How to convert a Church of Christ person to Christianity?

Question

I have a friend that thinks that the Church of Christ faith people are the only people going to heaven in fact he treats people as if he can put his foot on them as if he has the right and all others are dogs on the way to hell so he can dimiss you whenever he wants, its just awful! The nevre of him to even once tell me that I was going to hell because of my false teachings that had been taught to me. He wont let anyone one have the floor and say their peace or share their opinion. He has been caught in lies and hides fact about the orgin of his doctrine. He half reads scripture and misinterprets obvious view points just to make the bible say what he thinks it should say using his logic and not his faith. I happen to feel he is being brain washed and I get a cultic feel to the whole thing to be honest. Next and finally he is a Sunday school teacher and has premarital sex whenever he wants to! I have noticed how selfish his is and how head strong and emotionaless he is. He has no love!

Answer 1

Good news. There is hope. The way that God designed it is this way. After I tell you, I would hope that you grab your Bible and study these scriptures out after asking Jesus to help you to understand. In St. John 3:5 Jesus tells us that we must be born again. I will explain in a moment. On the Day of Pentecost, during the Passover Feast, the Disciples were in the upper room. Acts 2:4. Take note of who was all there. They were waiting upon the Promise of the Father. When the Holy Ghost fell on them, read what a characteristic of the Holy Ghost is. They then rushed out to the Temple where Peter gave the Greatest message ever given to man kind. Acts 2:38 Repent everyone of you, and be baptized (by immersion because that is how they did it back then) in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. This is the born again of the water part. Then we shall be given the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the dispenser of God's Love, leader in all truth, comforter, and many other characteristics. This is the born again of the Spirit part. We will know when we get it the same way they knew in the upper room. Also read Acts 10:45-46, 19:6, and St. Mark 16:16-17. After hearing this, 3,000 were baptized the first day. These pilgrims then went home after Pasover Feast was done. They then met early Sunday mornings to praise and worship Jesus Christ. The Epistles were actual letters that were written to these groups of people or Church's. They were in Rome, Thesselonia, etc.. The Book of Acts was written to get you saved, and the Epistles were written to keep you saved. Do this and you will feel a freedom like you have never felt before. When I received the Holy Ghost, I was on such a high, I didn't come down for days. I would stay away from that friend of yours. He is going to be judged just like the rest of us. When you have the Holy Ghost, you will then be able to back up any disagreement with the proper understanding of scripture. There isn't a stronger weapon than the word of God!!

Answer 2

I am a member of a Church of Christ and I don't condone the attitudes you have described.

Unfortunately, there are hypocrites in every religion.

Some profess to love God, but they show no love for others. The Bible says that if we do not love our brother who we have seen, then how can we say we love God who we have not seen.

Some profess to love God, but they really love self more. These will often reject parts of the Bible because it does not fit in with what they like. Jesus said, if you love God, you will keep his commandments.

As I said, most every church has some hypocrites in it. Many times these people put on a "false face" while at church, but they show their true character when out in the world. Sometimes the people who only know them at church get an incorrect impression of the person, and they may think highly of them.

The behavior of the person away from church often gives the church a bad reputation. Please do not judge the whole church by a "bad apple"! You would not want all people of your denomination judged by some hypocrites that attend there would you?

Sometimes it is more than a few people. Some congregations may even get self-centered. Notice the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2 and 3. Some of these churches had major problems, but these were not the problems in every one of them. Church members are people and people are not perfect. (Some are more not perfect than others!)

We are supposed to be "speaking the truth in love" (Eph 4:15) Sometimes this is a hard balance to maintain, but we must not sacrifice either truth or love. Those who do not maintain this balance are a poor example of Christianity.

If you can, try to talk to your friend. If he won't listen, I would like to ask you to contact his church. I'm sure they don't want this kind of image. (If you must, send them an anonymous letter.)

Even your question takes the traits of one person and associates those traits to the whole church. I want to plead with you to not judge the whole basket by one bad apple.

