Witness for Christ Blog

We shall assume that indeed you are talking to a friend you have known for sometimes, that you have learned to trust each other through some common experience and that you respect each others' opinion. Here is how to go:

It would be best if you waited for the atheist to bring up the subject. Being convinced that God doesn't exist and then finding out that He is real can be a traumatic experience.

The best tack is to be Christ-like to your friend until they can't hold themselves anymore and beg you to spell out what this Jesus of yours who lives on the inside is like.

It is best not to argue about the creation and the many obvious clues to you that God's presence is everywhere. Instead you should drive the conversation to the issue of sin and the perfect dispensation of grace brought about by Christ's death at Calvary.

Atheism is a cover up to avoid dealing with the issue of righteousness. If there is no God then there is no need to confess our sins and there is no need for the blood of Jesus for atonement.

The root issue is of course rebellion. If there is no God then there is no need to be accountable for our lives. Another area to probe is the issue of death. If there is no heaven and no hell what will give a purpose to our short sojourn on planet earth?

You must undergird your effort in prayer and ask the Holy Spirit to speak through you. You don't need to be a scholar in the Scriptures to lead someone to Christ. The next best thing after the Words of God is your own testimony. How you met Christ, what changed in you as a result of that encounter is something that is so real to you and that nobody can dispute.

Even as you well know, someone brought up in a Christian environment will backslide and have a day of reckoning to rediscover Christ for themselves in a very personal way. Just stress that you are no better or more deserving than your atheist friend. You simply grabbed your chance to connect with Christ and make Him the Lord of your life. That opportunity is extended also to your friend. The Lord is patient with us, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Making a decision to receive Christ into one's life is only the start of the journey. Later you will learn to disciple your friend, study the Scriptures together and put them into practice.

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