Why not ask him why he’s decided to turn his back on Jesus? He’d probably be happy to tell you; he might even try to persuade you to join him and turn your back on Christ!

Don’t let his words deceive you, however; no matter what he says, there’s an empty place in his heart that will never be filled apart from God. Right now, he may not sense it; he may be proud of being “free” from his former beliefs, and has convinced himself that he’s smarter than people like you who still cling to their old-fashioned beliefs (as he sees them).

But eventually unbelief’s emptiness and hopelessness will overtake him. Think of it for a moment: When you don’t have Christ, you have no God-given reason for living, and no hope for life after death. You also have nowhere to turn when problems and sorrows overwhelm you. The Bible warns, “The way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction” (Proverbs 13:15).

Pray for your friend and ask God to help you be an example to him of Christ’s love and joy. Be aware also that whatever he tells you may not be the full story; often people turn away from God simply because of a secret sin. Let him know you still care for him, and that God cares for him and loves him even more. The Bible says, “The Lord… is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

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