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I was the only Christian in my family and my son was an atheist, I never rebuked him as he was an adult. I talked with him, told him when I thought his decisions in life were wrong but loved him unconditionally through so many things, and I prayed for him. I couldn’t force him to accept Christ, I couldn’t make him do anything. I did use to argue with him , but then I started to listen and we talked. The truth of what I believed Came through in those conversations, and I continued to pray. He came to faith last year at the age of 28. He had been into drink, smoking, taking drugs in his younger years, many things I didn’t agree with, same with his older two brothers and sister…..I pray , speak when I feel it’s right and love them all unconditionally. It doesn’t make for an easy path to walk, it’s hard when everyone around you has different beliefs and attitudes but the Lord gave me the grace to cope.
Obviously we are all different in how we do things but from my own experience forcing someone to come to faith will often make them turn away.……
Obviously we are all different in how we do things but from my own experience forcing someone to come to faith will often make them turn away.……
Space_Karen
Well-Known Member
I do not think that God would want religion to be a dividing force for families.
True religion brings unity.
False religion divides.
Your sister's motives and reasons for wanting to become an atheist are important.
What can atheism offer her, that christianity cannot?
If she cannot be honest about her reasons and motives for it. Then it may quickly become apparent that she is lying and being dishonest with herself. Perhaps even she cannot admit the real reasons and motives behind it.
In which case, the only thing you might be able to do is to try to respect her choices in life and show her compassion. Even if you disagree with them. Even if you know they will probably end badly due to them based on lies and deceptions which the devil uses to deceive us and influence us into making the wrong choices.
Maybe it will be a learning experience for her, which will bring her closer to God.
Maybe it won't.
But I think it is important for people to be able to make their own choices and live with the results. They should have that freedom if nothing else. Judging them negatively for their choices is pointless, unless it actually carries a potential to help or improve things.
True religion brings unity.
False religion divides.
Your sister's motives and reasons for wanting to become an atheist are important.
What can atheism offer her, that christianity cannot?
If she cannot be honest about her reasons and motives for it. Then it may quickly become apparent that she is lying and being dishonest with herself. Perhaps even she cannot admit the real reasons and motives behind it.
In which case, the only thing you might be able to do is to try to respect her choices in life and show her compassion. Even if you disagree with them. Even if you know they will probably end badly due to them based on lies and deceptions which the devil uses to deceive us and influence us into making the wrong choices.
Maybe it will be a learning experience for her, which will bring her closer to God.
Maybe it won't.
But I think it is important for people to be able to make their own choices and live with the results. They should have that freedom if nothing else. Judging them negatively for their choices is pointless, unless it actually carries a potential to help or improve things.
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Stan B
Well-Known Member
You say:My Mother, My Father and I (Brother) Rebuke My Sister Who's Become an Atheist. It was around 10:00 PM today, February 11th 2023. Usually we have a family dinner, but instead, my sister has been partying with her friends late at night multiple times a week for multiple weeks. She’s lied about it, saying she’s doing something else when she’s really partying. She’s really smart academically, but we fear she may neglect her studies. We all talked about the Bible with her, days on end, hours on end, but we’ve just discovered that she now rejects it.My Mother, My Father and I, the Brother, are all Christian. So this is a great shame ☹ She said that she wants to run away! I had my suspicions, but this confirms it sadly. My mother will confront her friends and her parents about their behaviour tomorrow, since she knows where they are. My family humbly asks you all for your prayers during these trying times. Prayers to help my sister believe in Jesus Christ with faith alone and be saved, so the Holy Spirit can go inside of her and so she can, after salvation, be truly capable of doing good works that are seen as righteous before the Lord.
Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.
My sister told me to “shush” and “be quiet” when quoting Bible verses out of love and kindness. I will not stop loving her, even when I rebuke her, I will never stop showing her kindness my friend.
Here is what I said to her aloud, at this moment.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 15:32 Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
This is true intelligence, the Bible! My sister is very smart, academically so, however, I wish to also show her wisdom through the Holy Scriptures.
Proverbs 30:17 The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
My mother and I were rebuking my sister because she lied to us, the family. She said she was doing one thing, but was really doing another.
Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
If she listens to us, her life will be extended, but if she does not listen to use, her life will be shortened.
Ephesians 4:26-27 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
We rebuke her in righteousness!
Her friends have been a very bad influence on her! They are making her go out late, when it’s very dark out, putting her in danger, making her go on the bus alone at night from a far away residential area. And they keep trying to get her to go to these parties! My mother and I are worried that this will cause her to neglect her studies, because she has very good grades, but if she doesn’t study, she may not do well academically moving forward. She reminds me of the Prodigal son at this moment. She has intelligence, but she lacks wisdom. Wisdom comes from the Lord! It comes from life experience that comes with age.
That was a good session. I’m glad that I could show her the Bible before this world is destroyed. When will that happen? Who knows. But you never know when your life could be destroyed, by natural cause, or something else. But the fact that so many young people are now becoming more disobedient to their parents, is a great shame. To me, this is a sign that the end will come!
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
She repeatedly insulted us, so I blessed her in return, and I told her the Bible truth. And what shocked me is she said, and this is an exact quote “The Bible is not fact”. WHAT!??!?! The Bible is TRUE. That’s the TRUTH.
Ephesians 1:9-10: God's "purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time,"
She also said that she wants to live her life the way she wants (a sinful lifestyle of lying). She said that she is against converting people to Christianity. WHAT?!?!?!? The Bible COMMANDS us to convert everyone to Christianity, because eventually everyone will come to Christ! Book of Mark tells us to spread the Gospel! And my father came in and said that what I was saying is true as well. We must honor our father and mother! We must obey their good teachings!
Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
Deuteronomy 5:16 Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
The problem is that she is against being rebuked, being disciplined. For me, I welcome discipline with open arms, because it helps transform me into a better person! He who is wise loves discipline, but he who hates reproof is a fool! We also rebuked her yesterday for lying. Thus, tomorrow, my mother will go to her friends house and confront them, the friends if they are there, and the parents, and tell them to stop being a bad influence on my sister, who is my friend! I pray that my sister understands that, me, as her brother, her mother and her father, we are all Christian, and we love and care about her. Christian Universalism gives me great joy because it shows that eventually, she will be saved! This gives me great joy my friends
I told my sister the Gospel truth, finally. I said something along the lines of. Jesus is God, He lived a perfect life, He died on the cross and resurrected 3 days later. Thus you must believe in Jesus Christ with faith alone to be washed of all your sins. Thus, the Holy Spirit will dwell within you permanently. And Christ shall be all in all (reference to the Victorious Gospel at the end).
LAMENTATIONS 3:31-33 For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he may punish cruelly, yet he will have compassion in the fullness of his love; he does not willingly afflict or punish any mortal man.
I rebuked my mother when she promoted spanking, aka corporeal punishment, since that’s physical abuse that brings a child to anger, which the Lord is against. “Sebet” in the Bible, from the Rod verse, refers to a Shepard’s Rod, a Shepard’s Staff, that’s used to move sheep, you don’t hit sheep! Physically hitting your child provokes your child to anger, which the Lord commands us NOT to do! We are to rebuke her with the Words of God, we discipline her by preventing her from going out with bad crowds, we train by confronting her friends and rebuking them as well! And luckily, my mother understands this, as I showed her the original Hebrew word on Biblehub and outlined the verses, and how they’re used to describe like sceptres of tribal leaders. I love my mother very deeply, and I love her teachings, so I’m glad she could learn more about this truth too.
Ephesians 6:1-4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
As well, I remember mentioning earlier on that my mother wasn’t saved, that was speculation. Same with my sister’s salvation. Of course, I don’t know for sure about anyone’s salvation status so to speak really, that’s on God, because it’s with faith alone in Jesus Christ in which we are saved. However, when I talked to her, she agreed with the Gospel I had said to my sister and said that my sister must pray for the Holy Spirit to come inside of her. Even though this was an intense conflict, I feel grateful for it, because it’s with these troubles that the Lord transforms people. I’ve prayed long and hard for this day to come! And so many miracles happened all at once, things I wanted to say, but couldn’t find the opportunity to say. And I’m posting this because, we have rebuked her privately many many times before, yet she continues to sin. As such, this post will serve as a warning to those too. I say these words with kindness and love my friends. As well, to all the people on these forums, you have my great thanks! Having the opportunity to talk more about the Bible, Christianity, the TRUTH, has made me be more Christ-like in every area of my life, and has helped me help others. So truly, thank you my friends
1 Timothy 5:20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.
Titus 1:13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
ZEPHANIAH 2:11 The Lord will be awesome to them when he destroys all the gods of the land. The nations on every shore will worship him, every one in its own land.
