An unsaved friend

What the correspondent wrote is in color

At 0125 PM 2000-03-12 -0500, you wrote
I want to take a moment to thank you for forwarding some of the questions & answers you send
to me, they are very helpful.

Dear D,

Thank you for your comments and inquiries.
 

I have a question. me and my fiancé argue over a friend that she has, I feel
that what I have learned from the Bible that we should stay separate from
those who believe not in the word of God. or else we are inviting unclean
spirits into our life. my fiancé say's that I am judging this friend. I don't
want to judge anyone, but when Gods word tells us to learn and be aware of
these things, should we not act upon them?

You are basically right, but not necessarily right,  practically.  You must consider the motives of your contact with this friend.  If you are  friends with her and influencing her for the Lord, then your friendship is good, if she is influencing you and your girl friend, then it is bad,

Jesus was rightly accused, by the Pharisees,  of being a "friend of sinners." Luke 7:34  ".... a friend of publicans and sinners!"  They also accused Him of, Luke 15:2  And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

I am sure we understand that He did not socialize with them and listen to their filthy conversation.  He  contacted them with a purpose. He told them about repentance toward God and faith toward Himself.  He was there to influence them for God.

If you can do that with your fiancé's friend, by all means do it; if she is influence you and you friend, then by all means break that friendship.

She will either influence you for evil or you will influence her for God.  You must determine which is taking place.

her friend believes there is a God but also believes that there is a place of purgatory

It would be wise to ask her to show you this in her Bible. When she can't, then you can help her to see the error of her belief. This could a starting place with her. The idea of a purgatory is a place where you suffer for your sins. You could show here that Christ once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust....1Peter 3:18. (and many other verses)

I believe that a person needs to accept and believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. anything else is wrong. should I look at this friend in a different light?

You are absolutely right.  This should be you purpose in all your contacts with the world of lost sinners.

May the Lord give you wisdom and power to do so.

In His Service,

Harold

thank you
 

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith


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Updated   Mar. 12th 2000 by Harold Smith