Girlfriend's Beliefs... I need help!!!

[want2modmygt]

well, this is my second post and im not sure if this is in the right section, but i figure i'll give it a whirl. I met my current girlfriend about 8 months ago or so. we have been talking very regularly since then and about a month ago we decided to date. well, obviously, when we met, I like to know what religion the people i know are, so i asked her and she said christian. okay. so that was that. I assumed that that meant she believed as I did, in one God, forgiveness of sins, and all that good stuff that I dont need to repeat right here. Well, come to find out she belongs to the Danish Lutheran Church which is loose christianity if you will. She explained it like they dont have to believe in God to belong to the church. She believes in evolution (that made me angry) and that she doesnt know what to believe as far as God goes, but she did say she believes in something. she also said she believes that Jesus walked the earth and died for ours sins, and that he rose again. so i asked her if I could show her that God is real and if she would come to church with me. She said she'd love to. i'm excited that she is willing to learn, but im afraid she wont believe. i've prayed been praying about this, and i think it will all turn out. but still. when i took our church's "Understanding God and His Covenants" class, i also learned to not date or people who are not christians. i assumed that she was, because she said she was. now i dont know what to do. how can i show her the one true God? what should I do? im really confused. please help me.

thanks

[Christ's Minister]

As I read your message,the Holy Spirit began to communicate with me.This is what God is telling me;there is no one perfect church with total truth.All churches have some false teachings and misunderstandings in their doctrine..Most importantly,God has an incredible love for His children and is willing to overlook their ignorance of His ways.God believes that almost all Christian churches have true believers in them in spite of their church's false teachings.(this revelation of course will be rejected by Catholic haters)

In specific reference to your girlfriend,her belief in Jesus is not enough.You must use your influence AND ENCOURAGEMENT to get her to accept Jesus' divinity and then see to it that she goes through a water baptism ceremony in YOUR CHURCH to be followed by prayers that God baptize her with His Holy Spirit.

God loves your girlfriend much more than you do and He does not want to shun or cast her aside as you seem willing to do.God wants you to use love,influence and encouragement to bring your girlfriend into active participation in your church.That's your God-given mission.GO FOR IT!

[Bible2]

...how can i show her the one true God?... "From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

-- 2 Timothy 3:15-17

[want2modmygt]

God loves your girlfriend much more than you do and He does not want to shun or cast her aside as you seem willing to do.
i hope I did not sound that way. In no way do I want to put her aside or anything. In fact, its the complete opposite. i would love for nothing more than for her to know God and love Him as I do. thank you for the reply though. God works in mysterious ways, thats for sure.

[muffler dragon]

Dear want:

You make two statements that I wanted to comment on:

so i asked her if I could show her that God is real

i would love for nothing more than for her to know God and love Him as I do.

In consideration of point quote 1, this is not something that is for you to do. It is not within your ability, nor is it something that G-d deems as necessary. You don't have to prove or try to prove to someone else that G-d exists or is real. He is, and that's for Him to show. You've really got no stake in that matter. Secondly, this doesn't happen in a building. Therefore, don't set yourself up by thinking that it is a given when, in fact, it is far from it.

Regarding quote 2: "to know G-d as you do, and to love G-d as you do" are two more things that you have no power or authority over. Therefore, I would advise you to drop this type of thinking as well. I know where your heart is and I understand where you're coming from; however, it's not correct thinking. Having a relationship with G-d is something to be determined by G-d and the individual. There may come a way in which you can augment this relationship, but other than that, you've got no place.

There are only two things that you can do: pray and talk with her about it. Other than that, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

m.d.

[davidshane]

That is to say, I hope this doesn't sound like the chicken's way out, but I've always found a good way to go is just asking a lot of questions. Ask her to explain why she believes the things she does. If the truth is on your side, you have nothing to fear. She may notice inconsistencies in what she says all by herself. This has always been what I have done, anyways. It also keeps me from getting selfish, since questions are more outwardly focused. Sometimes I come up with answers so appropriate -- I don't know, I'm just not that smart, somebody else must be. :)

[Porthos]

Dear want:

You make two statements that I wanted to comment on:





In consideration of point quote 1, this is not something that is for you to do. It is not within your ability, nor is it something that G-d deems as necessary. You don't have to prove or try to prove to someone else that G-d exists or is real. He is, and that's for Him to show. You've really got no stake in that matter. Secondly, this doesn't happen in a building. Therefore, don't set yourself up by thinking that it is a given when, in fact, it is far from it.

