Dealing with Unbelievers (part 2)

Continuing the thought from yesterday, we are seeking to find the proper balance in our involvement with those who do not know God, or who do not know Him rightly. Here are few more things to consider in this subject matter.

First, we are called to live in the world, and to be in relationships with unbelievers. We are not, however, allowed to let them influence us away from the faith. This was the foundation of the Old Testament passages (and there were many) that said for us to "hate" the unbeliever, and to refuse to join in his company. It was not advising an entire separation from them (as Jesus points out when He prayed that we not be taken out of the world, but to live in it faithfully), rather it was warning us about how much their errors can influence us, even when we do not think they will.

Remember, the devil never shows up at the door saying, "Hi! I'm Satan, the prince of all evil. I'm here to lead you into eternal Hell. Would you like to follow me?" No, instead he says things like, "Are you sad or hurting? I can help you. Just listen to me and I'll make all of your bad stuff go away and you will be happy forever!" And, sadly, we fall for it. This is the exact tactic that he uses with those unbelievers that he wants to seduce us with. He uses them to destroy our faith.

Second, we are to seek to know the unbelievers enough to know what their needs are and how we can best speak to them about the grace of Christ. Some will respond to theological arguments, some need to come to Mass, others will only listen if they see mercy and love in our lives. Each is different, and that means we have to be "close enough" to know them, but not so close as to changed by them. As our Lord said once, we are to be "in the world, but not of the world".

Third, we must realize that the most grace comes from those friendships with others who are in full communion with Christ and His Church. If our best friends are non-Catholics, and we have few, if any, friends who are Catholic, then we have forgotten what it means to live in fellowship with our brethren. The presumption of every letter of the New Testament is that the early Christians were in communion with each other, and whenever someone left that communion they were told to treat them like "an unbeliever". Thus, we can have "friends" among the lost, certainly, but it should never be a deeper relationship than others who are in the Church.

It is easy to become confused about these boundaries, and we usually make choices based on what makes us happy, more than on what makes God happy. The warnings in Scripture about being led astray are so numerous that they would fill more pages than this and yesterday's posts! Let us take them to heart and realize that the devil is working to tear us down, and we need to resist him. Let us also realize that we are able, by the grace of Christ, to draw others away from the devil and unto Christ's Church.