assistance to non believer - WWJD?

[steve7150]

Just to summarize my perspective , this comes down to risk/reward.

Risk is aiding a sinner in commiting another sin. The gravity of the risk is tied to the gravity of the sin and that through her dancing she encourages men to sin also. That is a significant factor.

Reward is that as long as she is willing to hear about the gospel/Jesus/kingdom of God she might be saved and through her she may influence others.

The sin is serious but temporal , salvation is eternal life and outweighs the risk IMO. I would not drive her if she was unwilling to hear about Jesus because it is a risk/reward scenerio to me and if there is no reward it's not worth the risk.

[darinhouston]

With that in mind, she's already in this sin -- what's more likely to get her out of it, letting it continue for a while as she experiences Christ's love or letting her continue without any assistance ?

[christopher]

The thing I love about discussions like this is that it really underscores how messy this stuff really is. It's not always as black and white as we'd like it to be and the Bible doesn't give us direct instruction in every matter which of course means we will make mistakes. And so, as many have mentioned, we must be sensitive to the leading of the Spirit.

Personally, I've responded to situations like this very ungraciously in the past. As I've wrestled with moral "lines of demarcation", I've let opportunities to exhibit Christ slip past me and even damaged relationships with people close to me. When in doubt, I now like to err on the side of grace and ask God to help me navigate the situation every step. Takes a bit of the pressure off.

I don't think we can text book it all the way, it's a relational deal.

Much wisdom shared on this thread. Let each be convinced in His own mind (and spirit).

[darinhouston]

Amen brother!

[look2jesus]

I have to agree with Christopher, as well!

[Thrombosdad]

Hi all ! I was surprised by the amount of replies my son's posting generated. I have read them all and decided I should give an update. First of all, my conscience was fully clear in giving this woman her ride to work. I looked at it as NOT "helping her sinnning", but rather as an opportunity to build a relationship whereby I might be able to witness and speak into her life. However, I never actually did give her that ride. When I arrived to take her, by that time she had decided to not go into work that day as " she just did not have it all together". Both she and her boyfriend were willing and even eager to go to church with me. The main ministry of my church is to reach out to those caught in addiction and I was of course eager to take them and figured that was God's purpose for this whole encounter. (for those of you interested you may go to
http://www.restorationministries.net and click on Harvey House) I arrived to to take them to church at the agreed time, half expecting (drug user are very often very unstable) some "reason" for them not to attend. Sure enough, we I got there she was willing to go, but he was not, as he was feeling "sick" . She also stated she would not go unless her boyfriend would go as well, for which I was grateful, as momentarily I contemplated taking her alone with me. So then the problem was to convince the boyfriend to go despite feeling "sick" which she was trying very hard to do. I joined in to encourage him to go, but we were not getting very far. As I sat there and in my mind said ok God what should I do or say at this point, my neighbor lady (an unbeliever) jumped in as well and reminded him of how she had talked with him about making better choices. He still refused and retreated into the basement. My neighbor followed, and in a few minutes he reluctantly came back upstairs and agreed to go. Off we go to church (a little late) and she begins to ask me some questions about the church and in particular about my pastor. Very much to my amazement, she then replies, "oh, my aunt used to go to that church and that's where my mother got saved" !!! I was totally "blown away" as that night at church we had a video presentation of a woman who had started a ministry to those caught in the sex-trade business in Thailand. That was followed up by the showing of a newly made (mostly for fund raising purposes) video explaining what Harvey House was all about. I sat in awe, that God really knows the timing of things, both seemed to me, ideal for this couple. She being pregnant, was worried about her baby and asked if the pastor would pray over her, which he did.

