How can I "Save" someone?

Question

I am a Christian, but my sister and my father are not, and my mother is but is very lax. Almost all of my friends are either athiest or some other religion, as well as certain relatives who I am close to. Assuming I do end up in Heaven (which no one knows for sure except God!) I have a feeling I'll be kind of lonely without my family and friends. So how do I save them without them turning away from me?

In response to what I've gotten in the mere ten minutes since I've posted...1) I sort of picture God as a parent: he loves all his children, but with some he has to punish them to get the point across. 2) To all those who have respectfully given me your views, thanks. I've read them and taken them into account.

Answer 1

Begin by praying, earnestly.
Become convinced by the Word of God that it is his will to save them.

"This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
I Timothy 2:3-4

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."
II Peter 3:9

"He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."

Acts 16:30-31

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world."
I John 2:1-2

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst."
I Timothy 1:15

Believe that God can use you to reach them.
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
and he who wins souls is wise."
Proverbs 11:30
Pray for wisdom and to know what to say:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. " James 1:5

Believe in the power of the Gospel:

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: " Romans 1:16

Believe in the work of the Holy Spirit:

"When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:"
John 16:8

Believe in the goodness of God:

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:17

Answer 2

How to Share the World’s Greatest News
Be Authentic. Relax and be honest. You might try saying something like, “You know, Christ has become really important to me and I would like to talk about it.” Explain what God has done in your life, but try not to sound perfect. Christians love sports, hate paying bills and end up with unmatched socks, just like everyone else.

Authenticity also means that your life confirms your message. People grow tired of phoniness. The apostle Paul said to the Thessalonians that they not only heard his message but they saw how his life was further proof of the truth of his message (1 Thessalonians 1:5, 2:8). The message of his life did not contradict the message of his mouth.

Confirming your witness through your life doesn’t replace your verbal witnessing, though. Both are needed. You cannot just live a Christian life and hope that others will notice; they may notice that you life a good life, but they won’t know why. Jesus lived a prefect life and He was constantly proclaiming the gospel. Jesus’ command is to witness by word and deed.

Leave the Results to the Holy Spirit. “Successful witnessing is taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.”1 Relying on the power of the Holy Spirit in witnessing means believing that He will lead your conversation even as you use your mental and verbal skills in presenting the gospel to others. The results are up to God. Don’t get confused about whose job it is to save people! Saving people is God’s responsibility; your responsibility is to present the gospel.

Be a Listener. Sharing your faith involves asking questions and listening. It is a conversation. You want to know what the people you are talking with think. So you may ask, “How do you think a person becomes a Christian?” or “What do you think it takes to get to heaven?”

Stick With Them. Being authentic and learning to listen will enhance your witness if you combine it with one very important quality: a commitment to stick with the people you witness to. Of course there will be times when you will have only a few minutes with a stranger, such as on an airplane or in a grocery store. But most witnessing will occur in the context of relationships.

Expect God to Use You. Many people in your world may get to hear about Christ because of you! As you communicate your faith in Christ to others, don’t be surprised at how God is able to use you!


1A statement often made by Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, International.


This article is an excerpt from Steven L. Pogue's book, The First Year of Your Christian Life. If you would like to purchase a copy of this book, you may do so here:

Answer 3

Firstly, you won't be lonely in heaven. Secondly, live by example and pray for them. Ask God for wisdom and make yourself available to be used by Him. Study His Word and "be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 peter 3:15) Remember: Only God can save.
You need to have the same passion for 'saving' as you do for all unbelievers. God bless.

