"I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."

[Lightsped]

Friend of mine is 18 years old. Not from a Christian home. Good kid, but his life has been difficult with low paying job, no education, etc....

He has said to me several times, that he really wants to learn more about Christ, but he is having a hard time because it all "sounds so fake". I have asked him to join me at church, but he is too skeptical.

I have been praying for him. What is the best response to "I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."?

 

[Another Lazarus]

Just pray for him and share Jesus love, give some words of God. Its Holy Spirit who opens people's hearts.

 

[Neogaia777]

Friend of mine is 18 years old. Not from a Christian home. Good kid, but his life has been difficult with low paying job, no education, etc....

He has said to me several times, that he really wants to learn more about Christ, but he is having a hard time because it all "sounds so fake". I have asked him to join me at church, but he is too skeptical.

I have been praying for him. What is the best response to "I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."?

Delve into discussion with him as to why he thinks so, and try to answer him, praying beforehand, for just that... That is, to be able to have a good, Godly conversation with him, and be able to answer him wisely and to be able to steer him toward the Christian faith...

Ask for God to give you the ability to "win" him (over)... Then, do it...

Would be my suggestion...

God Bless!

 

[Dirk1540]

You really need to hone in on people to get a better starting point, there are those who care less about the historical argument and are 100% blocked by the problem of evil. Those who can't see passed 'Evolution' or more accurately common descent, those who think the stories are rehashed and forged mystery religion stories, etc.

 

[musicalpilgrim]

I pray for you and your witness to this friend,
Perhaps it may be possible to tell the friend what Christ means to you...a personal testimony, a personal witness.

 

[Daniel9v9]

That's a very difficult question. You can't explain faith through reason. However, I would try to:

1. Explain the Biblical definition of love, and that it's not the same as people's idea of love, which is subject to culture and personal reasoning. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

2. I would then explain that God is love and throughout history He as richly illustrated His love for us. In particular, He showed His love by dying for our sins in the person of Christ - even though we deserve only condemnation on account of our offenses - that we may not only have life, but have adoptionship in God.

3. Then I would explain that in the world we live in, just as people have different ideas of what love looks like, people also have different ideas of "truth"; some are fixed, some are changeable and others are "relative". Viz., "What is truth to him is not truth to me". By this, every movement, religion and belief are very much exclusive. They are like colours. Some colours are closer than others, but they are still all exclusive. Christianity is also exclusive, for Christ said "I am the way, and the truth, and the life". The Christian faith hangs on these words. Do we believe or reject Christ and what he has declared?

Above all, continue to pray for him.

 

[Neogaia777]

That's a very difficult question. You can't explain faith through reason.

You can't, and just why not...?

The apostle Paul was chosen because of his ability to reason his Christian faith, and by and with his reasoning in spiritual matters...

And God says himself to let us (you and him) "reason" together, (Isaiah 1:18-20) and if you reason with God, Truly reason that is, that God will win, and win you over by reason and the voice of reason...

Oh, and Stephen as well... (Acts 6:9-10)

I greatly disagree with the statement "You can't explain faith reasonably"...

Just look at what Paul does, and what Stephen did, and why they wanted to get rid of him/them (Acts 6:9-10)...

Speaking Godly wisdom over worldly wisdom...

God Bless!

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Friend of mine is 18 years old. Not from a Christian home. Good kid, but his life has been difficult with low paying job, no education, etc....

He has said to me several times, that he really wants to learn more about Christ, but he is having a hard time because it all "sounds so fake". I have asked him to join me at church, but he is too skeptical.

I have been praying for him. What is the best response to "I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."?

Well, I would him that God can do miracles and that there is nothing that is impossible for God to do within His good and loving nature.

Also, tell him there are tons of evidences that back up the Bible, too.

Here is a thread I created for some evidences that I discovered for God's Word:

https://www.christianforums.com/threads/general-list-of-biblical-evidences.7833944/


...

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Friend of mine is 18 years old. Not from a Christian home. Good kid, but his life has been difficult with low paying job, no education, etc....

He has said to me several times, that he really wants to learn more about Christ, but he is having a hard time because it all "sounds so fake". I have asked him to join me at church, but he is too skeptical.

I have been praying for him. What is the best response to "I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."?

It is a familiar saying that people will read us before they will read the Bible. Perhaps the reason why he thinks that Christianity sounds fake is that he has "read" the people and he has not encountered anyone whom he sees as genuine. You might not like to hear this, but if he is your friend, he has read you as well and has not changed his opinion about Christianity and remains skeptical. So, all your efforts and example so far has not convinced him. Therefore the challenge for you is to ask God how He can make it that your representation of Christ to him is so that he sees genuineness because he sees Christ in you. So it is more than words. He has to see Christ in you in the way you present yourself to him.

 

[Daniel9v9]

You can't, and just why not...?

The apostle Paul was chosen because of his ability to reason his Christian faith, and by and with his reasoning in spiritual matters...

