Page 127 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 23

"Do not make common cause with people who do The important difference between Chris�ans and
not believe in Christ and therefore pursue different non-Chris�ans is that we want to and are able to
goals from yours. Or do righteousness and lawless- live a conscious, reconciled rela�onship with God
ness have anything to do with each other? Do light and that he is very close to us through the Holy Spi-
and darkness have anything in common?" (2 Co- rit in our hearts.
rinthians 6:14). Luther translates more literally: “Do It is also necessary to recognize that not all non-
not pull loads under a foreign yoke with the unbe- Chris�ans are the same. Among people from our
lievers.” culture, we meet people who are disappointed in
This advice from Paul is valid, but it should not be faith, Chris�anity or the church, or even people
interpreted to mean that Chris�ans should avoid all who have been hurt by Chris�ans. We meet indiffe-
contact with unbelievers. I understand the verses rent people, others who are undecided as to whe-
to mean that in ma�ers of faith, values and life ther God exists or not, or “emergency atheists”
goals, we should not allow ourselves to be harnes- who actually regard faith as nonsense but say yes to
sed to the same yoke in which the unbeliever takes God in emergencies. There are also magically min-
the lead. ded thinkers who believe in horoscopes, lucky
It is important to ask myself to what extent I am un- charms or fate, bad luck and good fortune. Of cour-
se�led and influenced by someone else's world se, there are also the an�-authoritarian atheists
view and arguments. It is certainly good if we are who associate God with nega�ve authority, or intel-
prepared to ques�oned or challenged. But we must lectuals who regard faith as stupid or medieval, not
also not overes�mate our resilience, even if we forge�ng the esoterics, who are strongly experi-
have found spiritual stability as long-standing Chris- ence-oriented. Then there are the followers of
�ans. Especially when the other person is a “missi- other religions.
onary” for a different worldview, when they ac�ve- Years ago, I came across the Angel Scale, which is a
ly want to draw us into their worldview, we need to good representa�on of my own path to and with
ask ourselves how close we want the rela�onship God. At some point, we were all in the minus ran-
to be and how steadfast we are in this regard. ge, even if we don't necessarily start at -8. Conver-
I will first discuss the third conversion in more detail sion marks the zero hour. As long-�me Chris�ans,
in rela�on to rela�onships with other people and we are in the plus range, where all the “pluses”
then illustrate how we should also seek the king- should play a role.
dom of God in our professional and social environ- - 8) Rejec�on of everything supernatural: “I only be-
ment. lieve what I can see.”
- 7) Reckoning with the existence of a “higher bein-
My rela�onship with all people g”: “A�er all, somebody must’ve made all this.”
What image do I see when I hear the word “non- - 6) A blurred picture of Chris�an faith: “A li�le mo-
Chris�an”? Is it a black and white picture? I am on rality can’t do any harm.”
the side of light, the other person is on the side of - 5) Interest in Chris�an faith: “Everyone needs
darkness, I am on the side of life, the other is on the something firm to hold onto in life.”
side of death, I am on the side of good, the other is - 4) Understanding the Good News: “No-one has
on the side of evil? ever told me about it that way.”
In certain situa�ons, such an image can certainly - 3) More detailed interest: “I would like to know
provide an accurate characteriza�on, but as a rule more about that.”
it does not reflect reality. Since every person is first - 2) Being touched on a personal level: “This is about
and foremost a creature of God - no one will ques- me.”
�on that - God has a rela�onship with every per- - 1) Decision to commit one’s life: “I want to become
son. God is the reason why every person exists. God a Chris�an!”
knows every person, he loves everyone. Just as he Conversion / new birth / bap�sm: “Jesus, come into
has me permanently before his loving eyes, he also my life!”
sees all other people. The decisive factor in my life, + 1) Prayer, Bible, fellowship.
as in the life of every person, is the fact of God's re- + 2) Discipleship, sanc�fica�on, good householding.
la�onship with me. + 3) Loving, serving, passing on faith.
+4ff.) Further spiritual growth…

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