Suppose you came across a very nice man who was intelligent, knew the scriptures very well and had a passion for Christ, BUT you discover during his testimony that at one time he was responsible for killing hundreds if not thousands of people. He had repented and now being born again is a new creation.
Would you still date this person? Does his history make any more difference since he is no longer the same?
I think that the bottom line is: Do I believe the promises of God?
His word says that the blood of Jesus washes us clean and that when we are born again that we are a new creation in Christ, the old man has passed away and all things are new. And if I believe that He does indeed cleanse us from all unrighteousness then it should not matter what one has done in the past.
This is an area where the enemy has worked on me, with the lie that I am such damaged goods and dirty because of my past that no man would ever want me. This is a lie from the pit of hell. And sadly there are Christians who can not accept ones past and it is discouraging especially to the newer believer.
Walter, you hit it on the head in one of our conversations that if they can not forgive us for hurting other people in our past, then they will not forgive us when we hurt or disappoint them in our relationship. And that this points to a very unforgiving spirit.
i mean...that's a great thing if they've turned their life around...but if they've done things like that, i cant be sure that i would want to have anything more than a frienship with him.
In my opinion, a person's fruits are the only testimony I need. Sortof an, "actions speak louder than words" theory. If a man walks the walk, who am I to judge their past deeds or transgressions. I am no judge at all! I certainly don't want to be held to that standard. I haven't always lead the best life possible at all.
Starr, do you know any soldiers? Chances are, if they have been called to active duty in the Middle East, they have killed someone. They have done it for us. I don't want to get on a soapbox, but it's just something you should consider. I know it's crude, but killing is a part of living. I don't like it, but that's just the way it is. Be realistic. Support our soldiers, they deserve it. We have no idea what they go through.
I greatly appreciate your honesty and have enjoyed your comments on the other threads as well.
I kind of set a trap with my question to help make a point.
If that is the case then you wouldn't marry Paul the Apostle. Granted he is dead now and a little too old for you...LOL but I think you get the point.
How about a man who lusted after a married woman, took her into his bed and then had her husband placed in a war zone that would surely get him killed, so that was an arrange murder of sorts and then takes that same woman for his own?
Then you wouldn't marry King David, an adulterer and murderer. A man that God said was a "man after His own heart".
When we think about how bad other people have been, we as humans have the tendency to compare ourselves to others all the while forgetting that a person who has lied, gossiped, backbitten, had pre-marital sex, all are deserving of the same punishment as an adulterer or murderer which is damnation in hell in God's eyes. Praise God for His matchless Grace through Christ our Lord whose blood makes us clean, forgiven and saved.
Wow, trying to set a trap to make a point is so grown-up!
The point about Paul is really good! It would be hard to look past that kind of history but I believe that if he was the one that God had designed for me...all things are possible!
But in all honesty I would not have given David a chance! He was married and that made his abuse of power even greater! And in the end they both paid a huge price for their sin!
In relation to the question though are we talking murder or war...which is totally different in my opinion!