Regarding quote 2: "to know G-d as you do, and to love G-d as you do" are two more things that you have no power or authority over. Therefore, I would advise you to drop this type of thinking as well. I know where your heart is and I understand where you're coming from; however, it's not correct thinking. Having a relationship with G-d is something to be determined by G-d and the individual. There may come a way in which you can augment this relationship, but other than that, you've got no place.

There are only two things that you can do: pray and talk with her about it. Other than that, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

m.d.
I respectfully disagree.

You can show her God through your example of walking with christ. I would say that if you do any good deed as you think Jesus would have you do, and she sees that action, you are being Jesus to her.

As an off the wall example, one of my brothers friends committed suicide two weeks ago. The friday that it happened, that evening we all showed up as well as most of the leadership of our church. These people don't attend church and they said that they were so very overwhelmed by the turnout and showing that was done for them in their time of need. We were all Jesus for them helping them through a hard time as well as helping each other.

My advice - Don't worry about anything, if it's God's will that this girl is for you, then He will work it out in His timing and His ways. I would suggest you get rid of any pre-conceived notions that you think should happen and be yourself. Be Jesus for her and let God do the rest.

[Telrunya]

Amen Porthos! I would also recommend reading Josh McDowell's "Evidance that Demands a Verdict" and Lee Stroble's "A Case for Christ" and "A Case for Faith". Those three books are excellent referances and clearly answer the questions you are asking. I would recommend starting with Stroble's works as they are an easier read.

[Stan the Man]

You can show her God through your example of walking with christ. I would say that if you do any good deed as you think Jesus would have you do, and she sees that action, you are being Jesus to her.

:amen:

However it strikes me that both Porthos and m.d are essentially recommending the same thing...

If you show Jesus to people, that is God working through you and not you doing the work. You are submitting to God, and acknowledging that you need Him to work through you, so that through you, He may demonstrate His love to others (in this case, specifically your girlfriend). So although the phrasing and emphasis is different, they are both essentially saying that it is by God's work that your girlfriend can come to know Him. m.d's emphasis is on God alone; porthos' emphasis is on the fact that He can work through you if you allow Him to is.

Just submit to Christ and ask Him to work through you by the Holy Spirit, so that your girlfriend may come to know Jesus, by seeing Him at work in you, and in those you have fellowship with in Christ.

On the subject of recommending books to help her understand what you believe, John's Gospel might be appropriate...? ;)

[peach16_4u]

One thing i would warn you about is to be careful. I have a cousin that did the same thing. She was dating a really nice guy that was not a christian and he was getting close to being baptised but about this time she decided to break up with him and as far as i know he never got baptised. Now i'm not saying that will happen to you but you need to be careful that her spiritul life does not depend on the relationship and that the deeper in the relationship you get the more likly she is so just go ahead to make you happy. You also need to decide how long you'll stay in the relationship if she dosn't accept God. If you get to the point were you'll get married, will you still marry her if she hasn't changed at all? just some stuff to think about. Hop i didn't scare you.

[futureisnow]

One thing i would warn you about is to be careful. I have a cousin that did the same thing. She was dating a really nice guy that was not a christian and he was getting close to being baptised but about this time she decided to break up with him and as far as i know he never got baptised. Now i'm not saying that will happen to you but you need to be careful that her spiritul life does not depend on the relationship and that the deeper in the relationship you get the more likly she is so just go ahead to make you happy. You also need to decide how long you'll stay in the relationship if she dosn't accept God. If you get to the point were you'll get married, will you still marry her if she hasn't changed at all? just some stuff to think about. Hop i didn't scare you.
Intresting, the same thing happened to friends of mine. They were dating she was a christian he was not. He was going to get baptised, however they broke up and now he denies everything saying that he just belived to make her happy. Sadly he is now leading a more destructive life then before he ever met her.

I don't say this to scare you either as peach mentioned. I just wanted to make the point that (similar to what peach said) you should be very clear to her that your realtionship does not hinge on what she decides to choose, because that may (in her mind) force her to say she belives in somthing she does not just to keep you. And that will definatly blow up in both your faces. Basically that is an "I will love you if" situation, which is not what Jesus teaches, and that may make her say things just to stay in your good books.

[PaladinGirl]

Well, if she claims to be a Christian she more than likely is. Based upon what you said, it sounds like she is a Christian. Therefore I wouldn't worry about being "unequally yoked" as the Bible puts it. As for whether or not she accepts your beliefs, well, all I can say is pray about it.

[peach16_4u]

Holly3278,
your post is a little disturbing to me. Just because someone says their a christian does not make it so. Someone can say daily to 100 people that they are a christian, but if they don't live the life then they arn't.

Want2modmygt
if you don't think your girlfriend is living the life of a christian, help her to understand what it means to be a christian.