Need advice

[melanie]

I have two friends who are really like 2nd parents to me. The wife was my first boss out of college, and that was over 20 yrs ago. Her husband who I love dearly is a superior court judge in the NE. They were born into catholic families. They are either agnostic or aethiest. At any rate, passive non-believers. Raymond has an early stage of cancer. Both of them are in their mid-sixties. They are very close to me and always listen to my advice as far as natural remedies, etc. I am very attached to them as well. In fact, they think highly enough of me that they've left their estate to me when they die. I jokingly tell them I don't plan on being around this place all that much longer. Anyway, I do worry about where they are going to spend eternity. These are morally VERY GOOD PEOPLE, which pains me even more that they are living in the dark. I have a lot of influence over them until it gets to religion. You know how those extreme liberals are, and they are VERY LIBERAL. I would like to send them DR Jeremiah's book What In The World Is Going On. What do you think? They will be turned off if whatever I send them is strictly about how to be saved. They don't believe it. I'm thinking maybe if they see what is going on with America and why, it will sink in. Now, I understand why the Bible says not to associate with non-believers. It's too painful to know where these people are going. Better not to get too attached to them. Any ideas on how to get an aethiest to see the light? Hope this makes sense what I'm tying to get across. They are turned off by "Jesus Freaks" "Holy Roller", etc. They just dont get it, unfortunatley. I'm hoping they will get it before it's too late.

[mikalikat]

Wow, I'll be praying on this one. There are some pretty good members here that should be able to offer constructive suggestions. We are facing the same issue with my husband's aunt and uncle and their family. LOVELY people, absolutely salt of the earth. But not believers and don't want to hear it. Be in prayer about this, ask the Lord how He would have you plant a seed. In the meantime, let's see what others have to contribute. Thanks for bringing this to the board!

[Eco]

IMHO, talk to them about eternity. There are many questions that you can use with rhetoric to cause them to think deeply about the issues. For example:

(assuming they don't believe in an afterlife) Why are you so afraid to die if there is nothing afterward?
or
Don't you have some sort of gut feeling that this isn't the end?

If they do believe in an afterlife...
Where are you going?
Are you certain?
What makes you believe you'll end up <here>
Do you have any proof for that belief? Or any assurance from any independent source (eg. I'm going to heaven because I believe in Jesus and he says anyone who believes in him at that moment possesses eternal life regardless of who they are)

If they get uncomfortable with the subject, as they are very likely to, it is a good idea to me to suggest that if you're wrong you're wrong (which we know you're not), but what if you're right. It'll be far more uncomfortable if they wind up in Sheol awaiting the lake of fire for eternity than it is right now to discuss a vital issue.

(Edit: You also should be well versed in salvation, and why there is a need for salvation instead of a works salvation...pm me if you need help on that.)

More than anything though, and I cannot stress this enough;
PRAY TO GOD BEFORE YOU GO IN, THAT YOUR WORDS WILL CARRY THE MESSAGE HE WANTS TO SAY, AND THAT HE WILL CAUSE THEIR HEARTS TO BE RECEPTIVE TO HIS MESSAGE

In evangelism, you're an ambassador of the Most High. You don't save souls, he does.

Just my two cents though.

[micah719]

God's word is sharper than any 2 edged sword. If they are to be saved their hearts need to be convicted of their sins by the Holy Spirit, and they must accept Jesus Christ as the only way of dealing with that. That is the difference between religion and Jesus...religion says "what can i do"......Jesus says "It is finished". Coming from Catholic and Liberal and educated backgrounds, the water must be very muddy indeed. First step is to pray! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you speak to these folks.

[MikeD]

Melanie, I can't agree strongly enough with Eco, Mikalikat, and Micah719. PRAY PRAY PRAY!!! The Holy Spirit in you is your guide and provider of knowledge when you need it the most. PRAY!!!! AND PRAY SOME MORE!! When God DOES speak in your heart about what to say or do, allow yourself to act on it!!

I do understand your feelings towards these people. They are, what you might call, beyond family. They are sooooooo close. All the more reason to PRAY AND PRAY SOME MORE!! Our God is BIG ENOUGH to guide you and show you what needs to be done regarding these two individuals.

We do look forward to a tremendous testimony and will commit to praying for you and with you in this situation.

Blessings to you!!!

[LivnForChrist]

Pray, and then trust God. Ask him what he would have you to do. If he leads
you to say/do something, do it. Either way, put it in God's hands because as
someone else has said already, he's the one who saves. Praying for their Salvation
also.

[Adopted Son]

Try telling them why you believe. Explain your thinking process, and then how God confirmed that line of thinking, and how He now encompasses nearly everything you do and the choices you make. Once you have covered WHY you have faith, don't keep talking, let them respond and ask questions. It's at this point I ask the Holy Spirit to answer their questions through me, and He almost always does. That will constitute the "seed". Then it's up to the Father to bring them in.

[melanie]

Thank you for your thoughts. I've fretted over it for months and discussed with friends who are believers in Christ our Saviour. Anytime I've mentioned Heaven or Jesus I get a reaction like "you silly girl, you believe that?" Or, "you are so cute, you believe that?" As if I'm a kid discussing a fairy tale. Ray believes aft. death exp.'s are chemicals in the dying brain, etc.

As much as I worried and fretted over this, I need to pray more. I'm going to send the book, too.

[melanie]

IMHO, talk to them about eternity. There are many questions that you can use with rhetoric to cause them to think deeply about the issues. For example:

(assuming they don't believe in an afterlife) Why are you so afraid to die if there is nothing afterward?
or
Don't you have some sort of gut feeling that this isn't the end?

If they do believe in an afterlife...
Where are you going?
Are you certain?
What makes you believe you'll end up <here>
Do you have any proof for that belief? Or any assurance from any independent source (eg. I'm going to heaven because I believe in Jesus and he says anyone who believes in him at that moment possesses eternal life regardless of who they are)

If they get uncomfortable with the subject, as they are very likely to, it is a good idea to me to suggest that if you're wrong you're wrong (which we know you're not), but what if you're right. It'll be far more uncomfortable if they wind up in Sheol awaiting the lake of fire for eternity than it is right now to discuss a vital issue.

Yes, this is how I was thinking of approaching it. Thank you