Paul Cohen

[Andromeda_Organa]

I was referred to Paul Cohen by someone on here-and I'm chatting with him right now, and he's telling me to ditch all my non-Christian friends, which means I'd have to ditch all my friends :thumbdown: what should I do?

[Nathan]

I'd ignore that one . . . how can you be Christ to your ungodly friends if you isolate yourself from them?  What kind of picture do you think that would leave them with?  It's a religious reaction, but I don't think it's the effective one.  I wouldn't change anything until it changed inside you first . .that way you'll know it's not you "making" a change, but God is the one doing the changing.  Keep your friends . . .

[jabcat]

What Nathan said, and, be careful who you talk to in terms of taking advice from them.  Did you read the "Introducing Myself" Paul Cohen thread here at TM?

[Cardinal]

I was referred to Paul Cohen by someone on here

:cloud9: I find that, in itself, astonishing.  :sigh:

[Nathan]

Come to think of it . . . if Paul knew we were your friends, I'm not so sure he'd be comfortable with that either . . . I better be careful, this may get posted on his web like he did before . . . :Whistle:

[onlytruth]

red flags :icon_king:

[Pierac]

 :omg:

[jabcat]

:omg:

So I take it you didn't refer her Paul?  :laughing7:

[Nathan]

:omg:

So I take it you didn't refer her Paul?  :laughing7:

:LH: :LH: :LH:

[sven]

to be honest, it was me who adviced her to talk with Paul

I see him as a kind of friend in the meanwhile, we're chating regurlarly, I think he is often right, (at least partly) in what he says.

and he's telling me to ditch all my non-Christian friends, which means I'd have to ditch all my friends

this what he called me aswell, at least he advised me to do so, he might be also partly right here, but I can't do it

[Nathan]

What part in that do you see to be right?

[sven]

to obey God is more important than our friendships, he is right therein, he told me this things also and I didn't like some things either, but I can't say he is wrong.

[Nathan]

to obey God is more important than our friendships, he is right therein, he told me this things also and I didn't like some things either, but I can't say he is wrong.

I hope I don't sound argumentative here . . .but obeying God manifests "through" our friendships.  To think that God wants me to break my relationships off with my friends, is to not really know God in the first place.

Again . . .just my own personal experience, I don't expect everyone to agree just because I'm saying so.

[reFORMer]

There was good reason it was said of Jesus that He ate with sinners and was friends with harlots an (re-?)publicans.

"Ye are the salt of the earth; but, if the salt has lost its savor, it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under men's feet." ---Jesus

[jabcat]

You mean we're not supposed to gather up in a little bunch, shut out anyone who won't do as they're told, and condemn the rest of believers?  :mshock:.  And that's not what Jesus did?  Reformer, you are RADICAL, man!

[sparrow]

Well.... perhaps Paul Cohen just is not seeing properly.
ALL men will eventually become followers of Christ.

What better time to have that perspective of our fellow mankind than right NOW?!

If you are given such a precious gift of seeing that we are in fact, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, and that ALL men are our kin and we have but ONE common Father... What better way to HONOR that precious gift of knowledge than to RIGHT NOW see others as they TRULY are: Our Friends!! Our brothers and sisters!!!

:bgdance:

This is what this world NEEDS.

Welcoming ARMS!
Not arms that push away.

Can I get an AMEN???  :laughing7:

Peace,
sparrow

[WhiteWings]

Present ARMS!

Me  :friendstu:  soul whistler

[sven]

Well.... perhaps Paul Cohen just is not seeing properly.
ALL men will eventually become followers of Christ.

you should not forget that Paul also teaches and believes this, he heavily rebukes the teachers of everlasting torment occasionally

you could have discussed with him as he was a member of this forum, I do not speak for Paul and also don't want to discuss about him, it was just an advice for me to several people to maybe talk with him, as I had the impression he helped me and that he might help others aswell.

I don't care what he thinks about this forum and what you think about him, it was not my intention to make trouble

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: There is balance in all things. There is some wisdom in not having babes associate closely with those that are not following the Lord, for what fellowship has light with darkness?

In the beginning of my walk, I didn't have to worry about leaving my non-Christian friends. I was a radical Christian overnight, to their way of thinking, and so they left ME. I think that if you're strong enough in your own convictions that no one can sway you, and you've got your focus solely on following Him, then you won't have to concern yourself with making that choice. Light reproves the darkness (in them), and they'll be all too happy to associate with someone that doesn't bring conviction upon them.

Only you and the Lord know your heart, and if you can still be influenced away from His leading, then you would do well to stay a safe distance from those that would lead you away from Him and the pursuit of His ways and His righteousness, UNTIL you can be used of the Lord to plant seed in THEIR life.

This is one area where many of the churches I saw missed it, because the babes coming into the faith, were left to fend for themselves and instead needed to be swooped up in the wings of fellowship to help strengthen them so they could stand.

I asked the Lord one time why He didn't seem to be bringing many men in the churches. The churches I saw were full of women, but only a handful of men. He told me that the men already in the church, tended to look at the flesh of the new male converts only, not seeing that in the spirit, that was a newborn babe there that needed nurturing. But because not many in the churches are allowed to mature to become spiritual fathers, the need was not met.