Answer 4

You don't. The Holy Spirit does. They need to be introduced witnessed to in an acceptable manner. The right time, the right place, use the right words, don't come off like "I'm holier than thou" or "I'm right and you're wrong" "You're going to hell if you don't change your ways." This sort of approach will only stand to alienate them and make them angry. PRAY. Ask God to help you and lead you to say the right things. Do some Bible reading and see what it says about witnessing. Talk to your pastor and ask him/her what a good thing to do might be. Something I learned from an evangelism program goes like this: Ask them--If you (the person you're talking to) were to stand before God and He asked you "Why should I let you into Heaven? What would you say? MANY people will answer 1. That He probably shouldn't. or 2. Because I have been a pretty good person. I haven't killed anyone. I've never stole anything real big. I'm pretty honest and I help other people out sometimes. Some of these might be nice things but none of them get a person to Heaven. Tell them you have some good news for them. They get to Heaven for free. It's because Jesus loved us so much that He went to the cross to die for/atone for our sins. It takes faith in God to gain Heaven. Faith that is reflected in the way we live and in the way we honor God. Faith in ourselves or no faith at all won't get the job done. Point to a chair. Ask if they think the chair will hold them if they sit on it. Tell them they may think the chair will hold them, they trust the chair to hold them, they have faith that the chair will hold them, but they won't know till they actually sit in the chair. Faith in God can be sort of like that. We might know about God, we might think God can save us and grant us to enter Heaven, but we won't know till we put our trust/faith in Him We need to have the faith. God will do the rest.There are many books on how to wittness to people, how to help them, what to say and what to do. You might want to check such a book out. Try a Christian book store. Have faith. Maybe God is giving you a job to aid then in their faith. Do it as if you were doing it for Him....Maybe you are..God Bless You... PS-You will know EVERYBODY in Heaven and they will know, love, want to be with you too. Heaven will be GREAT.

Answer 5

You can't thats a lesson they will have to learn on their own. You will have to continue to let your light shine and pray for them but thats all you can do.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (New King James Version)

6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.


You may plant and water but only God can give the increase.

John 6:44-46 (King James Version)
44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me

The discovery of their guilt, danger, and remedy, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, makes men willing and glad to come, and to give up every thing which hinders applying to him for salvation. The Father's will is, that not one of those who were given to the Son, should be rejected or lost by him. No one will come, till Divine grace has subdued, and in part changed his heart; therefore no one who comes will ever be cast out. The gospel finds none willing to be saved in the humbling,holy manner, made known therein; but God draws with his word and the Holy Ghost; and man's duty is to hear and learn; that is to say, to receive the grace offered, and consent to the promise. If they refuse, then there is nothing can be done about it as one cannot be forced to please God.

All the best

God bless You

Answer 6

Prayer is your best tool. The Holy Spirit will use your prayer to enable your Obedience to GOD to Show them HIS Love is greater than their pride. Your Faith in GOD must be strengthened by study of Christ in scripture and working to know more about HIM thru discipleship. Walk the Walk as HIS example before their eyes. In HIS time the H.S. will touch them most graciously and lovingly as a father to his children.
Faith, Hope, Love...repeat!

Answer 7

Your actions speak louder than words,just let your light shine,love them for who they are,and your prayers are what gets Gods attention,we can not save anyone only jesus can,call those things that arent as thou they were,prophesy to your own family,pray the word over them and ask the Lord to open up their heart to recieve Jesus as Lord ask the lord to save them and step into their situtation and be the Lord over it and release the spirit of adoption in their life and the holy ghost will bring them to the altar Be blessed my sister Lisa

Answer 8

According to the Christian doctrine you cant save anyone only Jesus can......I am also not a christian. I consider myself to be a spiritual person....I have never believe in bible bashing......Or forcing any belief or objective on anyone. Most of the time that runs a person away....after all that spirituality or religion is really supposed to be between that person and their sacred reality....

For you to think about : How do you know that you are "saving them" Your proof of this is? I mean other than the Bible (the book of your religion) What makes what you have so convincing

Answer 9

My family is unsaved too but I believe that you have to be salt and light to them, as the Bible says. Maybe you can invite them to church sometime. Just demonstrate Christian love to them. Don't push your beliefs on them because they will only be pushed further... Just pray for them with a sincere heart. Search for "salvation" in the Bible and see what verses have that in there and pray for those people with those scriptures.. Be faithful to pray everyday for them. The most important thing is that if you say anything, they won't understand unless you ask the Holy Spirit to work through you. That's the only way. Show that Christians can have fun too. Just love them. ;)

Answer 10

God said He will wipe away all of your tears when you are there. Was He telling the truth? You do not know what eternity is like. It may just be that the life we live now will be like a dream and never was reality. The true reality is what lies beyond the physical.

Let the Holy Spirit do the saving. You just keep praying.