Explaining Things To A Friends

[colderintherain]

After I saw The Passion, I was talking to a friend at school about how it really gave me a new perspective on my religion and how I just felt good inside knowing about the lord etc. and she had a lot of questions. Now this friend is very .. literal. She takes things so weirdly at times. She was asking like how she knew if she was going to go to heaven and stuff, and I tried explaining she had to have a personal relationship with Christ, she was just like well I pray every night. I told her that was good but she should try to do more etc.

Then another friend joined in and we were talking about when Christ returns for his people, and she had never heard of this before. We explained it and the 7 years on earth thing etc. She wanted to know when this was and I explained no one really know, but it could be soon, it could be anytime really and this frightend her and then she just kinda cut off that conversation and said I was scaring her....

Now how do I explain that this isn't something to be scared of and that she should prepare herself for it and start seeking more with Christ without frightening her away? Thanks in advance!

 

[Rage4Christ]

colderin

I agree. The message of fear is not the message of Christ.

Let her know God loves her unconditionally ASAP.

 

[Rafael]

Pray for your friend and encourage her to grab a hold of the grace you and I enjoy growing in and under. If she is afraid, tell her not to, if she is following after the Lord, but if she isn't a Christian, the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord, as He comes the second time in judgment of this world. For those that know Him and follow Him, loves is being perfected, where fear is cast out.
God bless

1Jo 4:17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that his love has not been perfected in us. .

Pr 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

 

[Caelum]

I wouldn't focus on the future, what could or could not happen in her lifetime, as you stated, no one knows..so why bother?

Explain to her the basics of salvation, a "complex relationship" isn't needed for salvation. The relationship will grow with time, as it does with any believer. Let her know she must truly believe in her heart that Jesus was/is God, died for her sins, and is risen to join her in the Kingdom of God. Let her know that she must admit and realize she is a sinner, and the only thing that can save her from what she deserves(this being death) is Jesus Christ our Lord. Next tell her she needs to request Jesus in her life, her life of sin has died, and a new life was born in Christ.

If she already has done/believed all this, then the rehashed rhetoric of what will happen tommorow, or in 232189301 years is pointless in my opinion. Jesus is risen and He rules now. This is all that matters, I think people focus on what and when it/something will happen they lose touch with God on a personal level...explain to her that she doesn't only have to pray to God at night, before bed...but whenever she wants/needs to. Tell her to join a youth group(maybe youre involved in one), etc, etc...

Good Luck
Nate

 

[Rechtgläubig]

She was asking like how she knew if she was going to go to heaven and stuff, and I tried explaining she had to have a personal relationship with Christ

I am going to Heaven because approx. 2,000 years ago, God became flesh and lived the perfect life that I never could. He bore the sins of the world on the cross and Atoned for my sin. He rose from the dead, accended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. That is how I know I am going to Heaven.

Now how do I explain that this isn't something to be scared of and that she should prepare herself for it and start seeking more with Christ without frightening her away? Thanks in advance!

What reason is there to be scared??? Revelation ends with these words:

"Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

 

[seangoh]

It's essential to present the bible as something that is relevant to people's lives including that of your friends. You can spur them to greater interest by talking about the future, but also add in the relevance of the bible. Because what they are interested more is right here, right now.