Should Christians be friends with non-Christians?

[jc4ever]

My question centers upon the issue of friendships between Christians and Heathens. I know that we, as the chosen people of God, should love those that are not as smart as us for believing in the grace, mercy, and ever-lasting love of the Son, the Father, and the Holy Ghost. However, how far should this love extend? Friendships with non-believers can lead to dangerous things in life: drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, and, even worse, doubting the Truth of God and his mercies that extend forever. Should Christians chance the loss of salvation by spending time and being exposed to the soul endangering immoral lifestyles of the un-enlightened? I think not. As 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (Taken from Biblegateway.com)

[Vianne]

I would have to say that approaching any relationship with the mentality of, "I am right and thus superior, and you are wrong and thus misguided and in need of help" is not a good way to begin a fruitful, productive friendship with anyone, Christian or not.

As a heathen, I would like to say we are not diseased. We will not work to "pollute" you the way that you work to "cleanse" us. And we are not another species. So don't be afraid to befriend us. If you accept us without trying to change us -- a key factor in Christianity, I know -- our relationship can be very productive.

Vianne

[BALLS2WALL]

I've been places where the youth leaders tell me we should stay away from non-christians.

I say no. I will be a friend to any non-christian because that is how one shows love.

[potwalloper.]

My question centers upon the issue of friendships between Christians and Heathens. I know that we, as the chosen people of God, should love those that are not as smart as us for believing in the grace, mercy, and ever-lasting love of the Son, the Father, and the Holy Ghost. However, how far should this love extend? Friendships with non-believers can lead to dangerous things in life: drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, and, even worse, doubting the Truth of God and his mercies that extend forever. Should Christians chance the loss of salvation by spending time and being exposed to the soul endangering immoral lifestyles of the un-enlightened?

The short answer has to be "no". Please don't spend time trying to make friends with "heathens" - for their sake!

Surely in the 21st century people can't really be carrying such ideas around with them?

As a rather saddened, drug addicted, sex mad, alcoholic, adultering and forever fallen heathen who is just looking for an opportunity to corrupt the perfection of a christian I am disappointed that they appear to be aware of my intent.

Drat - I'll just have to corrupt a hindu instead!

[Piper Plexed]

This is just such a strange question to me in that my whole life I have reaped the benefits of living in NYC and now in a suburb of, where cultural diversity is the expected norm and heck, why I pay some of the highest property taxes in the US to stay here. I can imagine living nowhere else. If I ever had such an attitude I think I would be a sad lonely and bored person, compared to how I see my existence today. I really enjoy the effects that my area has had on my children as well, they are aware of all the different cultural and religious holidays that make up the diverse fabric of our community and readily/happily extend appropriate greetings to all Makes a Mom Proud! 8)

[seen da light]

To be yoked with unbelievers is in referral to marriage.
When you get married, to become one in the eyes of God.When you marry someone who isn't Christian,you are one with someone who doesn't love to Jesus.

One should be friends with unbelievers. Otherwise
1) how else do you reach out to people and show them "the way the truth and the life"?if you are staying in you happy christian group?
(a caution here is not to pick up their ways-some time is good, not all time.an unbeliever breaks down your faith)
2)

[seen da light]

To be yoked with unbelievers is in referral to marriage.
When you get married, to become one in the eyes of God.When you marry someone who isn't Christian,you are one with someone who doesn't love to Jesus.

One should be friends with unbelievers.
Otherwise how else do you reach out to people and show them "the way the truth and the life"?if you are staying in you happy christian group?
(a caution here is not to pick up their ways-some time is good, not all time.an unbeliever breaks down your faith)

[c2u]

excuse me! but i totally and most difinitly disagree with you!

I know that we, as the chosen people of God, should love those that are not as smart as us for believing in the grace, mercy, and ever-lasting love of the Son, the Father, and the Holy Ghost. However, how far should this love extend? Friendships with non-believers can lead to dangerous things in life: drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, and, even worse, doubting the Truth of God and his mercies that extend forever.

fristly, this is an over generliziton. not all hetahens are bad as you make us out to be. you can't paints us all with one paint brush because not all of us are like the way you think we are.i know that some poeple are bad and exposes one to many harmful things but those bad poeple are not only heathens!

secondly, i do not believe what you have is true, i would like to see from proof and where you get it form. if you can give me the proof maybe we can start discussing about this topic because there is no foundation for this statmeant about heathens.

thridly, this is form my personal view, heathens are not stupid and below your level just because we believe in something that you don't. that statment that you wrote is unreasonable and it should be out of the box.

[seen da light]

ok, what ever happened to replying to what I said?

I agree that we should be more formal an politically correct
(even If you are right)opponents deserve respect

however,

firstly, this is an over generliziton. not all hetahens are bad as you make us out to be. you can't paints us all with one paint brush because not all of us are like the way you think we are.i know that some poeple are bad and exposes one to many harmful things but those bad poeple are not only heathens!

then may I make the proposition to not also paint all christians with the same brush.You shouldn't raise such a stand point only when it suits you(thats called being a hippocrite)
and on the fact that those things aren't necesscarily from heathens, I agree that he was over generalising to say all, but one can safely say most.
Most people who don't believe in Christ that i encounter on a daily basis are dodgy.they drink etc and he has a point to say that it may have an unhealthy effect on your faith.

secondly,

i do not believe what you have is true, i would like to see from proof and where you get it form. if you can give me the proof maybe we can start discussing about this topic because there is no foundation for this statmeant about heathens.

not many people who call themselves heathen do believe...however,you are called to believe(not to have been proven to...) God created us to choose to love him.not to be proven that we must love him. thus you'd do it because it is fact as opposed to really loving God-this isnt; what GOd wants.

thirdly,

this is form my personal view, heathens are not stupid and below your level just because we believe in something that you don't. that statment that you wrote is unreasonable and it should be out of the box.