[Thrombosdad]

I was very encouraged on the way home. Both loved the church, and the boyfriend even stated he was very glad he had come. They inquired about "house churches" and wanted to join one, specifically my house church. Plans were made to attend church the following week. A few days later, she called and asked if I could come over as she and her boyfriend wanted to talk to me. When I got there, I found they were in the midst of an arguement. He had made arrangements to have the truck repaired by a mechanic friend, but as this cost was apparently "out of thier budget at the time" she favoured instead laying hands on the truck and praying over it to fix it. She had called me over, apparently assuming I would support her side as I was "religious". Her first words to me on entering was " you believe God can do anything, don't you ?" I found myself in the difficult position of trying to temper a heated arguement. This turned into a conversation that roamed to many areas. I learned much more of both thier lives and details that were not the most pleasant things to know. I never did answer the issue of "laying on hands". I left there with my mind boggled and emotionally drained, mostly from her mixture of "theology." The following Wednesday, I arrived to take them to church, but nobody was home. This did not really surprise me, and I resolved that I would make myself availiable whenever. I had a few more conversations with them whenever we both happened to be outdoors at the same time, mostly with the boyfriend. I took every opportunity to encourage him to check out Harvey House and hoped to take him out for lunch and a visit to the facility. He did not feel he needed Harvey House as he was "clean" for 17 days and had quit before by himself. In one way 17 days is no real "big deal" as you still have a long ways to go to be drug free, but on the other hand, for a Heroin addict (as most must use daily just to get up and going) it is. My hopes were that they would come to know the Lord and I felt my church was the ideal place for them as we have numerous people from similar backgrounds. One day
just before Christmas, he told that they were going to have to leave my neighbors home. My neighbor's husband was coming in with his children and she wanted them out before they arrived and no sign that they had been there. Both my neighbor and her husband (second marriage for both) have employment which requires frequent travel, both in and out of the country.

[Thrombosdad]

They both mantain homes from thier previous marriages and I think a condo in Hawaii as well. In fact my neighbor is home only 5 days per month on average. They had no real idea of where they were going to stay next. I did not want to see them back homeless and inquired among those at church if any alternative could be found for them. I happened not to be home, when she came over to say goodbye. She talked with my daughter some. From my daughter, I learned, that they appreciated me very much, but that they felt I had pushed the "Harvey House thing" too much, which I probably have. I called them a few days later and learned they had obtained temporary housing with a grand-parent. I have still offered to take them to church, but they are now living "too far away". (thier opinion not mine) I continue to call them on an infrequent basis, but have not had a return from my last few calls. I have learned they do maintain at least a weekly phone contact with my neighbor. Perhaps in my eagerness I have pushed them away to a degree. In sum, I find the boyfriend (he says he's still clean) has a gentle spirit and very willing to serve others (he helped me rake my leaves for example) but she has within her the greatest amount of anxiety I have ever seen. Please pray that this couple will come to know the Lord, by whatever means HE may choose and that I have not hindered that process. I will remain open to them, if they so desire. I would welcome comments from anyone, and will post any further developments should anyone ask that I do so.

God Bless !!!

[Candlepower]

Please pray that this couple will come to know the Lord, by whatever means HE may choose and that I have not hindered that process.

Dad,

Thanks for the update. I have wondered what developed with this situation, and I have prayed for that couple.

I know what you mean. Sometimes it seems that our witness does more to repel people than to attract them. But God uses imperfect implements (us) and still manages to accomplish His work. If these folks choose not to follow Jesus, it doesn’t seem to me that it will be because you have hindered God’s will. It sounds to me that you are doing what you can, with a right heart attitude toward God and the couple. You have planted the seeds. Now we can pray that God will give the increase.

It is sad to watch people choose not to follow Jesus. Each day multitudes who have heard the Word and rejected it, die and go into eternity. But this couple is not there yet. The last chapter of this story has not been written. Behind the scenes, hidden to our eyes, God’s Spirit works. Don’t get tired or discouraged in well doing (Gal 6:9).

I hope both of them reflect on the love (in action) they have experienced from Christians, and that those memories will eventually help lead them to humble themselves and surrender to Christ. There will be rejoicing in heaven — and in your household!

God bless you,

CP