Opportunity to lead someone to Jesus presents itself (part I)

Good to keep in mind the Scriptures as the reference point!

That's a cool situation, good job on being obedient to the Spirit, I'm weak in that area with dealing with people. I would just say something like "well I'm a Christian, can I pray for you?" And just watch and see if anything "clicks", and move very slow. Does he know you're a Christian?

friend of said:

I feel very confident and have been receiving instructions from Spirit that I am to bring him into my home and he'll lay down on the couch and I'll be in a chair like a Psychologist (and I can tell we're going to have a chuckle about this) and I'm going to chat with him about his life and get to know him better and where his head's at.

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Yes indeed. A fifty year old man has been through a lot. This is not some child with no life experience. Only if someone were able to spend some time and really befriend him would he probably be willing to fully open up on his views about God and share personal information about why he hasn't received Him yet.

Sounds like you're right on track.

friend of said:

I would also like some examples of countries or large cities which have extremely low crime rates relative to population with Christianity as the prominent religion. This way I can point to the Bible being divinely inspired.

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Hmmm.. now that used to be America, but not anymore because we've drifted from our roots. Not sure where you'd point him now, although you could still point to the fact that most of the real civil rights breakthroughs that have come have been as a result of the influence of Christianity (i.e. such as with women's rights, slavery etc). I'm saying as opposed to religions like Islam, which are still very backwards by comparison.

friend of said:

It's funny, when I talked to him a long time ago he railed against organized religion a bit. So I smiled and nodded and stuff but didn't feel like trying to start a big theological discussion to change his mind. But yeah, I'm definitely going to tell him I'm Christian and also ask him his experiences with Christianity and hopefully the Spirit will help change his heart. It's a start. I'm excited that I could be used for this!

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This is a BIGGIE! No need whatsoever to defend aspects of Christianity that are indefensible and should NOT be defended by any means. Only if you acknowledge what Christianity is doing wrong for him will he listen to you when you tell him what Christ (and those who truly love Him) have done right.

Keep praying, for him, but for the Lord to use you as His mouthpiece. And the more you can listen instead of talk the better. It's not how many words you speak, it's how many of your words actually sink in.

friend of said:

Thanks! Any particular scriptures you have in mind?

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Well, for example, the Psalms are so comprehensive in terms of human experience and content: the highs, the lows, the joys, the anguish, the Messianic content.

As I'm sure goes without saying, above all, how you relate to him and how you convey the person of Christ in your own life is going to be the most powerful apologetic. That aside, we are multi-faceted persons and have individual needs that must be met alternative to and in addition to bare relationship, in many cases. If this man has opened up to you, then clearly he is seeking relationship and so everything I say subsequently I expect you will have the wisdom (and best position) to know how to convey all of your evidence in gentleness and respect, as he continues to open himself up to you.

Firstly, I would confirm his awareness of the world's state as being presently depressing and hopeless for the future. As with any presentation about the Gospel and the Kingdom of God in Scripture, it must be contrasted with the state of man prior to his justification and reconciliation in Christ, and with the present state and future of the godless world which has not yet been made new. The world is subjected to frustration (Romans 8:20-23), man is lost in sin and there is none who does good (Romans 3:10-18), the world in its entirety has been given over to Satan (1 John 5:19, Luke 4:5-6) and man's future apart from Christ is hopeless (Luke 13:3, Matthew 25:41, John 8:24, etc., etc.). It needs to be made perfectly clear that in Christ alone does this reality change for the sinner. Though he remains presently in the troubled world that belongs to another god who is not our God and Saviour, greater will be He who will live in Him than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4-6), and His future will be one of glory rather than one of the shame that will overtake the unrepentant and reprobate world which he rightly despises (2 Thessalonians 2:9-14).

To repeat, you ought to precede the Gospel with a confirmation os the wretched condition of man and the world apart from Christ so that the Gospel answers the question rather than begs the question, "saved from what?"

In providing proof of the corrupt world system which is progressively and rapidly manifesting itself (and which Christ prophesied, Revelations 13) there is simply too much information on that subject to deal with it here, and it will be something that requires continual vigilance and investigation to become personally acquainted with it and equipped to disclose it. A few places I would recommend starting are here, here and here.

Whatever mistaken preconceptions he may have, you will obviously want to be prepared to resolve them. However, don't make the mistake of conflating what may be regarded as "distasteful" for what is false. Don't contradict Scripture to preserve his respect for a false Gospel which does not call a sinner to repentance from what the Scripture declares sinful (Luke 13:3, 1 John 3:7-11, Romans 1:32).

In regards to geography and demographics in relation to crime, perhaps someone else will be qualified to provide that information.