I think that he is still entitled to his opinion as you are entitled to your beliefs.If he has an issue with pride, that is his problem.you shouldn't be arguing at the same level on a heated note.Doesn't that make your argument as bad if not worse if you are using the same tactics that he is using?(according to what you would have us believe about his argument also applies to yours)

[Aristarkos]

Should Christians chance the loss of salvation by spending time and being exposed to the soul endangering immoral lifestyles of the un-enlightened?

jc4ever,

I know many non-Christians that are very enlightened and moral.

Christians are called to evangelize. "Do you love me? ... Tend my sheep." Also see parable of the lost sheep and many others. To evangelize means making friends with non-believers. "Love your neighbor." Plus, who did Jesus spend some time with when others didnt?

Evangelism reminds me of a scene in the movie, "The Big Kahuna".
The title refers to "making the big sale". I don't recommend the movie, just this segment.

Bob is a young, stereotypical, evangelical Christian who neglects his job as a marketing rep by talking about Jesus to clients.
Larry (for the purposes of this segment) is a stereotypical marketing rep who has become frustrated with Bob as a co-worker.
Phil has become disillusioned with his job as a marketing rep and seeks true meaning in his life.

Phil: You, too, are an honest man, Bob. I believe that that somewhere down deep inside of you is something that strives to be honest. The question that you have to ask yourself is "Has it touched the whole of my life?"
Bob: What does that mean?
Phil: That means that you preaching Jesus is no different than Larry, or anybody else, preaching lubricants. It doesn't matter if you're selling Jesus, or Buddha, or civil rights, or how to make money in real estate with no money down. That doesn't make you a human being; it makes you a marketing rep. If you want to talk to somebody honestly as a human being, ask him about his kids find out what his dreams are just to find out for no other reason. Because as soon as you lay your hands on the conversation to steer it, it's not a conversation anymore. It's a pitch. And you're not a human being; you're a marketing rep.
Bob: (teary eyed) Well forgive me if I respectfully disagree.
Phil: We were talking before about character you were asking me about character. We were speaking of faces, but the question is much deeper than that. The question is "Do you have any character at all?" And if you want my honest opinion, Bob, you do not for the simple reason that you don't regret anything yet.
Bob: You're saying that I won't have any character unless I do something I regret?
Phil: No, Bob. I'm saying you've already done plenty of things to regret, you just don't know what they are. It's when you discover them ... when you see the folly in something you've done ... and wish that you had it to do over ... but you know you can't ... 'cause it's too late. So you pick that thing up and you carry it with you ... to remind you that life goes on ... the world will spin without you you really don't matter in the end. Then you will attain character, because honesty will reach out from inside and tattoo itself all across your face. Until that day, however ... you can only expect to go beyond a certain point.

[jdrew]

i plays drums at church, go to church, love the Lord, yet i have friends that are not christian. as long as you put the word out you have done you duty as a christian. it up to them whether they choose to accept it. i dont think that give reason to shun them or have nothing to do with them.

My question centers upon the issue of friendships between Christians and Heathens. I know that we, as the chosen people of God, should love those that are not as smart as us for believing in the grace, mercy, and ever-lasting love of the Son, the Father, and the Holy Ghost.

Don't forget that some Christians are also really very humble

However, how far should this love extend? Friendships with non-believers can lead to dangerous things in life: drugs, alcohol, pre-marital sex, and, even worse, doubting the Truth of God and his mercies that extend forever. Should Christians chance the loss of salvation by spending time and being exposed to the soul endangering immoral lifestyles of the un-enlightened? I think not.

The way I see it is that one must ask themselves, which Christian is the better example, the one that locks himself away from the reality of the world because, should he be exposed to the dangers of temptation, he is weak enough to give in; or the one that goes out with the world and resists temptation, not quivering like a child at something that it wants but its mother has forbidden. Hiding from sin is not resisting it, and I cannot have any respect for such a craven example of faith. This notion of "I shall keep myself innocent", really means, "I shall keep myself ignorant".

Furthermore, it was my understanding that, amongst most protestant sects at the very least, the statement that there is not one righteous man was more than just the title of a Bob Dylan song, and, since both unbelievers and Christians are diseased by sin, only the grace of Jesus Christ is capable of saving a person, not their acts alone. So though sin may be resisted, it should always be expected.

As 2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (Taken from Biblegateway.com)

EDIT: I originally wrote that this verse was actually about marriage, but all indications point to it really referring to the ministry, since this is what the entire chapter deals with.

Though my own personal belief is that a Christian should welcome an unbeliever, I do not know if there is a definitive biblical perspective on this matter, so I voted "unsure".