Saving my friend QUESTION from Robert November 28, 2000 I first want to say that this is a great site and I am happy that I have found it. My problem is this, I have a good friend back home, who basically rejects the church, Jesus, and I am pretty sure our one true God. But I also know from having been friends with him for this long that this rejection comes from people in general trying to shove it down his throat. He does not come from a religious family and he is not educated in the faith. He is in basic terms an atheist. But I am worried, because I want him to believe in God and make it to heaven. The reason for my concern lately is because the last time I went home I met his first real girlfriend (he is about 20) and I basically saw that she is evil, she once referred to herself as a witch, which really put up my guard for my friends soul. But I am torn; I don't know what to do. I know God wants us to proclaim his faith, but I am scared that if I try to help him he will only go further down the spiral and she may put her 2 cents in, which would only make it worse. Then I want to just not say anything at all in hope that God will forgive him on just plain true ignorance. But then I don’t want to be in trouble in God’s eyes, for not trying to help. I really need some advice on this matter. Thank you.
God be with you, Robert
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on January 28, 2001 Dear Mr. Robert:
Your concern over your friend is to be commended. But we cannot control other people, of course. What you can do is to discuss this with your friend, but if he is not open to God, then he will likely not see the harm or danger in his girlfriend's activities. And most certainly the bond of the girl will outway the bond to common sense, let alone any spiritual sense.
You also have to remember that since your friend is not a Christian he does not have the Spirit in order to understand spiritual things.
So what to do? Well, express your thoughts casually, dont push. Then give it to God. Pray for him. There are prayers in our Spiritual Warfare Catalog linked on the index page of this forum that will be useful to pray for your friend.
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