How do I witness to my family?

[street preacher]

Jari,

I know how it must pain you to see your family walk in the ways of this world.  There has been some good advice given to you on this thread.  I would echo much (but not all) of what has already been said by some of the others. 

If you have been born again, you are a new creation and your life will reflect Christ  to those who know you best (especially those who knew you before your conversion).

Living your life for Christ will obviously be the most grueling aspect of your witness to your family because your life will be scrutinized and criticized at every moment by them. ( I speak from experience on that one).  However, living your life is NOT enough!  This is a point in which I respectfully disagree with some of my brothers on this thread.  Your family must be presented with the Gospel.  The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.  Living a good clean, moral life is not going to get it done.  If living a good life was all it took, then your family may end up joining one the cults like the Mormon church.  Mormons live some of the most morally upright lives of any people I have ever encountered  yet they are in total darkness spiritually.

PK is absolutely right.  Your family obviously has no fear of the Lord in them.  Hebrews 10 says that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God.  They don’t fear Him probably because they have been surrounded by a “man-centered” form of Christianity (which is not true Christianity)  I strongly advise you against trying to  sell your family all the benefits of Christianity.  If you try to “sell” them on Christianity with words like peace, purpose, fulfillment, joy, happiness,  etc.,  you are giving your family a false sense of Christianity.  These things are by-products of the faith but should never be used as “fish bait” trying to lure potential converts to the faith.  If they bite on the “happy” gospel that you sell them I guarantee you that in a few years, they will completely walk away from their false faith as soon as tribulation hits  (See the thorny ground hearer in the parable of the sower Mark 4).  This type of conversion is called a false conversion.  We are producing false conversions in America by the millions every year with the “Come to Jesus and be happy” gospel. 

Jesus’ message was always given in love but His message created such a stir in the towns where He preached,  the people attempted to take His life 10 different times before He went to the Cross.  If He had preached a message of purpose and peace, this never would have happened.  In Matthew 10, Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace but a sword.  A sword that will divide families.  I know you love your family.  Love them enough to be completely honest with them.  According to Jesus, you may lose relationships within your family.  Count the cost Jari.  If your family dies only knowing that God is real, they will spend eternity in the flames of Hell.  God forbid!  With tears, Plead with them!!  Do as PK said, show them their sin by laying out the 10 commandments before them.  Show them how filthy they are and then explain that the blood of Christ is the only thing that will cleanse them from their sin. 

If they don’t see the problem, they will never cry out for the solution.  Would a patient let a doctor perform brain surgery on him if he thinks that there is nothing wrong with his brain?  Highly unlikely!  But if the doctor takes the time to show the patient  the tumor that is growing on his brain, then the patient will cry out for the surgery that is necessary to remove the problem.  Sin must become exceedingly sinful for grace to abound.  Let  them see what their sin cost Jesus.  The law (10 commandments) will lead them to the foot of the blood stained cross where they can be reconciled to God.  Where sin abounds grace does much more abound!!  Grace cost our Savior His life, that’s not cheap grace!!!

(Link removed due to advertising.)

May God Bless You Jari,

Neil

[nChrist]

Hello Street Preacher,

You must have missed it because there is already a mixture of witnessing, testimony, and prayer in this thread. This is the sum of all that can be done, and it many times doesn't work or it takes a lengthy amount of time to work. This is obviously a big burden for a Christian to carry around when a loved one is lost. Many sweet Christians have tried for years to point a loved one to CHRIST, and this area is mainly for additional methods and ideas about what to do and how to do it. I personally believe that prayer is the most important thing before, during, and after numerous attempts to help someone. After all, it is the Holy Spirit who guides us, and it's the Holy Spirit who softens the hearts of the lost. Without the help of GOD, nothing is going to work.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Titus 3:4-7 NASB  But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

[street preacher]

Actually, I read the whole thread and I'm not sure what I missed.

 I apologize if I came across as seeming unloving or uncaring.  I sympathize deeply with Jari.  My extended family is it's own sorted mess but my family is just as lost as hers.  I have been praying and witnessing, and yes,, letting my light shine before men for several years.  So I may have misunderstood the point you were trying to make Tom.

 Of course the work is that of the Holy Spirit.  Of course all the Glory for the salvation of sinners belongs to Jesus Christ.  I wouldn't dare pretend otherwise.  I am in complete agreement with all these points.  I was simply trying to back up pk's points about sharing the Gospel with lost family members.   

