How to help a church friend who appears to be headed from God & towards sin
Q: This is weighing on my heart....
How do you help someone who has lost their way, and feels that the immediate pleasures or temptations (perhaps sinful) are alluring or luring them away, are more appealing than going God's way [in following righteousness]?"
I have a close friend to me. We have been through all life can throw at you together. He has always been someone I view as a spiritual advisor and liaison....however he recently disclosed to me that he feels like he is meant to go the way of the sinners. He hasn't turned his back on God...he has just embraced the carnival that is sin. He knows the word and he knows the Lord....but he feels called to pull away from him.
I have shared with him Psalm 76. I feel this parallels because in the Psalm the author is questioning God because he is feeling envious that people who seem ungodly are receiving favor in this world....but our reward is not of this world. And our reward is far greater than anyone could imagine....
But how do I draw my friend back to the light?
I'm looking for bible passages and maybe some words of encouragement and advice.
A: There's a problem here.
If someone is born again by God they don't desire to run out and sin. They fled the world and hate sin. They love righteousness.
I would ask him for his salvation testimony. I say that because many are unsaved idolatrous moralists, even if they go to church or appear a believer. The soil parable points to this so dies Jesus in Matthew about those who say Lord Lord on that last day. They hold a false view of God, Jesus and embraced a false Gospel [ there are numerous].
His testimony needs to include how he saw his sin as exceedingly wicked towards God. How God changed him after salvation, and how he is persevering in the faith and growing now; maturing more than at first.
If he's saved but not reading Scripture daily... that's where someone falls in private before public... but that & this (>>) can point to a false conversion too.... (>>)not holding to the faith, not desiring God, not living in holiness, not seeing sin as the wickedness it is, not caring if sin is an assault on God, and failing to daily & overall conquer all sin.
Call him to examine himself as Scripture says to. You can share these resources for him to examine.
Here are some resources you can share about sin. Look at the crocodile illustration.
Encourage him to with a contrite heart, call out to God to save him or if saved... to give him a deeper hatred for sin. Depending on where he lands after self examination.
...And to remain in the Word daily. Conquer sin, and find solid mature men in the church to help guide him in all these areas, as mentors, counselors, and friends in Christ. They can help hold him accountable and further guide him to solid men's studies and fellowship in the church. The Church is to be the primary place we spend our time outside our duties and responsibilities at home. He needs to step out of the world, close the door on that foot, and do an about face... running into the arms of Jesus.
God bless you, & prayers for God to lead you to help him, get him connected to those men at church, and for God to work in his life.
If he rejects or refuses correction and a call back to God and truth, there's nothing you can do. But of course pray for him, that God will save him.
There are many false converts, they appear biblically wise, even Bible Man back in the 90s and early 2000s, who had a huge ministry on radio, wrote books etc, turned and walked towards sin, turned from God and to this day is following the false religion of Buddhism. Famous musicians turn from God and become atheists and anti Christians. If God didn't save them they'll be found out sooner or later. My hope is while they, all the ones like them, have done great damage to Christianity, I know God will use it for good and His plans, and hopefully they aren't apostate but just really had not been born again. They had not seen the truth in its fullness and understood everything rightly, so that there's hope for their salvation.
You on the other hand, solidify your faith and go perseveringly, to the End, following Christ.
God bless
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