“My Mother, My Father and I (Brother) Rebuke My Sister Who's Become an Atheist.”
Doesn’t sound like she’s an atheist . . . Just running for refuge from the evil control-freak religion you have revealed!
Not a single word about unconditional love and forgiveness, the foundation of what Christianity is all about. A good place for YOU to start. It’s not easy. It takes a whole lot of work and determination.
If you are concerned about your sister, start by cleaning up your own act first! Then approach her with LOVE!
Invisibilis
Well-Known Member
Live and let live.
Attraction is more powerful than promotion.
Be a witness to what you know is True. Let your Christian lifestyle attract her to follow suite.
Attraction is more powerful than promotion.
Be a witness to what you know is True. Let your Christian lifestyle attract her to follow suite.
Aunty Jane
Well-Known Member
You don't mention your sister's age. Apparently you all live together in the same house. How old are you? Is she younger than yourself?
No one was ever Bible bashed into the faith. It has to be in their heart to want to be a follower of Jesus.
Jesus just gave people his message and allowed his words to reach their heart. If it didn't, he did not chase after them, but let them come to their own conclusions. He loved them into the faith with his kindness and compassion.....
It seems as if hammering her with the Bible is just causing brain damage....
If she is a minor, then some parental restraint is desirable, but if she is of age, then as a legal adult, she must make her own choices.
Her age is the thing that determines what should happen....but I know that Bible bashing her will just drive her away.
No one was ever Bible bashed into the faith. It has to be in their heart to want to be a follower of Jesus.
Jesus just gave people his message and allowed his words to reach their heart. If it didn't, he did not chase after them, but let them come to their own conclusions. He loved them into the faith with his kindness and compassion.....
It seems as if hammering her with the Bible is just causing brain damage....
If she is a minor, then some parental restraint is desirable, but if she is of age, then as a legal adult, she must make her own choices.
Her age is the thing that determines what should happen....but I know that Bible bashing her will just drive her away.
This is true! Of course, I love her, I do not wish for anything bad to happen for her, so my whole family, we warn her of the road of destruction that she is on. So hopefully she can see our example and be convinced eventually that love never fails!
Proverbs 1:23 “Turn to my reproof,
Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
Hello brother,
First I would say that "everyone" will NOT be saved. And, if you really believe that then, what more do you think you can do, especially if as you say, "everyone" will be saved? That is a lie from the pits of hell...If everyone is going to be saved, why bother? And, you CANNOT save anyone, you can pray for that and you can live your lives as Jesus did.
Jesus spoke way more of Hell and damnation than He did the Kingdom of God. Please do not just let this ride, please look further and ask God to show you the truth. There is zero "universalism" when it comes to God. We are either saved (or being saved) or we are not. Cannot have one foot in the world and one in Heaven. Doesn't work that way.
I pray for your sister as well as ALL of you to see this hard truth.
God bless, keep and open eyes.
Aunty Jane
Well-Known Member
You don't seem to see the contradiction in what you are saying....if everyone is saved....as @Nancy says...why bother?
If Christ died for her sins then what is there to fear? You already believe that she is saved.
If she says those things, then she is not a Christian, and no amount of Bible bashing will turn her into one.
You didn't mention her age, which, if she is a minor, the approach would be a little different to the approach you would take with an adult.
If you keep telling her, battering her with negative words, it will just fuel her hatred of the Christian faith.
Did you never read the parable of the Prodigal Son? What did the father of this son do when he wanted to leave home and take his inheritance to squander it on an immoral life? Did the father brow beat him with scripture? Did he berate him and tell him he was on the road to destruction? NO!!! The father gave him his whole inheritance, and let him go and do what his heart desired, because the son had to come to the right conclusion on his own.
