Xenophobia, The Fear Of Strangers - Matthew 25:35

I was walking up the street tonight about 9pm cool summer night dodging the crickets to head to the shop. Along the footpath just as i get to a corner a man comes walking around and stops to ask if i had a light for his cigarette ( yeah i smoke started up again since my brain tumor OP boredom set in and the odd smoke solves that not a good habit i know, well its a tumor not lung cancer i keep telling myself). So i give him my lighter then he says something about his car has been in pounded wont be able to get it till tomorrow i small chat with him saying oh thats a bummer dude hope you get your car back, yeah he says but now im pretty much homeless cause i can't get home. So i replied ok ok yeah yeah while thinking I can't help with that i dont even know you man, for all i know you could be some psycho who just escaped from prison. He Hands back the lighter thanking me and we part ways.

I get home later feeling slightly guilty that i didn't offer him a place to sleep for it would of been no problem, a spare room and my son lives with me who is pretty much a big built man. With me being on the medication i couldn't protect myself if i tried one hit on the head and i'll probably be dead.

Then this struck me

Matthew 25:35
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.

Why did i not offer him to come round home! Did he live out of town was it far for him to walk i ask myself how come i didn't want to know about it when he mention he was homeless. Fear of strangers?


Would you offer a stranger in your home if he had nowhere to lay his head for the night?
 
If I was single, yes! With a baby and wife, not a chance.

Even if they robbed me, I would (should) offer my coat :).

Whenever I do a good deed I make sure they hear the gospel! There is no way I will allow them to assume I am a ''good'' person and not a Christian!

In your predicament I wouldn't advise to take the chance! You did the right thing, don't feel bad ;).
 
I was walking up the street tonight about 9pm cool summer night dodging the crickets to head to the shop. Along the footpath just as i get to a corner a man comes walking around and stops to ask if i had a light for his cigarette ( yeah i smoke started up again since my brain tumor OP boredom set in and the odd smoke solves that not a good habit i know, well its a tumor not lung cancer i keep telling myself). So i give him my lighter then he says something about his car has been in pounded wont be able to get it till tomorrow i small chat with him saying oh thats a bummer dude hope you get your car back, yeah he says but now im pretty much homeless cause i can't get home. So i replied ok ok yeah yeah while thinking I can't help with that i dont even know you man, for all i know you could be some psycho who just escaped from prison. He Hands back the lighter thanking me and we part ways.

I get home later feeling slightly guilty that i didn't offer him a place to sleep for it would of been no problem, a spare room and my son lives with me who is pretty much a big built man. With me being on the medication i couldn't protect myself if i tried one hit on the head and i'll probably be dead.

Then this struck me

Matthew 25:35
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.

Why did i not offer him to come round home! Did he live out of town was it far for him to walk i ask myself how come i didn't want to know about it when he mention he was homeless. Fear of strangers?


Would you offer a stranger in your home if he had nowhere to lay his head for the night?

Context my brother....Context!!!

You IMO were NOT having "fear of strangers" but instead you were given a warning by God.

The verse you quoted is all about the Judgment of the Nations at Armageddon and the "basis" for their judgement which is HOW THEY TREATED GOD"S MESSENGERS DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD. It does not apply to you and me today because we are NOT in the Tribulation Period, so do not feel guility.

Remember that as a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit living in you and He always gives advice, and warning to you. Why not give the credit to Him for the feeling you were given by HIM to do exactly what you did????

IF you want to buy the homeless a burger and coffee.....great.
IF you want to give them money (I would not do it since it for sure will go to feed their habit) that's your choice.

BUT please do not allow them to come into your car or home. THINK!
 
So what would happen if a stranger showed up at your door hungry and a place to sleep and worse its snowing outside! Would you invite him in? Yes i know to be weary thats why i never invited him around home.

I thought that scripture i quote was for all Christians to take heed of, Christian or non christian a believer should be ready to help man in trouble that way we are acting like Jesus would do
 
Whether your rejection in helping him was "the Spirit's" warning or your own fear cannot be know by ANY of us, as we were not there. It's good that your conscience was stirred, which is definitely the Lord's doing.

So easily Christian folks forget that the Good Samaritan parable is about a man who did practical help IN SPITE of the dangers to himself (he was still in "robber's territory, did not know the victim, and left expecting no reward at all).

Yes...the Lord must lead you to knowing whom to help: but if you failed to ask at that moment when you were confronted with the man, then more than likely you were on your own.

Next time, shoot up a prayer for guidance, and you will know for sure and not need to ask others.

Major: Please! Christ is not judging Christians JUST because of their actions during the Trib., but for their entire Christian lives, don't ya think? Even resurrected people will have to answer to this charity injunction. That covers the entire 6,000 plus years of human time.

Good Samaritan parable that's the one i should of used.(y)
 
Rusty,
Please! Christ is not judging Christians JUST because of their actions during the Trib., but for their entire Christian lives, don't ya think? Even resurrected people will have to answer to this charity injunction. That covers the entire 6,000 plus years of human time.


Actully if you read it in context along with the other things Christ says, it is to me perfectly clear that Christ is talking about the folks who lived through Tribulation. Anyone who is a genuine believer will not be judged, what are we to be judged for? We are already in Lambs Book of Life and will just literately walk in to heaven with Jesus welcoming us, no judging or whatever, why does a shepherd need to DNA test his sheep he has already marked them to make sure they are really his ? or if you are in Texas, your cattle have been branded with a mark and its obvious they belong.

