"One of the fastest ways to lose friends is to go all the way with God. Once you become serious about spiritual matters, forsaking all your idols, taking your eyes off things of this world; turning to Jesus with your whole heart; and hungry more for Him, you suddenly become a "religious fanatic" and soon you will experience the worst rejection of your lifetime." David Wilkerson
It has been my personal experience that those who have been in church all or most of their lives seemed to enjoy hating me because I was not saved before I trusted Christ. Sadly after I was born-again these same people wanted to believe I was the same person after being born-again that I was before I found Christ. They acted as though they hated that I had changed.
My question was for years, why were they not excited that I had been changed rather than pretending there had been no change. Perhaps they never changed when they decided to be a Christian and believed they had earned their salvation by being good enough, thereby affording them the luxury of feeling superior to someone who was sinful before trusting in Christ.
This leaves me with the sense that there has never been salvation in those who love to elevate themselves. No one who realized their sinfulness, repented, and became born again remains the same. Those who believe they never sinned badly enough to be rejected by God could never have humbled themselves in repentance to be changed by Christ. They remain in their fallen and sinful state of pride preventing them from becoming born-again.
When we meet someone who has been changed by Christ into a new creation there is a wonderful Spiritual connection, any past sins are irrelevant, and the cleansing of Christ is the focus not anything from the past.
I was actually told by a "Bible believing" Christian to remember how I used to be. My answer was, what I used to be is no longer what I am and Christ cleanses from all sin when we trust in Him. This person was a churchgoer all her life. She acted as though she hated that I was joyful, she wanted me to be miserable and full of guilt.
Why would anyone want a person to be full of guilt over past forgiven sins? My only guess is that they were never forgiven and have not experienced the peace of having repented, because they thought they had never sinned and deserved to be saved.
Romans 3:23
"23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
Prideful people always believe better about themselves than is warranted. They fight and defend themselves to avoid brokenness not realizing that brokenness over sin is the only way anyone can be saved.
Acts 3:19
"Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,"
Those who deny the cleansing power of Christ believing they never needed it and that others have never been cleansed of past sin, cannot and will not be saved.
Every born-again believer comes to Christ in brokenness realizing that they have no good in them to gain heaven. They know that they have been as wicked as everyone else without Christ.
Only those who have a high opinion of their own goodness would accuse others of past forgiven sin. And, even worse these people gossip to others to gain their approval as they turn people against those who have been cleansed by Christ.
Acts 17:30
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,"
Notice the phrase; "all people everywhere to repent." No matter how good you think you have lived you have pride and self-exaltation that needs cleansing.
The vilest murderer can be saved while the good citizen goes to hell for his pride. Anyone who desires to think highly of themselves may actually be on their way to hell.
Luke 5:32
"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many [a]miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’"
And finally, do not feel compelled to make friends with those who act superior. allow them their space and move on to other lovely people who have compassion and will rejoice with you at the new you in Christ.
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