Am I a bad person for converting my best friend (atheist!)?

[michaeljohn]

Hello, dear brothers and sisters.

I'm confused...

I have a very close friend; he has been my best friend for twenty years now. He was always an atheist. This was the only thing we couldn't agree on, but sometimes it was very annoying! We don't discuss it often, but when we do, we can never keep our tones down, and always end up fighting, and I always felt bad about it. He used to raise some good points, sometimes I even thought he could turn me from my faith! But I remained faithful... and a few days ago something happened that I never imagined!

I found a book on the internet that was written specifically to answer the "logical" points that atheist mistakenly raise! I read the description several times, and it was not expensive, so I bought it, and I gifted it to him.

He wasn't too happy about the gift, at first. A few days later, he called me, and he APOLOGIZED!! He apologized for all the things he ever told me, he apologized for trying to prove to me that God and His messengers were not true, and for everything else!! I couldn't believe it!!!!

He told me that now he could see things from my point of view, and he swore to never make fun of my faith ever again, but I haven't seen him since I sent him the book, and he doesn't sound very well on the phone.

Do you think I may have sinned by turning him against his beliefs? Should I feel bad about myself?

 

[Denique Coelum]

Well, michaeljohn, my immediate and whole-hearted answer to your question is, not at all!

To be an athiest is a sad state of affairs for anyone, and, as we very well know, such as view is entirely wrong and will ultimately lead to death and damnation. Yet God has allowed such a state of mind to pervade the world, in His wisdom:

"For God hath shut up together all in unbelief, in order that he might shew mercy to all." Romans 11 v 32.

Your friend has been shut up in unbelief, denying the existence of God. You have made every effort to correct his misconception, and now he admits his error. This could well be the beginning of the chain of events by which God shows mercy to your friend. First, he acknowledges the existence of God. Next, he might come to a realisation of his sinful state and where he stands before a righteous God. Then, one would hope, he would throw himself on the mercy of God, repenting and accepting Christ as his Saviour.

It's definitely not a sin to disabuse an atheist of their sadly illusory notions. This could well lead to the salvation of his soul!

P.S. You said he doesn't sound very well. It could well be that he's deeply burdened now, having realised that he's been labouring under a delusion. This is a positive exercise though, and one which many have to go through. Hopefully, it will end in the blessed discovery of God's loving nature.

 

[stovebolts]

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

What you are seeing in your friend is an awakening of the soul. Repentance is a good thing... He now has to face a world with a different view, and it has to be tough on him.

Be an encouragement to him and build him up in his new found faith. Make him a brother in Christ now that he knows there is a God and have him come to the baptismal pool with a pure heart knowing that all his sins will be forgiven.

 

[Denique Coelum]

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

What you are seeing in your friend is an awakening of the soul. Repentance is a good thing... He now has to face a world with a different view, and it has to be tough on him.

Be an encouragement to him and build him up in his new found faith. Make him a brother in Christ now that he knows there is a God and have him come to the baptismal pool with a pure heart knowing that all his sins will be forgiven.

Indeed so! What a sweet suffering that must be, to be convicted of ones sins, then put ones trust and hope in Christ the Saviour!

I love that Scripture, StoveBolts. In fact, I used to wear it, embossed on dog-tags, round my neck wherever I went.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Why would you think so??

"Do you think I may have sinned by turning him against his beliefs?"

Nope. His "beliefs" were TOXIC, and would have destroyed him.

"Should I feel bad about myself?"

Don't be silly. It Sounds like the Enemy (who would really ENJOY making you feel "Bad" about yourself) is feeding you his line of BULL, and you're "Buying into it". I suggest you tell him to take his filthy lies, and stick 'em where the sun don't shine. Scream at him if you feel like it. IF you resist him he'll flee - for a season.

 

[Classik]

I haven't seen him since I sent him the book, and he doesn't sound very well on the phone.

P.S. You said he doesn't sound very well. It could well be that he's deeply burdened now, having realised that he's been labouring under a delusion. This is a positive exercise though, and one which many have to go through. Hopefully, it will end in the blessed discovery of God's loving nature.

He's probably shy and sorrowful that all these years he was living in 'ignorance to Light', and coming out publicly to proclaim Christ isn't always easy for them. Moving from Darwolution to Christianity is a good thing! Awesome transformation.

How I wish I can borrow that book

 

[Scootaloo]

Why does this question even cross your mind? Of course you're not a bad person! You gave his life meaning, and saved his soul. Without God, what is a person but a husk of sin and deceit? Congratulations on saving him from that fate; I wish I could do this for my atheist friend.

What was the title of the book? I have to get it!

 

[elijah23]

Hello, dear brothers and sisters.

I'm confused...

I have a very close friend; he has been my best friend for twenty years now. He was always an atheist. This was the only thing we couldn't agree on, but sometimes it was very annoying! We don't discuss it often, but when we do, we can never keep our tones down, and always end up fighting, and I always felt bad about it. He used to raise some good points, sometimes I even thought he could turn me from my faith! But I remained faithful... and a few days ago something happened that I never imagined!

I found a book on the internet that was written specifically to answer the "logical" points that atheist mistakenly raise! I read the description several times, and it was not expensive, so I bought it, and I gifted it to him.

He wasn't too happy about the gift, at first. A few days later, he called me, and he APOLOGIZED!! He apologized for all the things he ever told me, he apologized for trying to prove to me that God and His messengers were not true, and for everything else!! I couldn't believe it!!!!

He told me that now he could see things from my point of view, and he swore to never make fun of my faith ever again, but I haven't seen him since I sent him the book, and he doesn't sound very well on the phone.

Do you think I may have sinned by turning him against his beliefs? Should I feel bad about myself?

You did very well.