Do we have a responsibility for others?

[stormy612]

Ezekiel 33:7-9

7: Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

8: When I say the wicked, "O wicked man, you will surely di,' and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin and I will hod you accountable for his blood.

9: But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.

I write this believing firmly that we have a responsiblity with what God has taught us. We are not responsible for the actions of others, only with that which God has given us. You have knowledge of salvation and Jesus has commanded us to bring this good news to the people of the world. You are sharing this knowledge and your faith with your family. Be at peace, you are following the prompting of the Spirit and God is well pleased.

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

5: What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task.

6: I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.

7: So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

8: The man who plants and the man who wters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded accordingto his own labor.

9: For we are God's fellow worker; you are God's field, God's building.

Remember who our life-giver is and do not take on more that what God has given us to do and to be for the world. You have been given seed. You are to plant the seed (by actions, by listening as a good friend, quoting the bible, etc.) keeping true to God's will) and be at peace that your heart is right with God and towards your family. Also, ask God to open your heart to hearts of your family. I can't know people like God can so I need His eyes to see a way to approach someone in a manner that they need to hear. I asked God to help me understand my step-mother, who is a 'head-christian'. He gave me some insight into those things that she fears to let go of. It broke my heart, but I knew at that moment I had to be very careful of what I say to her. For myself, I'm not wise enough yet. Still I trust God to guide my tongue concerning her, praying that He will fill my mouth with the words she needs to hear from Him, those words that will specifically touch her heart. God will do the same for your husband and son. Your desire for them is true and pure and the same as God's. You are blessed!

As for my step-mother, I've seen little hints here and there that something new is stirring in her. I can also see the signs of fear and resistance. God is working in her. I just have to be patient.

[Guest Biblicist]

Apart from my older sister I am the only one in my family who considers themself to be a Christian. Somehow I accept that as the others live some distance apart there is very little I can do and it up to them to find the Lord (if that is, indeed, destined for them). But my husband and kids are a bit closer - although my youngest son is the only one who lives at home.

I feel a responsibility towards them to share what I have found but I find I am easily discouraged. Am I "letting the side down"?

Whenever I have talked about it with my husband, I find he is very "tolerant" and "polite" and just says "that is great, but I am not ready" or "it is not for me" (or words to that affect) and my son makes silly remarks about "cults" and pretends that he "has the wrong end of the stick" and even is embarrassed to admit to anyone he knows that his mother goes to church. He works "out in the bush" and gets transported every day by the "work van". He was getting dropped off one day and my car was in the parked at the end of the driveway with a Bible clearly visible on the back "parcel shelf". He says that he has been getting remarks about it ever since and gets called "God boy" - I don't know whether I believe this or whether he is just being facetious.

Anyway, I find I cannot stand the thought of them not "being saved". And sometimes I wonder if it is selfish to be concerned with my salvation when they might be "lost".

Please help. Any ideas?

Sweetie,

Everyone is right. Pray for them. God will open their eyes in His time. You don't have to feel guilty because God chose you first. He chose you in His timing to bring the rest of them around.

1 Corinthians 7

12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

1 Peter 3

1 Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. 4 Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. 5 For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, 6like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Promises from God's word. Hold fast to it.

[~pearl]

This thread is from 2006. just curious if any of BTS's family have been saved or attitudes changed?