Faith crisis!

[Rejoice]

Hey everyone I'm wondering if anyone can help me! Lately my brother has lost his faith and now he's saying he doesn't believe in God anymore! This really bothers me as we've both been Christians all our lives. I don't want my brother to go to hell because I really love him, and I think it's just a phase but I don't know.... How can I bring him back to Christ?

[TonkaTim]

That is a tough question. I wish I had an easy answer.
I know I would pray very hard about it.

I would want to know how he came to that conclusion. Knowing the "whys" would do alot to be able to think/study/pray about strong answers to reassure his faith. Hopefully it will become an experience that will strenghten both your faith.

[farouk]

R:

Hey everyone I'm wondering if anyone can help me! Lately my brother has lost his faith and now he's saying he doesn't believe in God anymore! This really bothers me as we've both been Christians all our lives. I don't want my brother to go to hell because I really love him, and I think it's just a phase but I don't know.... How can I bring him back to Christ?

Prayer and the Scriptures. You believe that, don't you?

So keep praying.

[Stucky]

Hey everyone I'm wondering if anyone can help me! Lately my brother has lost his faith and now he's saying he doesn't believe in God anymore! This really bothers me as we've both been Christians all our lives. I don't want my brother to go to hell because I really love him, and I think it's just a phase but I don't know.... How can I bring him back to Christ?

Love and prayer.

There must be a reason he suddenly turned his back on God.  If he truly believed in Jesus, he is not going to go to hell but he is leaving himself open to satan and his snares.  Satan will take advantage of his feelings and entice him to sin.  Jesus will not abandon him but right now he is abandoning Jesus.  He may spiral lower and lower into his pit of despair but when he hits rock bottom he will find his love for Jesus once again.  It would be better if he found it earlier than later though because he will cause much unhappiness for hmiself until he comes back.  If he never loved Jesus to begin with then it is going to take more prayer and scripture to bring him to faith.  If his heart is open to the work of the Holy Spirit then he will eventually come around but if he doesn't, then he would never have been saved anyway.  He has to want to believe.

[janine]

There isn't much you personally can do to bring someone to the Lord who isn't ready to be brought.  Or brought back, whichever the case.

You just have to keep being yourself as you walk with the Lord, and keep reaching out to the brother as he will allow you to.  And pray, first last and always.

[Rejoice]

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I've been praying..hard! Also my brother is 16. I'm not trying to force anything on him I just tell him I'm praying for him and i love him and he calls me an idiot and tells me i need to see the truth. I'm worried about him. He refuses to even go to church!

[farouk]

R:

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I've been praying..hard! Also my brother is 16. I'm not trying to force anything on him I just tell him I'm praying for him and i love him and he calls me an idiot and tells me i need to see the truth. I'm worried about him. He refuses to even go to church!

So is he younger than you maybe?

Keep having (clean) fun with him, anyway. Kick a ball around with him. Go to MacDonalds. etc.

But don't forget to keep praying for him, anyway.

Take care.

[IamStefanie]

Some people (in my opinion) have said it best - keep praying for him. Keep showing him love and understanding. Continue to praise God (don't be fake or forceful with it, but continue to praise God so that you will show him that there are those who do have faith in Him). I like the idea of someone saying spend fun and quality time with him.

I have a testimony. I'm 26 and my brother is 24 (he will be 25 on 1/17/10). I have been saved and attending church almost 2 years now. My eyes have been opened to experience and realize God's blessings. My brother and I have always loved one another but have never been close. I've always judge him on many things. I have not been a saint myself.

Well, fast forward to this year. My brother and his wife separated Sept 2009 and were officially divorced November of 2009. He has been staying with my mom since Sept. Well, when he first got home, I threw Christ all up in his face. I will admit, I see that he has a very worldly view of God and religion. But I do know that before he came home, a change had already come upon him. But he has a very 'free view' and believes that religion is too organized, as if people are doing it just because. So, when we had our first discussion, I got upset b/c he, like many others viewed Christians to be hypochrites. But I realized I couldn't get upset with him, I had to continue to be patience, understanding and show him the truth in love.

So, two weeks ago, so family issues went down. I was able to help control the situation. Well, when I saw my brother, he said 'sis, I want to go to church with you next week'.  Now mind you, I had been kinda sorta hagging him about going (but I backed off b/c it's not the way to bring someone to Christ) and my brother has not been in a church since we were at least teenagers. I was so happy that he attended church last Sunday.

So fast forward to yesterday. My brother, my dad, and I had a long conversation about religion and God. My dad is Christian. And he is a pretty good guy in regards to not getting angry. Well, my brother is working on it (smile). My brother has always said that the bible is not necessary to grow closer to God. I beg to differ. Well, after this intense conversation yesterday, at the end of the night, my brother asked me 'hey sis, do you know where I can go and get a bible from??'' Praise the Lord!!! I was so happy! But I didn't act all crazy. I just told him where to go. Then he said he would like to come to church with us 1st week in January.

That's nothing but God yall....And I don't know what he has in store for my brother, but I do see the change.  But I know just like God saved me at 24, God will take care of my brother accordingly. His faith is shaky because he has been so hurt by so many people for so long. But he is wanting to trust God. But again, I have seen so much growth in these last two months and I'm happy!

[Rejoice]

tl;dr, but thanks for the advice guys, I think if I keep praying about it he'll come around. If not I'm going to hit him until he goes to church with me

[janine]

*snort*

He's 16?  God bless him.  I have underwear older than he is.

Everyone knows everything at age 16.  I know I did.

You keep the lines of communication open, and you keep praying, and he will mellow out as he gains wisdom as he grows up.  It will get better, I pray.