I've heard it said that salvation of the lost is much like Jesus calling Lazarus from the dead.  It is our job to roll the stone (aka stony heart) away but it is Jesus that calls dead men to live.  It is His voice that calls them. 

That being said, the Bible is clear that He chooses to manifest His word through  preaching (Titus 1:3-emphasis mine)  Being considered "preachy" has such negative connotations. Jari, if you seem to be preaching to your family, then God Bless you because it is how God will manifest His word to your family.  He doesn't choose to save sinners through NY Times best sellers, entertainment, pizza parties,  tickling their ears, or promising them their Best Life Now.  This is all man-made stuff that I was trying to encourage Jari to avoid at all costs.  (I saw her eluding to using the God will give you purpose and joy routhine but didn't see anyone else discouraging it!)

Her family needs to see (individually) that they have violated God's Holy Law and there needs to be Godly Sorrow that works  repentance leading to salvation not to be repented of (2 Cor. 7:10).  If they lack Godly sorrow because they haven' seen themselves in truth (in light of God's law) and how filthy we all are they won't cry out to be made clean.  They have angerd God with their sin.  God is angry with the wicked every day (Ps. 7:11).  And yet He still loves the world enough die for these same wicked people like Jari's family and ME.

Jari, you seem like you may be a pretty young Christian.  Please know that it is very difficult for truth to come acorss as loving on a message board.  My heart truly breaks for you.  I would love for the last post on this thread to be the testimonies of all your family members being saved.

I merely stand to warn you that as a Christian, you will be bombarded with false information about Jesus that is of the Devil.  Many false teachers and teachings according to (2 Peter 2:1) about what is best and what is true but the Bible calls  dangerous heresies.   Bury yourself in God's Holy word to find your answers. I'm sure that the folks on this board are Godly but let God's word be your primary source of advice regading your lost family members.

You will find in His word that God is not so much worried about yours, mine, or anyone's purpose as much as He desires all men to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9.)  You will hear some say that repentance isn't that important.  (One of those dangerous heresies we just talked about)...If they say that, they are deceived and are certainly not speaking under God's authority (see Luke 13:3)  Your family members, my family members, and this whole world must repent (turn from) their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ.

Re-Read what  PK said.  He is right on point with what he said.  Continually pray (and potentially fast) for your family.  Continue to shed tears before God and Let your love for them compel you to step outside of your comfort zone and share with them the Gospel even if it costs you the relationship.  Very, very, Very Difficult to do with those you love but God will honor your sacrifice.  He may even honor it by saving your loved ones....God bless you

Neil

[Soldier4Christ]

street preacher,

I say amen to all you said. I think that you may have misunderstood what others have said in this thread. It is important for a person to insure the word is given to lost family members. For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. However it was said that one of the most important tools in this witnessing is by one's actions. As you yourself said, effective witnessing does not come through the ways of this world (entertainment, pizza parties, etc. ). To be an effective witness one must show forth the fruits.

[Jari]

Hi street preacher, I read your first post on this second page and I am glad that you wrote and I am going to reply now before reading on.
I feel like I have already lost most of the relationsship with my family because my brother and sister dont have anything common with me anymore since our lives are so different now. I try to talk with them about anything I can to keep relationship with them but its difficult. However I have told my family that "Jesus saves" "forgives all sin" and I think I have said "Jesus saves from perishing" to all of them. But I dont remember have I spoken about the flames of hell which I of course believe is the rightful judgement to every one not washed clean in the blood of Jesus. But I have said to my brother "give your life to Jesus, its great" because it is great, like you know. But they are all so unterested and fortunately at least I can say that they wont go to any mormonism religion because they are that much, uninterested.
I'm about to get a Bible for my dad (I gave him NT already) because he said he wants to start reading the whole bible but his attidute is maybe some one buys it for me when I get 50 (years) (which is still half a year way). But I will keep telling him that he needs to take the step towards God or turn to God and ask to forgive Him his sins and he will be forgiven. I have said that before to him but I dont know for sure what he thinks about it.
Well I dont want to write too much about the details, just wrote this so that you may know what I have been trying - which should all be of course something else than my own way of witnessing and that is the way Jesus spoke, in love, in truth.

God bless.