annandatje Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Apparently I still am unfamiliar with some Christian subculture terminology. What exactly does someone mean when they state, "You will hurt your testimony if you _______ ?" Is this equivalent to claiming that someone is not a "true Christian" if they follow through with the action that the other party deems inadvisable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Does it mean, "You won't be a good Christian example to those outside the church if you do XYZ" ? meaning, a hypocrite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 To me, "hurting your testimony" does not mean that you're not a "true" Christian. It means doing something that could be a stumbling block to a person who is not a Christian or to a newer believer. It could be letting a curse word slip out in front of the aforementioned people, or getting drunk, or condemning other people (being judgmental), etc. I know that I try not to hurt my testimony, but as a human with fleshly struggles, I have messed up a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 That phrase can be true. It can also be used very legalistically (rules based vs freedom in Christ) based on extra-biblical (not actually in the bible or taken from extreme interpretation) rules. Losing my temper and yelling at someone doesn't make me lose my salvation. However, it might become very hard to share the love of Christ with that person after I've told them off. It would hurt my testimony. Example of a crappy use: Drinking in public. If you have that glass of wine at a restaurant, you might hurt your testimony. Nope, not prohibited in the bible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 In the Christian subculture in which I spent most of my life, something that hurt your testimony would be something that made it more difficult for you to be close to God, feel the spirit, or have faith. Reading books attacking Christianity would hurt your testimony. So might seeing an R-rated movie. (ETA: in the thinking of the subculture. Not my thinking now.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Apparently I still am unfamiliar with some Christian subculture terminology. What exactly does someone mean when they state, "You will hurt your testimony if you _______ ?" Is this equivalent to claiming that someone is not a "true Christian" if they follow through with the action that the other party deems inadvisable? No, it is more along the lines of this scripture passage, meaning that if you claim you are a believer, don't act inconsistently with that profession, because it is damaging to the Church: Romans 2: 12-23 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified..... But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.†Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 That phrase can be true. It can also be used very legalistically (rules based vs freedom in Christ) based on extra-biblical (not actually in the bible or taken from extreme interpretation) rules. Losing my temper and yelling at someone doesn't make me lose my salvation. However, it might become very hard to share the love of Christ with that person after I've told them off. It would hurt my testimony. . This example is how I think of it--and not in a legalistic way, but just a common sense one. If you act in ways that people wouldn't want to be around (yelling at someone), then how can you expect to get close enough to them to share God's love? They'll be running away from you and not wanting anything you have. Or, to use the same above example, they'll think, "Meh. She goes around yelling. What makes her any different from me? So, why would I be interested in her God? Obviously, God doesn't do anything for her that makes her any different from me, so why bother finding out about her ineffective God?" I hope I'm explaining it right. It's not about trying to live perfectly. It's about realizing that people will be looking at your actions and considering whether or not you're living what you're preaching. Again--not legalistically. Just logically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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