Answer 3

I know many people who are members of churches that have on their signs "Church of Christ." I say this in this fashion because all TRUE Christians are members of the Church of Christ. The majority of these members are not like the man you described above. You probably should report your concern to the elders/minister of the church he attends because of his double lifestyle. That is his premartial sex and his cruelty to other people. These are not cultic teachings from the CofC, this is simply his personality and misinterpretation of Scripture and his failure to put the Scripture into practice. The CofC is mostly dead on when it comes to Scriptural interpretation. And many CofC's are different. Some are very Strict, and mean spirited others are strict and kind hearted some are liberal and mean spirited and some are liberal and kind hearted and all levels of degress in between. But as a person who grew up in the CofC I can promise you it is not a cult and is a part of REAL Christianity. (though I no longer a member of CofC churches, and the CofC church I grew up in was very kind hearted and sticked to the saying, "We are CHristians only, not the only Christians."....which I still stick to today.)

Answer 4

This person does not sound like much of a friend to start with.

If he dismisses you and treats you as you write that he does, he is not friend, he is an aquaintance.

Alas, only God can open his heart and mind to the truth of the bible. Romans is the book that tells us about false teachers and fleshly desires and how God gives us over to those thoughts and desires after we have honestly rejected him.

My thoughts on the matter would be to wipe the dust off of your feet in this matter. You have done what you can do, and God may very well send others into this persons life to give more chances to accept or reject his word. You have not failed, you have simply done what you can do. Move on to more fertile grounds and continue to love God with all your heart, soal and fleshly body.

Continue to be God like in love and all else with this person if you find yourself around him. Its the most you can do in this situation at least right now.

Remember even the apostle Paul had to wipe the dust off of his feet in Greece. They just had no heart for his message.

Answer 5

Well if the Church of Christ is something that he wants to be in, then let him do it.
I know alot of Christians that say that the only people that are going to heaven are Christians. I've had many Christians tell me that I'm going to hell because of what I believe, or don't believe for that matter.
If this is what he wants you won't be able to convert him anymore than he could convert you.
If he is such an awful person then maybe you shouldn't bother yourself with him.

Answer 6

I probably wouldn't try to argue with him; in my experience, arguing with people who are convinced they alone are right seldom does any good, and usually only gets them upset. The Bible wisely says, "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" (Proverbs 15:1).

But what I would do is try to help him understand that we are not saved because we belong to a particular church, but because of Christ and what He has done for us. Our church membership doesn't save us; only Christ saves us, and our hope is to be in Him alone. We are separated from God because of our sin, and only Christ's death on the cross can remove our sin and guilt.

Churches are important, and we need the fellowship and teaching they provide. But no church is perfect, and Christ alone is our Savior. The Bible is clear: "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Your colleague's attitude is unfortunate, and I hope you will pray for him. But most of all, I hope you will not let his attitude confuse you or turn you away from Christ. If you have never done so, open your heart to Christ today. Then ask God to let His joy and peace not only fill your life, but spill over to those around you—including this man.

Answer 7

I grew up in the Church of Christ and have met many like this young man. Some CoCs are very judgmental, "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof". Others are not that way. I guess you find people like that in every denomination.
I heard there was an on line group called "Survivors of the Church of Christ". You might google it and see if you can bring it up.

Answer 8

Your friend is 50% right, 50% wrong. The church created by the apostles was called "The church of Christ." but in recent years some Church's' called "Church of Christ" aren't true they are false doctrinal churches. Some churches call themselves' "United Churches of Christ" these churches have a headquarter church. These are not to be associated with "church of Christ." Some churches for Instance "Central Christian Church" is the same kind of church as "Church of Christ". The only way to know if the church is the One True Church is by seeing if the follow the bible accurately. for more email me at: [e-mail]

Answer 9

He could flow talk over with his rabbi and ask him what he needs to do lol Oh guy he receives drilled. He needs to be prepared to respond to various questions and reading. also, jewish human beings do count number on god and jesus christ they only don't have self belief he reserrected from the lifeless therefore dont rejoice easter and different historic stuff that christians count number on. i'm no longer jewish so i'd be incorrect

Answer 10

Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict him of his guilt where applicable and show him the truth of the Scriptures.