My friend needs to be saved?

Question

the past few weeks, my friends and i have been going to a youth group at wave church . my friend, also my ex boyfriend , has told me several times that he loves god & jesus christ with all his heart. he smokes weed & he's gone through alot of stress & pain. he said he wants to ask god into his life & he wants to be saved , but everytime the preacher asks him if he wants to be saved, he doesnt go up to the stand like he's supposed to . i dont get it . i really want him to be saved by god. any suggestions ?

Answer 1

Your friend needs to do what he wants to do in his own time. There is no "supposed to" according to others - it's "I will when I am sure I am ready".

Answer 2

If Jesus lived today, he'd probably smoke weed.  I think your friend needs to be saved from your church.  Chill out.

Answer 3

Here's the fact.  Your ex-boyfriend has already been saved since the belief is that Jesus died once for all, thus all persons are saved.  What's up to us is to accept that salvation and get on with our renewed life.  People can only do this when they are truly moved by the Holy Spirit to do so.  There's no "supposed to" about it, and certainly no time frame.  Just let God's grace do its work here and stop fretting.  There is nobody outside the reach of God's love and grace - nobody.  Don't forget that God looks at the heart, not at whether someone answers an altar call.

Answer 4

Being saved does not have to be so dramatic like going up to an altar in front of everyone. Maybe he can have some private time because its important. Knowing Jesus as Savior is a very personal relationship, it wouldn't be so much use if you went up to the altar. Maybe just a good display of faith, but you don't need that to be saved.

Answer 5

One has to repent, before he can get saved.

Thats everyones own personal choice.

Answer 6

Maybe he sees through the whole charade.

Answer 7

Well something you can do is talk to him about the commitment of living his life with God. And really just discuss salvation with him. Show him the peace, joy and love it has brought you.

And pray for him. That's all you can do really.

Answer 8

I think you need to get saved.

Answer 9

I think you need to let him live his life in reality, instead of trying to convince to live a life of delusion.

Answer 10

Your friend is fine.

Don't be so pushy or he won't be your friend for much longer.

Its not your business or your job to make people "saved".  Grow up.

Answer 11

Let him work it out in his own time. If he wants to be saved, he'll do it in his own heart, and nowhere else.

What kind of Church is this where people have to stand up before the congregation and announce it to the world?

That's not what the Bible says.  

Answer 12

Perhaps he is too stoned to walk up to the stand?

Answer 13

Don't worry about it. Being saved is about a real transformation, not an altar call. People go to an altar call, and then a few months later are wondering if the last one worked add maybe they need to do it again. So even the ones that do it suspect that something is wrong.

The Kingdom Gospel was not about an altar call. It was about a treasure hid in a field. And that treasure is well worth seeking. More on my bio.

Answer 14

Does he need to go up to the stand to be saved?  Maybe he needs more time?  It's hard to say.  I'm not sure how going up to the stand helps him to be saved?  Maybe if you ask why he isn't ready he'll be able to help you understand his position.

Answer 15

If God really cared about us, don't you think he would know your friend wants him in his life? If God was such an intelligent being, and knows all of our thoughts and desires, fears and so on, don't you think that he would already be helping your friend? What about all the others who need help? If God cared, wouldn't he have saved the poor from death by now? He's supposed to be a loving God, but I don't see love yet, do you? Be realistic.

You need to realize that your friend can only save himself. God couldn't care less about any of us. Look around you. There is destruction in every sense of the word everywhere you look. God wouldn't want this, would he? Not the God I learned about.

You gotta wake up and smell the roses. No one will help you but you. No church will help you, no prayer will, either. He needs to read some good books about managing stress. We all have that in our lives, believe me, and your friend probably doesn't have one of the worst cases. Your friend doesn't have to take weed. He does because he THINKS he needs it. Tell him to work on his mind because he can control it. Stop making excuses and just do something about your life. He can get some books on the mind. Check amazon.com or your local library.

Pain is caused by attachment. When you love someone or something and then you lose it. There are many forms, you need to quit being attached to things (even the bed you sleep on and the clothes you wear). Maybe he doesn't get up there because something is telling him it won't help him. Find better ways. Get books from the Dalai Lama, or any other book like that. None that just talk about Jesus because he won't be there for you like you think, and most religious people are miserable anyway. Also anything on Zen Living is great as well.  

Answer 16

Take him to a secular counselor to help him fix or manage his emotional/mental problems.

Religion will not help him in this case.

Answer 17

Kenzii,

The best thing to do for your friend is to pray for him, not preach or talk to him very much about this.  Many people go through kind of a struggle over this issue and God brings them through it. satan is trying to keep him from making the step of faith to accept Jesus as His Savior.  A person needs to decide for faith on his own, not by any compulsion. He needs to know what it really means and what God expects of him - so he doesn't want to back out later on. It is a real big commitment and you can be praying that he works this through in his own mind and decides to follow God's Son on his own decision.

I'm glad he has a friend like you.

Answer 18

1. if your friend believes in God and loves Jesus Christ with all his heart, then most Christian denominations would say he's "saved".  

2. God does the "saving" — not you.  Remember that.

3. If he's going to walk up and make a profession of faith, he will walk up when he's good and ready to do it.  This is *his* decision to make — not yours.  

4. Whether one smokes pot or not — or for that matter, drinks alcohol, plays cards, dances, watches movies on Sunday, enjoys skinnydipping, or any of a myriad of "sins" has absolutely no bearing on whether one is "saved" or not.  In Christianity, one is saved by God's grace, through faith in Christ.  Again: if he loves God and Jesus Christ with all his heart, then he has fulfilled what he has to do to be 'saved".  

Answer 19

OK being saved is a free gift not something that a preacher does. YOU sound like a catholic. To be saved all you need to do is repent of your sins. Give me a break people. If you oppose me then back your self up with scripture.

Answer 20

I am sorry!  Saved from what or whom?  We cannot make another do something they do not want to do.

Maybe he is confused and doesn't know what he should be saved from.   Maybe he already feels that he knows "God" and just maybe, he is trying to go along with you at the time, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, he has no intention of "being saved".  We can always change ourselves, but we cannot change another, nor should we want to.

Answer 21

Being "saved" won't rid him of his problems.

It's a very blase fix to your issue.

Answer 22

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Answer 23

You need to mind your own business.  He will go when he is ready, or may never go.  No one knows what is in another's heart.

It's none of your business, butt out.

Answer 24

nope

Answer 25

Tell him you or someone else will go up with him (if he wants)

Answer 26

  Saved from what?  There is no satan and no h**l.  There is no judgment, condemnation or punishment.. God assure the salvation of all.  Get away from all your brainwashing and read God's truth.. Get a copy of Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch at your library. God is pure love, truth and joy and you can be also by reading these miracle books.. God bless..Do not think you are reading this answer by accident..

Answer 27

  Tell him that If he prays or says to God to save him and he wants

  to get saved he should respond to the alter call.

Tell him its nothing to be ashamed of.Also tell him

  that if he keeps rejecting the oppurtunities that God has given

  he will have to answer and cannont blame GOd when his life

  gets more messed up.

  God is giving the answer he is rejecting it

  ( point it to him)   Tell him the story about the flood

   the stranded man and the boats that he did not get in and finally

    drowned.

   Also pray for him to change his heart and ask for Gods

   guidence.

   God bless

Answer 28

Sounds like he could use a good mental health counselor.  Help him find one.

Answer 29

Sorry but it's his choice to get better or not.  But don't worry, God's not going to punish him if he doesn't want to be.

Answer 30

leave him alone.  thx for the 2 pts

Answer 31

If you are a good friend, you will let him live his life, and not try to live it for him.