Question by Paula: Where can I find Christians like this?
I want to find a group of people who have all of the following qualities, without a single one missing:
1. They do not waste anything, nor do they overeat. They live on very little and have sold ALL of their possessions and given that money to the poor. They very well might be homeless with no place to lay their heads.
2. They turn the other cheek in all situations and do not support war. They spend their time feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and in prison.
3. They actively preach the Gospel, from door to door when possible. They do not deny the existence of hell and a narrow way.
4. They don’t forsake the gathering of themselves together, but they also don’t subscribe to these contemporary churches.
5. They do not celebrate Christmas, Easter, or any other pagan-tainted “holy day.” Or if they do, they don’t use decked trees or bunnies and eggs, which stemmed from the pagan fertility ritual.
Is there any group (even of a handful of people) who are doing ALL, or very, very close to all of this? I want to do this, but I’m scared to do it alone and I have yet to find a single person or group doing all of those things. I would think that kind of person wouldn’t be on Yahoo Answers or in most/any contemporary churches I could find, so I don’t know where to look. If you’ve ever met someone like this, can you help me get in touch?
I’m serious. Thanks.
I’m not a troll, and I’m not trying to trap anyone. I myself obviously am typing on a computer and haven’t sold everything. But when I read what Jesus said, I can’t help but feel like the common interpretation of it is wrong. I feel like it’s all or nothing — hot or cold. If I could find even one single human being willing to do this, I would sell everything and devote the rest of my life to it.
Why are so many people responding with sarcasm or insinuating that I’m promoting Jehovah’s Witnesses or Amish or whoever.
Jehovah’s Witnesses deny hell, which exists. So that’s not what I’m looking for.
The Amish, as far as I know, don’t actively preach the Gospel. They keep to themselves. Since they aren’t going into all the world to preach the Gospel, that’s also not what I’m looking for.
I’m just looking for 2 or 3 people or more who honestly want to do these things, or who are already doing them. Not necessarily a conventional label, but a group of sincere people.
Best answer:
Answer by KD
no, this does not exist
What do you think? Answer below!
THe Bible supports or actually approves of war in certain instances — so you will find no Christian like this — God Bless !
converted ethiopians?
“do not overreact”?
psh, good luck finding ANYONE with that quality all the time, let alone in combination with the others.
To be able to do these things daily and by oneself is almost impossible. A group might be able to and if so, they might be found within the ‘family’ of the Fransciscans
Oh, you’re a tricky fellow.
The hapless Christian answers “Well, golly. No one follows all of * that *!”
And then you pounce, sternly lecturing all that they cannot be Christians or are, at the very least, poorly following its doctrines.
You’re serious? Sure you are.
If this is what the Spirit is calling for you to do, don’t expect to find a lot of company. A life devoted to poverty and fasting will not appeal to masses. But God may have a special calling on your life. He may be preparing you to be a prophet or a witness. Don’t be scared; be obedient to the vision He has given you- if in fact you are certain it comes from Him, that is the only thing you can do. You may have to do it alone, but He may lead you to others upon whom He has placed a similar calling. Bless you in finding His will for your life.
***Read First Kings chapter 19 for the story of how Elijah cast his mantle over Elisha. Note that Elisha immediately forsook all he had to follow Elijah. He burned his belongings and boiled his oxen to feed others- in other words, he left himself nothing to go back to. That Elijah/ Elisha spirit is needed in the world today.
If you find these people, run like the wind, because they aren’t Christians. The Christians are the people you seem to hate so much, the sinners celebrating Christmas and Easter at that contemporary church right down the street from you. You might not see it in their outward works, but Jesus is living in their hearts. Is He living in yours? Can you really love the Lord if you hate His people?
The group that I know of that is the closest to matching your requirements is this one…
http://www.outpostcenters.org/ministries/wildwood
Christians arent like that…They are like this. look for Christians like this.