So because the new convert's old "guy friends" were more than happy to re-include them back in old activities if the church didn't meet the need, many times it wasn't long before they fell away. My  :2c:  Blessings...


accidental "edit", nothing changed  :mblush:

[reFORMer]

While it is often neglected by many,

even a thing at all costs not to do because we must be loving

(which can have some validity as the following shows the other side for balance:)

Jude 17-18, (CLV)...
17 Yet you, beloved, remember the declarations which have been declared before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
18 that they said to you, In the last time will be coming scoffers, going according to their own irreverent desires.
19 These are those who isolate themselves, soulish, not having the spirit.

we are to be separated to the Lord:

1 Corinthians 6:14-18 (CLV)...
14 Do not become diversely yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? Or what communion has light with darkness?
15 Now what agreement has Christ with Belial? Or what part a believer with an unbeliever?
16 Now what concurrence has a temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, according as God said, that I will be making My home and will be walking in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 Wherefore, Come out of their midst and be severed, the Lord is saying. And touch not the unclean, and I will admit you,
18 and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.

James 4:4-6 (CLV)...
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Are you not aware that the friendship of this world is enmity with God? Whosoever, then should intend to be a friend of the world is constituted an enemy of God.
5 Or are you supposing that the scripture is saying this for naught? Is the spirit which dwells in us longing to envy?
6 Yet greater is the grace He is giving. Wherefore He is saying, God "the proud is resisting, yet to the humble He is giving grace."

But some people are sectarian, divisive, (which is the meaning of the Greek underlying the word "heresy" in the AV) which is a work of the flesh [Gal 5:20])
a particular problem in times called "the last days" as Jude 18-19 says:
...In the last time will be coming scoffers, going according to their own irreverent desires.
19 These are those who isolate themselves, soulish, not having the spirit.

This being overly enamored of his own opinion, carnal divisiveness, scoffing at most any other follower of Jesus, was a markedly prominent characteristic of Paul Cohen.

[jabcat]

:cloud9: There is balance in all things.  I think that if you're strong enough in your own convictions that no one can sway you, and you've got your focus solely on following Him,
Only you and the Lord know your heart, and if you can still be influenced away from His leading, then you would do well to stay a safe distance from those that would lead you away from Him and the pursuit of His ways and His righteousness, UNTIL you can be used of the Lord to plant seed in THEIR life.

Agreed, Card.  IMO, this can include those outside the ecclesia, and those within.  I believe it takes discernment and the Spirit of the Lord leading to help us know when He's using us to the help them, and when it's time to step back because they're negatively affecting us and/or others in the body.

But some people are sectarian, divisive, (which is the meaning of the Greek underlying the word "heresy" in the AV) which is a work of the flesh [Gal 5:20])
a particular problem in times called "the last days" as Jude 18-19 says:
...In the last time will be coming scoffers, going according to their own irreverent desires.
19 These are those who isolate themselves, soulish, not having the spirit.

This being overly enamored of his own opinion, carnal divisiveness, scoffing at most any other follower of Jesus, was a markedly prominent characteristic of Paul Cohen.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Phil 4:8

[Cardinal]

:cloud9: There is balance in all things.  I think that if you're strong enough in your own convictions that no one can sway you, and you've got your focus solely on following Him,
Only you and the Lord know your heart, and if you can still be influenced away from His leading, then you would do well to stay a safe distance from those that would lead you away from Him and the pursuit of His ways and His righteousness, UNTIL you can be used of the Lord to plant seed in THEIR life.

Agreed, Card.  IMO, this can include those outside the ecclesia, and those within.  I believe it takes discernment and the Spirit of the Lord leading to help us know when He's using us to the help them, and when it's time to step back because they're negatively affecting us and/or others in the body.

:cloud9: That's very true, too, Jab.  :thumbsup: It's the Spirit we have to be sensitive to, because I've had those in the ecclesia be just as persuasive in trying to lead me against what thus sayeth the Lord, as the unbelievers were. Blessings...

[jabcat]

Just read today the scripture in I Corinthians 14:38 (KJV) where Paul was trying to teach, but then he said, "if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant"...apparently, there's a point (at least in some situations) where we need to say, "let them do what they do.  I won't be a part of it, and God will fix it as He sees fit".  My  :2c:.

[sparrow]

hmmm. I wasn't being mean or talking about anyone or mocking anyone or anything of the sort!

I was just trying to say that ALL people are brothers and sisters and all people should be our friends, not just those who follow Christ NOW. Because realistically speaking... ALL MANKIND will eventually be followers of Christ, so why not see them that way now?

That's all.

To tell a person to drop their "non-christian" friends... there is NO LOVE in that.

peace.
:icon_flower:

[jabcat]

Hi Sparrow, I think we're just all still focused on the old topic...that's what I was talking about, and I believe Reformer and Card were as well...I agree with you to the extent we should try to get along with everyone as much as is possible, as Apostle Paul said.  I just think some are better loved from a distance :laughing7:...especially if you've tried to get along and they're not having any of it  :punish:.