Concerned family isnt saved
Q: It’s really hard for me to try hard to read my Bible and learn about God and Jesus...when I don’t think anyone in my family is going to heaven. It feels wrong for me to go without them, and it breaks my heart to think about being separated from them. Despite their ways, they’re my family and I love them enough to lay my life down for them.
A: It is good you have concern for them, but it is sinful/wrong to think what Jesus did for you is "wrong"... no salvation is wrong. If saved, Jesus died for you. So dont think like to throw your salvation away cuz you "think" family wont be saved. You are not God and do not know if theyll be saved before they die. (Don't make assumptions on their salvation based on who they are today).
What do you mean “for” them? It’s not like you’re rescuing them from anything if they’re rejecting God. You can minister with heartfelt intention to faithfully call them to salvation. If you love them you would in a Christlike way purposely go to the lengths needed to call them to salvation. You would call them to examine themselves. Do not avoid in fear or cower or whatever, be bold cuz in this way youre laying down your life. If they attack or kill you it would be in service to God out of your love to them. If you are a wimp and avoid these salvific convos then it shows you neither love them nor would lay your life down.
Do you love Jesus enough to lay your life down? Cuz we are to count the cost. Death to self, surrendering out life to Him, and living for Him.
If your life shows transfirmation, if it shows youre not who you used to be, they'll see that. That's a salvation testimony, thats proof of God and salvation. It's not religion. You've been made new; born again by God.
So yes do "read my Bible and learn about God and Jesus" as it equips you as a believer into maturity in the Faith, but likewise to minister to them as you learn. And the more you know, the more you can engage and minister in varied ways, with the goal of calling them to salvation by the Gospel of Christ.
Everyone including your family is responsible to God for their own sins against God/own life. And getting right with God. If they reject Him, and die in their sins, that's on them. God has been patient every minute of every day they've been alive, but are ungrateful towards that mercy.
God loved you, you heard and recieved the Gospel of Jesus and gave your life to Him. So you cant do anything about that.
What you can do is be faithful to God, obey the command to proclaim the Gospel, get equipped for the task and go faithfully minister to your family. In the end your true family, as Jesus said, is the brethren. Those born again, the redeemed in Christ, the adopted by the Father.
Your love, life, and allegiance belong to Him. If you do love Him, then obey him.
Here's an idea how to start a convo with each person in your family. Find a opp to be alone with them. Invite over one by one, the hardest one first and the most gossipy lastly, so you can meet wuth each one. You dont need all the answers to objections or questions, resources here can help with that. Focus on and circle back to the Gospel so they have to confront their sins and serious trouble theyre in with their holy Creator God.
Resources here to equip you in evangelism will help as well as you go about ministering
Come back to the Gospel in follow ups to those who rejected (by not getting right with God), when opps arise, or when on your heart. Including any false converts in the family, who in idolatry made up a god or jesus they prefer over the true one revealed in Scripture.
Seed planting & watering come first, it takes time for hard hearts like rocks to be moved so the seed can sprout and recieve the Light of the Son, so harvest can happen. Pray, persevere, in patience and love, being gracious, forgiving and shining example of Christ. They'll see Him in your life, and that can draw them too.
Approach the convos and Gospel well, and they will likely not take offense, though the truth and Gospel is an offense to every sin lover. Just cover interactions with prayer before and after, and keep thrm in your prayers that if it is in His will that they be saved, that you perhaps get to see it happen while youre still here. But its better that they get saved before they die,even if after youre gone, than not at all. And leave it in God's hands. Just be faithful to Him. It is all you can do here.
Life in Heaven is different than here. When you are in Heaven you won't be thinking about earthly things. You'll just be thrilled to be with God! "All the former things will be wiped away", and that's a grace from God, a gift to you and me 🙂✨️. So dont worry about that in a sinful wrong way. Instead see it as motivation for you to actively minister the Word of Truth, by the Gospel, to them. Be faithful to God to do what he left you here to do; spread the Gospel, guide folk to the truth, glorify Him, and look for the opportunities to do the good works He has planned for you to do here. Then you can meet Jesus unashamed as you fulfilled your purpose on Earth.
Hope this encourages. ✨️✝️