Although charity and helping the needy is commendable, its not something we should feel forced to do all the time, if at all. Holy SPirit is a good guide and mostly forgotten or overlooked, Holy Spirit is who gives you those so called vibes, those little prompts to do things or not to do things

We can not pass judgement on specific events, I guess thats between the person and God, I have messed up a number of times when maybe I should have stopped to help or share something with someone. IF HOly Spirit prompts you do it, similarly, if given a warning heed it. However I would not beat myself up over thinking I have made a mistake and miss judged a situation. Just learn from it and move on.
 
:giggle: Stop arguing about who said what, really i couldn't care less what Major said especially when he adds Caps its all over imho. the man is probably missing boot camp.;)

My question still stands would any good christian welcome a homeless man into their homes - either to have a meal or sleep over.
 
Well...If that's your theory, Agricola, that's that. Seems to me that gives license for Christians outside of the Trib period to do whatever they like.

That's just not how I see the Word speaking at all.

Also I think you assume he is "beating himself up" over it....Do you know for a fact that it was not the conviction of the Holy Spirit?
I think we already done Once Saved Always Saved to death, Genuine Christians who personally know Jesus and Holy Spirit and have made a commitment to follow and accept what Christ has done on the Cross, begin a transformation. We all sin, all sin is equal to God, its impossible not to sin, just thinking a negative thought about someone is a sin, however with the transformation of our Spirit through Holy Spirit we naturally begin to reject sinful things, genuine believers who are serious about following Christ are not going to be able to commit sin with a clear mind, Holy Spirit will be screaming not to do it, how much we pay attention, well thats another story.

I know that there are many things that I used to do that I now hate, sure we all have addictions or other vices which are a burden to overcome, but we fight those with Holy Spirit and Jesus, we wont be judged for failing those from time to time.

However people who use OSAS as an insurance policy for their eternal spiritual life are in for a shock, sure someone can believe Jesus died on cross, rose again and so on and even tell Jesus this, demons also know this but they are not exactly saved are they, but after making that acknowledgement they then simply go on ignoring Jesus and Holy Spirit and continue to live the sinful life they enjoy so much, then come their demise Jesus will simply say to them "I did not know you did I, I can not see your name written anywhere, sorry, go away." Even more so for the spiritually dead people who simply go to church out of ritual and tradition, who call themselves Christian but are not genuine believers.

If you start thinking that we all getting into heaven after being judged, then isn't this just a form of getting into heaven through good works?

AS for beating myself up, yes ive done that before and I know a lot of other Christians do, its Satans double Whammy as I call it, we fail in some way, if its sin, then obviously thats a demonic influence, then after we fail, its a case of "You screwed up, you are a failure, God thinks you are disgusting and pathetic looser for failing, you should have not acted that way, God now hates you, you are pathetic and He wants nothing to do with you for that."

Therefore do not worry about the things you could have done, thats water under the bridge, instead talk to The Lord about it, learn from it and move on.
 
Whether your rejection in helping him was "the Spirit's" warning or your own fear cannot be know by ANY of us, as we were not there. It's good that your conscience was stirred, which is definitely the Lord's doing.

So easily Christian folks forget that the Good Samaritan parable is about a man who did practical help IN SPITE of the dangers to himself (he was still in "robber's territory, did not know the victim, and left expecting no reward at all).

Yes...the Lord must lead you to knowing whom to help: but if you failed to ask at that moment when you were confronted with the man, then more than likely you were on your own.

Next time, shoot up a prayer for guidance, and you will know for sure and not need to ask others.

Major: Please! Christ is not judging Christians JUST because of their actions during the Trib., but for their entire Christian lives, don't ya think? Even resurrected people will have to answer to this charity injunction. That covers the entire 6,000 plus years of human time.

Rusty: Christ does NOT judge Christians at all my friend. The Christians sin was judged and paid for on the cross of Calvery.

Our friend was using a verse as the basis for his concern over not helping someone and it just so happens the one he used is about the nations during the Trib. and how they treat the witnesses of God. How they treat those people will be the basis for their judment then.
 
:giggle: Stop arguing about who said what, really i couldn't care less what Major said especially when he adds Caps its all over imho. the man is probably missing boot camp.;)

My question still stands would any good christian welcome a homeless man into their homes - either to have a meal or sleep over.

Well excuse me!

No, he does not miss boot camp and that has nothing to do with his name.
 
I have a slough of proof texts that dispute this common idea that Christians are not to be concerned with sinning....but I doubt it will carry much weight here.

I will point this out, noting that it is addressed to believers, in John's time (not just the Trib) and applies to all Christians until His Return::



I know that most folks tap dance around this set of facts, so I will not pursue this on this thread.

I do not know where you are coming from Rusty.

Of course we should be concerned with sin because we are sinners.

Christians do not have a license to sin in any way shape or form. We sin because we are sinners, but the Scriptures tell us that we are forgiven sinners and our sin was paid for by Jesus.
 
I wish there was an option to delete and not just edit. I found myself reiterating what everyone else was saying.

Anyhow, was there a thread about sinning posted? I would be interested since I have some ?'s.
 
I wish there was an option to delete and not just edit. I found myself reiterating what everyone else was saying.

Anyhow, was there a thread about sinning posted? I would be interested since I have some ?'s.
To delete thread:
PM Moderators, say "please, if you are not too busy",.... and then just hope one of them is in an obliging mood, which they usually are.
 
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