Bible Cherry-Picking: Non-Believers and "Sinners"

Keep away from them, yet witness to them? Jesus says to witness among nations, yet the New Testament also says to "have nothing to do with them," (2 Timothy 3). This is relating to, of course, non-believers, people who sin, people who reject God, people who are selfish, etc. The Bible clearly states to have nothing to do with them, to not engage in harmful querrels, to be a peaceful teacher, to be equally yoked (in friendship and in marriage), yet to witness to them, love them, and spread God's word. How can you both stay away from someone, yet witness to them?

THE VERSES I PROVIDED ARE NOT THE ONLY VERSES THAT SAY THIS. I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE VERSES THAT TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT FRANKLY, YOU CAN JUST GO FIND THEM BY READING THE WHOLE NEW TESTAMENT OR GOOGLIN'! :) YES, I USED THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, GET OVER IT. I ALSO HAVE A BIBLE THAT HAS FOUR DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS IN IT THAT SAY PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING. :) :) :)

Verses I talked about. You can read them in context if you want:

-2 Timothy 3: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+3&version=NIV
-2 Thessalonians 3:6: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Thessalonians+3%3A6-15&vers... (also, verse 14 says: "Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer."
-2 Timothy 2:23-26: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Timothy+2%3A23-26&version=NIV
-2 Corinthians 6:4:http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+6%3A14&version=NIV
-James 1:22: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A22-24&version=NIV
-Matthew 28: 19-20: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+28%3A19-20&version=NIV
Jesus' Commandments (that don't at all sound like what Paul writes): http://www.hallvworthington.com/Scripture_Grouping/commands.html

HERE'S PARALELL VERSES FOR YOU KNIT-PICKY PEOPLE:

Thess: http://bible.cc/2_thessalonians/3-6.htm
Timothy: http://biblebrowser.com/2_timothy/3-1.htm
^^^^(Any other questions about context or translation, just go to biblebrower and type in the verse and there will be buttons above it that say "context" and/or "parallel". If you click on the parallel, it will give you different translations to each verse, and if you click "context" it will give you the verse in context).

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and friend me on skype. The name is Fruitikay.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Bible
• Christianity
• God
• Theology
• Biblical
• Cherry-Picking
• Fruitikay
• Christians
• churches
• church
• Protestant
• Catholic
• atheists
• agnosticism
• nontheism
• theist
• community
• commentary
• talking
• discussion
• Paul
• Jesus
• nonbelievers
• cherries
• fruit
• was
• raised
• Christian
• lulz
• don't
• make
• stereotypes
• about
• who
• am
• yo
• philosophy
• inspirational
• video log
• religion

[darkcabaret343]

Hmm. Are you the kind of Atheist who thinks it is probable that no God exists? or the kind that claims some kind of Pomp Omniscience that there is no God and that all theists are wrong?

[fruitikay]

@darkcabaret343 I lack a belief in a God. Theists make the claim he is real, and I refuse to accept that claim.

[yayzu]

As a deconversion, I'd say an evangelical christian would respond with a loose 'context' argument. Witness to the unbelievers but never become their actual friends ('associate' with them) unless they repent and convert etc. In other words, your quoted verses are more an excuse for christians to be aloof and holier than thou than the verses being contradictory. Your argument is sound but apologist logic would trump it in a fundamentalists eyes I think.

[fruitikay]

@yayzu You're right. They all responded with a context argument, but you see, I can hold my own. There's flaws within the context argument because if Paul's letters only pertain to the "specific people for that specific moment in time" then why do most Christians take the NT as being the word of God that all should follow and hinder the advice/commands? Why are these in context, but other commands taken out of context? If we all sin and fall short, how are Christians any different?

[jfrontier1]

You did cherry pick these. I suppose there are hundreds of contradictions however most of (if not all) can be easily answered by understanding context. Not all of the sayings of Paul were meant for all of us for all time, same with Jesus and same with most of the NT. Each book of the NT was written for and by people trying to understand God in the context of their time and place and culture of which they lived. Its always OK to ask questions and the Christian should be able to answer them. :)

[fruitikay]

@jfrontier1 When I was Christian I read through the entire Bible, and these were only some of the strange things I found. One must understand that I have read the Bible in context and I know the history, and it still doesn't make much sense to me. If we all sin and fall short of the Glory of God, what separates us from those who are "boastful, proud, nonbelievers" etc. If Paul's letters only relate to the people he was writing to, why to we take his advice regarding other issues around faith?

[d3adp001]

@fruitikay So did I once, I decided to allow for all possibilities, but I would have to find evidence of the existance of whatever I believed in. Leave your possibilities open, and just observe life for a while, and let whatever is true be revealed, and then live it. You seem to me to simply have logical questions, questions of the mind, and there is nothing wrong with that, its good really. better to not believe than have doubt and say you do like most christians do.

[d3adp001]

@fruitikay these are the stumbling blocks he put out so that some who couldnt overcome them would not be able to get to the understanding. Sorry but its not meant to be logical, that would simply lead to human bodies and minds, but no spirit. God is a spirit and must be understood as such, bodies and logic are things for us to use, but they can get in the way of faith. But yes there are many things that dont make mindful sense, for instance an invisable, all powerful being created all this.

[d3adp001]

You are looking for contradictions, and in the book you will find many, is that a surprise? With faith you can see past the letter of the law and see to the spirit of it and understand its meaning. Its meant to be this way. In that a person who is only a mind and body will not find anything, but if the person receives the gift of faith, and then the spirit you can then understand these things. Continue your search for truth, you will find it, IF you allow God to be a possibility as well as not.

[michiman57]

NO MORE CHERRY PICKING! im sick of picking cherries T.T low pay, dirty work

[dougcarlton]

Wow, REAL CONTENT. How refreshing.

Kuddos to you, most do not have the stones to turn the microscope on themselves, after all sacred cows make the best hamburger.

Very interesting and thought provoking, thanks and keep it up!

[InfidelsUniverse]

there is no god to reject

[patriotsfan1379]

@666xDevilmanx666 THE BIBLE SAYS THERE TARES AMONG THE WHEAT AND JESUS TOLD HIS ANGELS DON'T PULL THEM UNTILL THE LAST DAY THAN THEY WILL BE SEPARETED GOATS TO ONE SIDE SHEEP TO HIS RIGHT

[patriotsfan1379]

IN THE FIRS VERSE IT SAYS HAVING A" FORM OF GODLINESS" BUT DENYING ITS POWER IN THE SECOND IT SAYS KEEP AWAY FROM EVERY "BELIEVER" BLOGRICH55 HAS IT RIGHT BOTH THESE PEOPLE ARE RELIGIOUS OR SHOULD WE SAY "SO CALLED CHRISTIANS" BUT ARE NOT IT SAYS STAY AWAY FROM THEM "YOU" ARE 1 OF THOSE IN MATH.28 JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT WITNESSING TO UNBELIEVERS WHO ALLTOGETHER DON'T KNOW CHRIST AND OR DON'T GO TO CHURCH YOU CAN PUT THAT CHERRY BACK NOW LOL

[Blogrich55]

@666xDevilmanx666 "and try to bring them back to the "Lord"?"

What makes you think they were ever with Him in the first place? How do you bring someone back who has never belonged to the Lord and therefore could not have strayed?