Can it be our fault someone else isn't saved?

[Brother Albert R.]

Where does the blame fall if we as Christians didn't share the gospel with someone? Can it be our fault someone doesn't accept Christ, or does the moral impetus fall solely on that person and his or her decision?

My response to the title of your post is, we may be responsible for some ones physical death but not their spiritual death. People are responsible for the truth they have, even those who died before Jesus came to earth. To be able to blame someone else for not warning you would be like blaming others for your own faults. God knows the beginning from the end, He will send angels to minister to those who are going to inherit eternal life even though they might not realize they are angels.
I hope that this helps,
God bless,
Brother Albert

 

[Danno]

Where does the blame fall if we as Christians didn't share the gospel with someone? Can it be our fault someone doesn't accept Christ, or does the moral impetus fall solely on that person and his or her decision?

This same question has been on my mind recently too, and it’s great to see the responses all fall within the same vein.

 

[Salluz]

This same question has been on my mind recently too, and it’s great to see the responses all fall within the same vein.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Cindy S.]

This plagues my heart sometimes and makes me cry, wondering if I didn't say the right words at the right time, etc., but God uses everything. We just have to be willing to love and share. Sometimes it is the stuff we don't think made a difference that makes the most difference.

I used to try to find the magic words to get my daughter saved. The Holy Spirit can do much more than I can.

 

[RestInHim]

Touchy subject for me because I am the only Christian in my family right now. And I have talked my HEAD off, to the point where I know I must now keep quiet. Ultimately I know the Holy Spirit is working in each one of their lives, drawing them toward Himself in any way He wills. That's what He did with me. I had to go through a lot of misery to get there, and that is what may need to happen.

I don't know why but I tend to lean towards doing the same, I think there are multiple factors involved though such as not wanting any to perish, wanting relationships with loved one's, hating sin in myself and in others because God hates sin, yet He loves the world. Some of it too is leaning towards a legalistic type of belief and maybe this is because of hearing such teachings coming from the Reformed/T.U.L.I.P camp (in past years ) and just "feeling" like I've not done enough to love God and others, but this has "NOTHING" to do with their choices of whether they chose to trust in Christ or not and the same rings true for those who are in Christ but chose not to abide in Him for their spiritual growth. We cannot blame others for the choices we make, we will ALL be accountable to Him one day. As Christians we are all responsible for our spiritual growth and we need to be in His word so that we grow in our relationship with Him. This is how we come to KNOW Him and grow. (Rom. 10:17) (Phil. 1: 6)

I think some of us tend to think too much and question everything, I'm guilty of this and it is part of my illness with severe neurological damage which makes it 10 times worse than if I didn't have it. But, even that God is using it to draw me closer to Him. (Rom. 8: 28) We should not question everything and we should not rely on our emotions and feelings, but, on the truth of His Word and stand on his promises. God is love. Yes, He hates sin, but He is also patient and gentle and not wishing for any to perish. I love how as His children He lovingly takes us and molds us into His image as we read about it in John 15 and Hebrews 12: 4-11. Every hardship, pain and sorrow and suffering we go through is for our good and His glory! How He does that in each of us is unique and it is His choice on how He does it in each of our lives for His purposes. We don't know everything, but we can trust that He is doing a great work. For we walk by faith and not by sight! (2 Cor. 5: 7)

@ Andiamo. YES, that's what He did with me also. We need to let go and let Him do what He knows best, that is what builds our trust in Him AND He will do what He needs to do in our lives also, to bring us to a place where He wants us to completely know His love for us and to trust Him.

I believe He is doing it with me now, He is doing it in all of us right now, but, yes, He's always working in our lives and we just need to seek Him.

(2 Cor. 3: 18) " But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

I grew up in an unbelieving home but there was this lady who lived in the village who took me to Sunday School Class at a little Baptist Church when I was a young girl and several times I had attended Bible Camp and I remember simply believing in Jesus Christ! I don't remember when exactly and I don't remember anything other than simply believing and lately I've been really thinking about this and how He has always been working in my life one way or another to draw me to Himself. In my teen years I was messed up and searching for Him, but, I believe it was because He was drawing me to Himself, He was working in my life. I had our first son out of wedlock and I named Him Christopher because of Christ and because of who He is. Then in my mid 20's someone shared the gospel with me and again (?) and I simply believed! DH and I moved quite a bit and we moved from this City soon thereafter and then again from the next city, all the while I never went to Church or read my Bible, not because I didn't want to, I just didn't know any better and life was busy with 3 young ones and not knowing anyone where we lived.