And God says himself to let us (you and him) "reason" together, (Isaiah 1:18-20) and if you reason with God, Truly reason that is, that God will win, and win you over by reason and the voice of reason...

Oh, and Stephen as well... (Acts 6:9-10)

I greatly disagree with the statement "You can't explain faith reasonably"...

Just look at what Paul does, and what Stephen did, and why they wanted to get rid of him/them (Acts 6:9-10)...

Speaking Godly wisdom over worldly wisdom...

God Bless!

Yes, I agree with the verses you quote, but I don't think you quite understand what I'm saying. I'm not saying there isn't room for reason in the Christian faith, for there absolutely is; but what I am saying is that it's by faith we are justified, not by mere reasoning. God does not judge us for our lack of understanding about things that are by their very nature unsearchable through human reasoning; we are judged on account of our faith in Christ. It's written: "For who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice?" and "Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.".

 

[Hall]

If you feel comfortable with it, maybe you can ask him if you can pray with/for him, lay your hands on him and let him feel the Holy Spirit by a heart felt prayer from God through you for him.

 

[JIMINZ]

Friend of mine is 18 years old. Not from a Christian home. Good kid, but his life has been difficult with low paying job, no education, etc....

He has said to me several times, that he really wants to learn more about Christ, but he is having a hard time because it all "sounds so fake". I have asked him to join me at church, but he is too skeptical.

I have been praying for him. What is the best response to "I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."?

.
Buy him a Bible, guide him where to read, then answer the questions HE has.
Let him do the seeking in his own time (speed), and let the Holy Spirit through the Word of God enter his heart.

It says.
John 6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Give God the chance to draw him.

Rom. 10:17
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

You began your post with, he has low paying job and no education, they always go hand in hand.

Don't let him get the belief, just because he becomes a Christian things are going to change in the job market, that should not become his reason for believing.

Don't rush it, let God lead him to Himself, your there for moral support and to answer questions as they arise.

If you let God do it, both of you will learn something out of it.

 

[Catherineanne]

Friend of mine is 18 years old. Not from a Christian home. Good kid, but his life has been difficult with low paying job, no education, etc....

He has said to me several times, that he really wants to learn more about Christ, but he is having a hard time because it all "sounds so fake". I have asked him to join me at church, but he is too skeptical.

I have been praying for him. What is the best response to "I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."?

Tell him not to believe anything that sounds fake, only believe the bits that sound true.

 

[Catherineanne]

.
You began your post with, he has low paying job and no education, they always go hand in hand.

Nice attitude, and no they do not always go hand in hand. There are plenty of very well educated people with either low or no income. And plenty of poorly educated people doing very nicely.

 

[Catherineanne]

If you feel comfortable with it, maybe you can ask him if you can pray with/for him, lay your hands on him and let him feel the Holy Spirit by a heart felt prayer from God through you for him.

Good grief.

Or not. Really, really not.

 

[Catherineanne]

Delve into discussion with him as to why he thinks so, and try to answer him, praying beforehand, for just that... That is, to be able to have a good, Godly conversation with him, and be able to answer him wisely and to be able to steer him toward the Christian faith...

Ask for God to give you the ability to "win" him (over)... Then, do it...

Would be my suggestion...

God Bless!

Or leave him alone and let the Holy Spirit do its own work in its own time. Let the friend think for a while without being bombarded with nonsense, and let him come to you.

 

[Neogaia777]

Or leave him alone and let the Holy Spirit do its own work in its own time. Let the friend think for a while without being bombarded with nonsense, and let him come to you.

Well, you definitely have to be "wise and cautious as a serpent" and innocent and pure as a dove" and use tact in the matter if your going to try and lead him to Christ, and his example will also be a big part of that...

God Bless!

 

[xianghua]

Friend of mine is 18 years old. Not from a Christian home. Good kid, but his life has been difficult with low paying job, no education, etc....

He has said to me several times, that he really wants to learn more about Christ, but he is having a hard time because it all "sounds so fake". I have asked him to join me at church, but he is too skeptical.

I have been praying for him. What is the best response to "I want to believe, but it all sounds so fake."?

you need to start with the basic. first: does he believe in god? start with basic and logical question to how we get here. you can start with this argument here for instance:

My favorite argument for the existence of God

see this list of argument too:

https://strangenotions.com/god-exists/

 

[Catherineanne]

Well, you definitely have to be "wise and cautious as a serpent" and innocent and pure as a dove" and use tact in the matter if your going to try and lead him to Christ, and his example will also be a big part of that...

God Bless!

None of us ever leads anyone to Christ. It is ALWAYS 100% the Holy Spirit, every time.

Makes life so much simpler if we grasp this essential point.

 

[Catherineanne]

you need to start with the basic. first: does he believe in god? start with basic and logical question to how we get here. you can start with this argument here for instance:

My favorite argument for the existence of God

see this list of argument too:

https://strangenotions.com/god-exists/

Nope. You have to start with loving the person you are addressing as Christ loves his church. If you don't have that level of love, then don't waste your time or your breath; it won't happen.