The life lesson, when he hit rock bottom, worked better than all the verbal bashing he could have given him. It takes wisdom and patience to turn things around.....and some people cannot be told.....they have to experience the consequences of their own actions and the pain that goes with it. This is what God did in Eden......his children couldn't be told either, so he turned them out of their comfortable circumstances and let them experience what life was like on their own.....without him. Tough love isn't always just vocal.
He definitely is....but he is holding the majority of mankind hostage, (1 John 5:19) which is why God is allowing all of us to make our decisions before he steps in to finish the lesson....soon now by all accounts. Where we stand on that day of judgment will determine where we will spend eternity.
You can rebuke the evil, but you have to allow this girl to be who she chooses to be (if she is an adult).....regardless of the outcome, because you cannot force anyone to be a Christian. It has to come from their own heart. She will find out soon enough what real friends should be like....ones who look after each other, not those who live on the wild side, doing everything that God condemns, and watching their friend get hurt in the process.
If your sister is deliberately doing what she knows is wrong, then how does Jesus view her.....in his entire ministry, all he ever did was offer his truth to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" because these were the ones he was sent to.....if they refused to listen, or did nothing to alter their course, he never once chased after anyone.....demanding that they repent....and threatening them with hell if they didn't......do you know why? (John 6:44, 65)
Jesus chastised their shepherds for their neglect of those 'lost ones', showing in his parables what a real shepherd should do.
So, do you know why John the Baptist was sent ahead of Jesus to "prepare the way"? What was he preparing?...."hearts" to receive Jesus' message......the majority did not accept him as Messiah, believing instead the lies told about him by their religious leaders. Those are the ones Jesus held accountable for the poor spiritual condition of the people.
He said..."
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut up the Kingdom of the heavens before men; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in. . . . .
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you travel over sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him a subject for Ge·henʹna twice as much so as yourselves. . . . . “Serpents, offspring of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of Ge·henʹna?"
If God is the one "drawing" right hearted ones, (John 6:44) then no amount of berating will bring anyone to the right conclusions.
I say this also in love.....
Ziggy
Well-Known Member
St. SteVen
Well-Known Member
From my perspective, that's not the problem. She wants to be accepted for who she is.
She can move forward from there.
If she's breaking house rules with the partying, then you need to enforce the rules or modify the rules for her.
Lying would be expected if partying is against the rules.
You are at a fork in the road.
What will the consequence of your response be to her and you?
Which of the two destinations from the fork in the road will you choose?
quietthinker
Well-Known Member
Frankly Harold, if you were talking to your sister like you do online here I would want to leave as well. :)
St. SteVen
Well-Known Member
Maybe she wants her life to be shortened. Anything to get away from you. (and bulldozer Christianity)
Part of the original post that I had to edit off here: As well, I remember mentioning earlier on that my mother wasn’t saved, that was speculation. Same with my sister’s salvation. Of course, I don’t know for sure about anyone’s salvation status so to speak really, that’s on God, because it’s with faith alone in Jesus Christ in which we are saved. However, when I talked to her, she agreed with the Gospel I had said to my sister and said that my sister must pray for the Holy Spirit to come inside of her. Even though this was an intense conflict, I feel grateful for it, because it’s with these troubles that the Lord transforms people. I’ve prayed long and hard for this day to come! And so many miracles happened all at once, things I wanted to say, but couldn’t find the opportunity to say. And I’m posting this because, we have rebuked her privately many many times before, yet she continues to sin. As such, this post will serve as a warning to those too. I say these words with kindness and love my friends. As well, to all the people on these forums, you have my great thanks! Having the opportunity to talk more about the Bible, Christianity, the TRUTH, has made me be more Christ-like in every area of my life, and has helped me help others. So truly, thank you my friends
UPDATE Feb 13 2023: I prayed to the Lord to fight against this slander my family and I have received on this board. We had our suspicions, but this confirms it. My mother has now confirmed today, this moment, that my sister’s friends are talking about doing hardcore drugs, weed and cocaine. My sister is a minor, below 18, and they tried to get her to drink alcohol, which is dangerous, since getting intoxicated could potentially lead to sexually assault. I didn’t want to reveal these details until it was confirmed, because this is very serious. This is the road to destruction. Literally. Because they drive in dangerous road conditions.
