given and what they hear should sound a bit strange to them.

The local assembly should go out and preach the gospel and invite anyone who gets saved to the local assembly to grow in the word of truth.

Only they know why they are there, its not our job to judge their motives but instead be a light to the world, and they are part of the world.

At the same time, they may have evil motives that should not be overlooked.

This is a problem I think. A lot of people see church as a country club for good behavior, and that we should exclude anyone who might disrupt our party, when in reality the unruly are exactly who Jesus was trying to reach and went to the cross to save. This includes every one of us, none of us are better in our own flesh than anyone else.

Mark 2:15-17 English Standard Version (ESV)

15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of[a] the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat[b] with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”



It seems to me that there is a lot of self righteous "I'm better than them" sorta stuff that goes on. It reminds me so much of the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18



Luke 18:9-14 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”


We are not better, but the difference is that we look to Jesus for our righteousness and not our own. We should always allow for ANYONE to have the exact same privilege. If we don't then we start acting like we are the gatekeepers to heaven instead of Jesus by letting in who we feel are good enough.

When though is "sufficient instruction and/or admonishment" are we not supposed to be patient as God is patient with all? It took me 40 years to come to God, what if God wasn't patient with me? God would forgive someone living in sin all the way up to death, shouldn't we stand ready and willing to continue to guide and instruct these people patiently. I don't mean to follow them around, but to always be welcoming. I can understand someone whos behavior might be boldly disruptive or dangerous might be asked to leave until their behavior improves.