Criminal Christians?

Gina, I believe the truth is always best, especially if a "Christian" is doing something illegal. Light exposes sin, which loves to hide in darkness. Sin hurts everyone involved, so yes, when a Christian sins other people will be hurt and may use it as an excuse to turn away from Christianity but ultimately, we are accountable for ourselves to God, not for the sin of others or how it made us feel.

The sooner sin is exposed and dealt with the better. The longer it is allowed to continue, the more potential for further damage.

 

anytime you cover up the truth you've told a lie, allowed a lie to be believed instead of the truth, now not only is this other christin involved in this sin but so are you.

 

If you have direct knowlege of a specific crime being committed, the only responsible thing to do is to reported to the appropriate authorities.

In no way does that excuse a person's criminal behavior.

They, not you, would be doing the disappointing and turning away.

I can't imagine when it isn't.

I'm a Christian, warts and all. I'll take the warts if it means being truthful.

 

Gina, my short answer (and, believe me, you don't want my long answer because we'll be here for days) is that one of the really big issues we see in the New Testament is protecting the integrity and character of the church, thereby protecting its moral authority to preach the Gospel and defend the word of God, through such things as church discipline of those found to be in sin.

Paul, for example, went ballistic over the Corinthians refusal to discpline one of their members who was known to be living in an ongoing lifestyle of sexual sins.

There were several reasons for this, but one of them is that Paul knew that if the world sees us as being unconcerned or permissive toward sin in our own churches, then how can we make them understand how repugnant sin is to a Holy and Righteous God? And this severely hampers our ability to present the Gospel to the world.

In the same way, I believe you'd have an obligation to report such a person as you describe, not only for his sake (because, very often, it's the humbling experience of facing the consequences of our sin that cause us to repent), and so that the church can call him to repent/counsel him/discipline him, etc, but so that the world knows that sin is serious business and that Christ calls us to no longer serve sin and to rebel against sin the way we once rebelled against God.

As for whether or not people would be disappointed, that's a consequence of their sin, not your fault by telling them the truth.

 

All right ,Johnv, if you tell anyone else I totally agree with what you just said, I'll just have to tell them that it is true.:tongue3: Don't let it happen again brother.:laugh: