The UnChristian

They exist.

At a church we attended, my daughter had a terrible experience. One of the children’s pastor’s kids slammed a door repeatedly on my daughter’s arm while shouting GTFO. GTFO is an acronym for Get the (curse word) out. In shock, my daughter told this kid that he was being “unchristian.” However, his siblings ganged up on her and shamed her for accusing him of being unchristian. In fact, their pastor parents agreed with them and in the end he was never called to apologize.

Just imagine that for a moment: churches who teach if you tell your brother he is unchristian because he sinned you’re the one who’s judge-y. Could this be true?

Let’s dive in.

Let’s begin with curse words.

Jesus scolds the hypocrites about their ungodly speech.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. ~Matthew 12:34 KJV

In the same speech, Jesus shares that words matter.

[36] But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. [37] For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. ~Matthew 12:36-37 KJV

Paul tells the Ephesians church to “Let no corrupt communication” out of their mouths, but serve up favorable words to build up the hearer.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. ~Ephesians 4:29 KJV

Here is the context Paul shares with those Christian Ephesians about their speech.

[31] Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: [32] And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. ~Ephesians 4:31-32 KJV

James shares this with the twelve Christian tribes how it is unchristian to curse. It is devilish.

[10] Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. [11] Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? [12] Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. [13] Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. [14] But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. [15] This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. [16] For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. ~James 3:10-16 KJV

Even the OT confirms the truth between good and evil speech.

The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. ~Proverbs 15:28 KJV

How is it that church people can fall so far away from the scriptures and still believe they’re in good with God? False doctrines, I tell you.

Before we continue, this is an article about misinterpreting the judging scriptures called When to Judge and Judge Not. When people believe that calling out sin in the church body means you are judging, everyone ignores the sin and blames the truthteller. Isn’t that scary?

Here are a few more examples of unchristian behavior.

It is unchristian for men to be disorderly busybodies who do not work.

Punishment: Note them and have no company with them that they would be ashamed.

[6] Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. [7] For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; [8] Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: [9] Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. [10] For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. [11] For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. [12] Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. [13] But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. [14] And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. [15] Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. [16] Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. [17] The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. [18] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. -2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 KJV

It is also unchristian to not love OR not help needy brethren.

Punishment: They abide in death as murderers.

[14] We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. [15] Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. [16] Hereby perceive we the love of God , because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. [17] But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? ~1 John 3:14-17 KJV

Supportive OT Examples:

[7] If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: [8] But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. ~Deuteronomy 15:7-8 KJV

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land. ~Deuteronomy 15:11 KJV

It is unchristian to lie to the Holy Spirit (who lives in us).

Punishment: Ananias and his wife Sapphira fell dead by the Holy Spirit through the words of the Apostle—God’s ministers who are able to execute wrath by the immediate power of God.

[3] But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? [4] Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. – Acts 5:3-4 KJV

It is unchristian to fornicate.

Punishment: They were properly confronted, kicked out of the congregation, and given over to the devil until they showed heartfelt repentance. Also, Christians must separate from them entirely. (Keep in mind that many churches today fail to explain fornication so we have people who do not realize they are living in sin unlike the  people in the churches built by the Apostles who knew better.)

[1] It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. [2] And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. [3] For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, [4] In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, [5] To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. – 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 KJV

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: [10] Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. [11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. [12] For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? [13] But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. – 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 KJV

It is unchristian to lie.

Punishment: All liars will have their part in the lake of fire.

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. ~Revelation 21:8 KJV

It is unchristian to steal.

Punishment: They must work with their hands and learn to give.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. -Ephesians 4:28 KJV

It is unchristian to be unrepentant.1 Updated 8/2/2018 – replaced the inaccurate word unforgiving with the word unrepentant

Punishment: The Christian must repent and ask for forgiveness or be considered an unbeliever.

[15] Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. [16] But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. [17] And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. – Matthew 18:15-17 KJV

It is unchristian to walk in the flesh.

Punishment: They aren’t God’s people.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. [9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His. ~Romans 8:8-9 KJV

It is unchristian to not take care of your own spouse and children.

Punishment: This church person is worse than an unbeliever (so imagine what awaits their soul).

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. – 1 Timothy 5:8 KJV

It is unchristian to commit unclean lusts.

Punishment: God gives them up and over to uncleanness, vile affections, and a reprobate mind.

[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. [24] Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: [25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. [26] For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: [27] And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. [28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; – Romans 1:21-28 KJV

Many more examples exist in the Holy Scriptures showing us what Christian and unchristian means. It is the difference between godly and ungodly. Yet, we have the transformational and permanent Help of the Messiah. In essence, the bar is raised because we have no excuse. Glory!