1 If I speak in human or angelic tongues, [a] but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body [to hardship] that I may boast, [b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
http://suncoastcommunity.com/
I do not know of _any_ group, all of whose members, fit those standards. Such a group has never been described, even in the Bible.
1a – In today’s society, there are no groups that I know of which does not have some members that overeat, even if they know they shouldn’t.
1b – No group in modern society has managed to do this and survive very long, living in a communal society. Even the Amana Colonies voted to leave the communal nature of their life, shortly after the beginning of the Great Depression.
2. – One group that comes close are the Amish/Mennonites, who certainly care for their own. They will not fight or serve in war and received, during WWII, special permission to build and support mental institutions.
3 – I suspect you are trying to promote the Jehovah’s Witnesses, but fail to recognize that many of their teachings are contradicted rather plainly in the Bible. You’ve narrowed the qualifications to avoid that charge.
4 – Kingdom Halls (of the Jehovah’s Witnesses) are certainly equivalent to a church/congregation where the members meet. A better group that fits this description are the Amish, who rotate their meetings among members’ homes.
5 – Jehovah’s Witnesses complaint about the major religious holy days are built upon this argument, but they fail to realize that symbolism (which is what many of the trappings of the holidays represent) are common in the Bible. The cross, for instance, was used as a symbol of one’s burden.
If you are serious about wanting to find your own path, looking at the outward trappings and teachings of a church won’t necessarily lead you where you want to go. A prayer of real intent to find the “true” path for you will do more than the kind of superficial examination that you’ve expressed here.
Don’t be misled; the scriptures say of our times that there will be many that will say come to us, we have Christ. There will many who call on His name, but whom he will reject. If you are who I think you are in terms of path, then you already know this.
And yes, I have known Jehovah’s Witnesses who need to seriously watch their diet and quit overeating.
Nice try, though.
Late Add: Basically, you are looking for what you believe is Utopia–a place where everything is perfect. While there may be some who dedicate their lives to helping others, taking vows of poverty, and so on, I don’t know of any that really meet all your requirements, especially with regard to the teachings you are espousing.
God does not necessarily want total sacrifice of all one has, but he does expect one to be willing to do it if called upon. That you are willing says a lot about your desires. I wish you well in that which you seek.
There is no one perfect in this world….you cannot look for perfection. Jesus was perfect. What you can look for though, is people who love one another and would die for one another. Anyone who kills his fellow man in war or anything else can not be a true follower of Christ….. Jesus said by their fruits you will know who are my disciples…………
Lauren, last year I was thinking about this too! It seems NO ONE is living like this (including me) I want to do it but to do it alone would be difficult. Even together it will be difficult. You have it right though, it seems like everything is tainted with the things that offend God. Past few years I have been searching and thinking ‘Where can I find anyone practicing the way Jesus instructed us to live.’ You want to talk about the NARROW WAY! Yea this is it. How old are you? It’s amazing someone else sees this too. I am very much interested in breaking out of the shackles of lies and truly being set free.
I do believe you are sincere and not being hateful or lacking in love. I think that a true Christian exhibits love and compassion. I don’t think all religions exhibit this. I won’t mention the ‘god’ I think that lacks compassion and love but you can see it in his followers. Email me.
EDIT: I don’t think you mean dirt poor. I think you mean not following after the god of money and seeking after all the trappings this god symbolizes.
Lauren you make some good points there are lots of christians including myself that don’t do all that we could or should do to put others first and try to help others all the time but as it says in the bible all will fall short of the glory of God.I can name one person who fits your recommendation Jesus and why because he was perfect we are not perfect we can just try to do the best we can.Just try your best to do what you have said but don’t beat yourself up about it when you realise you cant.
Your putting to much stock in people.
Only Jesus has done that I know of.
Why not follow Him and His example?.
People will let you down at times but Jesus will not.
Even Jesus disiples had occupations even after they where converted. Paul was a tentmaker.