We, again moved back to my hometown and I started to go to Church and went to a few different one's not really knowing what I was doing or looking for in a Church. Then my health failed me and now I was basically bedridden, unable to function yet I dragged myself and the family to Church here and there until I couldn't anymore. I couldn't read or function much for several years and then I was met with a Pastor who was a Calvinist and who introduced me to this type of teaching and this is what got me reading and searching for God and His truth.

In Exodus 6 we read of how God gives assurance of Israel's deliverance. We see how God says in (v.1) "Now you shall see what I will do" and in (v.2) He says: "And God spoke to Moses and said to him: "I am the Lord". God is faithful to Israel as He established His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and even though they groan and complain He is faithful to save them.

ALSO, note what He says in (v. 7) "I WILL TAKE YOU AS MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE YOUR GOD. THEN YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO BRINGS YOU OUT FROM UNDER THE BURDENS OF THE EGYPTIANS "

It is God who saves people not us, we are only His servants, His vessel in which He uses to share the gospel and to pray and to trust Him. We are simply to exercise our faith in Him, keep our focus on Him as He works in and through us. God will not share His glory with anyone. Oh, how we often times we want to play God, even when we think our motives are good? But, God won't allow anyone to receive the glory only He deserves.

Later in (v.9) we read... "So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage." We read through the following Chapters how God sent out His plagues upon the Egyptians because Pharaoh would not let Israel go so that they could worship Him.

Even in the O.T. we see the loving hand of God, His patience, His grace to save ALL, but, some will not heed His calling, some will harden their hearts time and time again, even when God blesses them with His grace and mercy not wishing for any to perish. (Matt. 5: 45) (2 Pet. 3:9)

In Chapter 10 (v. 1-2) We see how the Lord now "hardens" Pharaoh's heart and the hearts of His servants... so that these signs would be told to the children of Israel, of the mighty things God has done in Egypt, the signs He has done for them, that they may know that "I am the Lord". We read of the 10 plagues and how Pharaoh finally lets them go as God hardens his heart again and keeps His promise to Israel even though they had not trusted in Him. Man has no excuse for not trusting in Him, everyone is given the same chance to repent, but, sadly, many will not. Sin is pleasurable for a season and we have all had our own time in the world as unbelievers and we all have our own walk with the Lord as believers, we can pray for them and we can trust Him who will work in their lives to bring them to Himself in His time. We need only to believe Him as we walk out each day in His love and provisions and wait on Him for direction and guidance as He continues to grow our faith. Wait on the Lord!

Verse 31 of Chapter 14 We read of Israel's genuine faith and the great works of the Lord!

"Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt; so the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and His servant Moses."

We too must believe that God IS able to SAVE. It may not be according to our timetable or how we expect it, we need only to trust Him as we walk faithfully with Him, knowing that "He is the Lord" and "He is mighty to save" (Zeph. 3: 17)

 

[cheeky200386]

This makes me wonder about false teachers who deceive people. I believe the Bible states they are held accountable for leading people astray I believe. I'm curious how that fits in with responsibility. Not that any of us are actively trying to deceive others.

 

[Salluz]

This makes me wonder about false teachers who deceive people. I believe the Bible states they are held accountable for leading people astray I believe. I'm curious how that fits in with responsibility. Not that any of us are actively trying to deceive others.

Makes me think of Luke 17:1

Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.

God still punishes the evil for the evil they do even though it is inevitable that evil exist... Similarly, God will still reward Christians for our good works even though they are only possible through His strength.

I'm also not sure how that fits in with personal agency when it comes to the gospel, but I do think each man's decision is his own... But then again, how do prayers for a person's salvation factor into this?

Can we help a person's salvation along or hinder it?...