Yesterday

Yesterday, I had lunch with a young friend whom I've known for several years through church. He went through a very thorough missions-training program for 9 months (which I did also, the following year), and he has suffered much rejection from his family in following Jesus. He's supported our ministry over the last year--when I finally caught up with him by phone, I learned that he and his new bride had not been going to church for a while. When I had seen him last, one year before, he was excited to be at the beginning stage of forming a house church with some other friends.

So I brought up the subject of him being out of fellowship cautiously yesterday afternoon, hoping that I could hear his heart and discern why he had forsaken the company of other believers (not counting his own family). He talked about his wife constantly being wounded by other women in the large church they once attended. I shared my own story of wanting to protect my wife by taking her out of the same church--and how I needed to go back and pursue reconciliation with a brother.

He talked about how the house church he'd tried to create "blew up in my face." Then he said that he no longer believes God speaks to him anymore, that there's so many ways to interpret the Bible--so who's to say who is right? That he hasn't prayed to God in 8 months, and he feels just great. He said that he's found his "freedom in Christ."

He said that the likelihood of him ever going to a church again is next to nil. He sees that God is sovereign and does whatever He likes. This young man believes he can make whatever decisions he would like, and God will achieve the result He wants anyhow.

I asked him--when do you want God to be your Lord? After you die, or right now? He sees that God is His Lord now--working everything however He wants, no matter what he may choose to do. Go to church, or not. I asked him if he sees benefits to obedience, and he agreed that he makes some correct choices that both God and his wife would approve of, but still, he maintained that, whatever choices he might make, God is sovereign and will do whatever He wants--so why pray?

Will you pray for my brother--that God will open his eyes to fear Him and forgive those who have wronged him? And will you let me know how you would answer this man?