She stayed with the friend group because she has a crush on a boy, but she discovered the boy talks about doing extreme drugs like cocaine, this is the illegal criminal behaviour I was talking about. Her heart is crushed, she’s cried about it, waking my mother up late at night for many days. I’ve sat next to her, as she’s cried, offering her Bible verses of support. My sister is incredibly thankful for our support, our loving “rebuke” of her behaviour. Even though she doesn’t believe all the Bible is true, she says she believes in the verses I showed her about love. It has truly hurt my heart that so many people online continue to falsely accuse my family of being abusive. Please stop slandering us my friends I forgive you all though, no matter how much hurtful things people say. My family members are amongst the most gentlest, supportive, caring people I know!
Another one of these friends, who knows about my sister’s crush, has taunted and mocked my sister. She laid her head on his lap and did other secret things with him. She’s tried to stalk and find out where his home address his. We’re worried she’ll find where we live and where she might physically harm us out of jealousy. Or she could potentially poison the food they eat. My sister says she is traumatized. We must protect her, it’s our family duty, this is TRUE kindness my friends! We love my sister and rebuke her feelings of self-doubt towards herself. She deserves so SO MUCH better <3. Even to those “friends” who have traumatized my sister, I forgive them.
She stayed with the friend group because she has a crush on a boy, but she discovered the boy talks about doing extreme drugs like cocaine, this is the illegal criminal behaviour I was talking about. Her heart is crushed, she’s cried about it, waking my mother up late at night for many days. I’ve sat next to her, as she’s cried, offering her Bible verses of support. My sister is incredibly thankful for our support, our loving “rebuke” of her behaviour. Even though she doesn’t believe all the Bible is true, she says she believes in the verses I showed her about love. It has truly hurt my heart that so many people online continue to falsely accuse my family of being abusive. Please stop slandering us my friends
I forgive you all though, no matter how much hurtful things people say. My family members are amongst the most gentlest, supportive, caring people I know!Another one of these friends, who knows about my sister’s crush, has taunted and mocked my sister. She laid her head on his lap and did other secret things with him. She’s tried to stalk and find out where his home address his. We’re worried she’ll find where we live and where she might physically harm us out of jealousy. Or she could potentially poison the food they eat. My sister says she is traumatized. We must protect her, it’s our family duty, this is TRUE kindness my friends! We love my sister and rebuke her feelings of self-doubt towards herself. She deserves so SO MUCH better <3. Even to those “friends” who have traumatized my sister, I forgive them.
Update time again. Hope everyone's doing well so far. My sister's been waking up in the middle of the night, around 2:00 AM, worried about her friends. We've been talking with her, letting her vent out her feelings. Even though they're a bad crowd, engaged with talk about extreme drugs, alcohol, unsafe driving at night. So we let her know that it's not her obligation to be forced to fix them, she's said what she's said to them, and we believe that she should leave it at that, and she agrees that she wants to leave those negative feelings behind, that fear of missing out. This is what I mean by rebuke, rebuking those negative self-accusatory feelings of feeling guilty. God has unconditional love for all people, and I go after the badness as a concept, not towards the person my friends. Whatever those "friends" decide to do willingly do with their lives, it will be their fault and not my sister's fault. As in, I don't want them to try to guilt trip my sister. I don't want my sister to blame herself if anything bad happens to them, thinking she could have prevented it, when really, these "friends" are going to be engaging in this criminal-like behaviour whether or not she's there with them. For criminal activities, in general, it's best to let law enforcement handle it, since if you try to take things into your own hands, things can get risky. So stay safe out there everyone.
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails
If your sister has walked away from belief in Christianity (Christ), then we as Christians have NO business judging them, that is God's doing. If we do it, we push them further away, we must get out of God's way and let Him do His perfect work, no mater what we "see".
So, if your sister made the choice to walk away from Christ, you nor any other practicing Christian have any right to "correct" them. The only and best thing to be done is prayer, prayer, prayer. I pray that she will come to the truth as well as all of your family...not everyone will be saved.
1Cor 5:12
"11 "But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12 What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside."
Wrangler
Well-Known Member
Wrangler
Well-Known Member
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