Friends with Non-Orthodox (Teachings of the Orthodox Church) Christianity. Orthodoxy. Catholicism. Sense of life. Articles for Christians.
“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.                “You shall have no other gods before me.                “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.                “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.                “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.                “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.                “You shall not murder.                “You shall not commit adultery.                “You shall not steal.                “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.                “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
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Friends with Non-Orthodox (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)
   

QUESTION:

I have friends, from work, from high-school, university etc. with one thing in common. They have no interest in God or religion. Is it a sin to associate with them at all.

I make sure that I don't go to sinful places such as pubs, nightclubs, etc. but still topics come up that always test my will: sex, drugs, making gossip or fun of someone -- all these are typical topics.

Should I just mostly avoid non-Orthodox people?

ANSWER:

Concerning your question, "Should I just mostly avoid non-Orthodox people?" I would reply in the following way:

No. If you do, you may find yourself a very lonely person.

Why? We are called -- commanded by Christ, in fact! -- to proclaim the Good News of Salvation to everyone -- especially to those who have never heard it. If Christ had only hung around with religious people, the sinful woman would have never repented, the blind would have never been healed, the hopeless would have never been given hope, Zacchaeus would have never changed his life, etc. As Christ says, "I come not to save the righteous, but the sinner." On the day of Pentecost, the apostles would have never proclaimed the Gospel to the multitudes if they had agreed to avoid everyone who did not hold the same religious beliefs. They would have stayed in the upper room, and the resurrection of Christ would have remained their private little secret.

In short, don't avoid those with no interest in religion or those who are not Orthodox; work to interest them in the love of God and to open them to a relationship with Him and His Holy Church.

As we read in one of the epistles, become an example to others in life, faith, humility, love.

Don't be preachy, at least with your words. Let your actions be an example of what an Orthodox Christian -- and all mankind, for that matter -- is called to be, and do, and live, and experience, and hope.






Published in January 2011.









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