Husband now says he's agnostic

[JRKH]

My husband was not Christian at one time. I did not speak to him about becoming Christian, but I did discuss issues of faith that I had and ask his opinion.

The forces of evil aren’t trying to keep you silent. The bible says that it is possible to convert your husband without words. I remember that my mother got very angry with me because she couldn’t understand how I wasn’t trying harder to verbally convert my hubby. I showed her in the bible the verses 1 Peter 3:1-2
Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives (1 Pet. 3:1-2).

Prayer, by the way, is as active as fighting a battle. It is not a passive act. You are employing a very powerful weapon in converting him by spending time each day in prayer.

MY hubby is now a devout Catholic and active member of our church.

Deb,
Excellent post. I agree wholeheartedly.
The best way to “Evangelize” is to demonstrate the great joy and fulfillment, certainty and peace that is constantly present through our faith in God and in Jesus Christ. Your post demonstrates this beautifully.

I have always thought of the different ways people try to evangelize and it seems the most truly successful ones are those who “draw” people toward Jesus, and not those who “push” people toward Jesus.

Think about the times that Jesus sat and dined with the sinners, scandalizing the Jewish Elders. Are we to think that he sat there “sermanizing” at them about how sinful they are and how they must reform? Somehow I doubt it.
I see him reclining, drinking wine and eating bread and dates. Listening to their stories and drawing out from them the things in thier lives that sent them down the wrong paths. Laughing with them, crying with them and understanding with them the great power of redemption. He saved many because of this joining of His love to their sorrows.

We do well to imitate this in our daily lives.

James

 

[GraceDK]

Fleur…
your husband is a lot of air… dont worry about his ideas about how God would have to come to him under specific criteria in order for him to accept the vision as real. He clearly does not know that the Presence of God can make iteself known in such powerful ways that all naturscience falls like a house of cards in an instant.
One advice; take him to Medjugorje. I remember once standing in line down there with a man whom I fell into a conversation with. He told me he had once been an atheist physician. Upon reading and encountering Medjugorje he became a believer. Another ateist man was with us and he had a personal revelation of the Virgin Mary which he will never forget…
I think that a tiny touch of the supernatural mixed with a very sound preaching of the Gospel would do for your husband. Let us plainly admit that when people feel they are being set free when they walk away from Christ it is because they have not been taught the truth about whom Jesus is. They need to meet a living congregation that practices healing, prophetic gifts etc… and where true love is preached and not a set formula.
The truth will set you free, it is written. Religion can made into a law that repulses people. Your husband needs an encounter with the living Christ.

 

[HOPEFUL_IN_UK]

I don’t think you should discuss religion with him any longer. For one thing, it seems to upset you. For another, it seems to strengthen his resolve to be agnostic. Finally, the man has free will and a right to his own opinion.

Nobody can be argued into religion. If your husband is going to return to the Church, it will be due to a yearning in his heart. St. Augustine said that we all have that yearning in our hearts, which are restless until they rest in Him. Debating and harrassing your husband will just drown out that “still, quiet voice” in his heart.

God does want you to bring your husband to Him, I don’t doubt it. But, He’s not actually saying it’s your job to do it, yourself. You can’t actually do that, because that’s beyond human capability. I think that God is saying that, yes, you are supposed to be married because He is going to use you to bring your husband to Him.

As somebody said above, you can do that through your prayer and your prayerful example. Love your husband and love God and trust God to work through you.

Honestly, I don’t only think that you should stop arguing with your husband, I think you should tell him something to the effect of, “Honey… I want you to know that I love you and I respect you. I admire you for being honest about your beliefs. I don’t want to argue with you about religion anymore.” Then, just let it drop.

If he becomes antagonistic and tries to challenge YOUR faith, then you should absolutely talk to a priest about how to respond to that. But, unless that happens, just love him and pray for him.

 

[Sheeniac]

My sympathies - my advice: pray, and don’t argue. If nothing else, get Lee Strobel’s book A Case for Christ. It was instrumental in my conversion from atheist (25 years) to Christian (Catholic).

I will pray for you two.

 

[GraceDK]

benedictus.
Would you be willing to believe in Jesus if you had met him as He is described in the Gospels? A man who spoke with authority: what authority? Passion and a heart for people, mercy in action. what did people see?.. they saw and experienced a person who knew them inside out. “I see you are a prophet” said the woman at the pond. How would you feel if someone laid out your life in front of you and did it with no condemnation in his voice whatsoever. What if while hearing his words of love he healed you of cancer? what if you saw him look at you and heard him say: “I love you forever”, while he had his hands pierced… and you realised in your heart that this is the most suplime of all things that have ever come to pass… the love, the hope.

Brother… yes, brother… we are in this drougt together, and the powerful side of the Gospel has been turned into nil by people who only make theories out of the whole thing… The Church claims to be apostolic… but why are there not any healing taking place at the papal audiences in Rome…(I love the pope but he lacks confidence like so many others) people come to see a man, sadly… not to get moved by the Holy Spirit. But this is not how it was in the beginning… I suggest that you reclaim your faith in spite of the drought that the Church has helped create.
Go find the LIFE… even if you have to go to Africa or China in a house congregation, even if you have to go to the “out-lawed” pentecostals or calvary chapel people…
I have seen people who were healed in front of me… I have heard prophecy (and know why Paul says we should all strive for this gift) and speaking in tongues where I knew it was not fake, I know people who were healed from all from cancer to aids to mental illnesses… I heard of people who were raised from the dead even here in my secularised country where there is a stench of spiritual death and confusion all over, I have heard preachers tell their testimony about how they were saved litterally in every way… (in the catholic church our preachers are asked not to get personal… please friends… what a lie) I have seen people act in justice with no other reason than love… love in freedom, for that is the only place for it. Tell people that it is a law for them to come to mass… what will you get but a reluctant bunch of people… Am I provocative… so were the first apostles.
Jesus is the same yesterday, now and forever… oh… there is something about that Name of Jesus
By the way… brother… you are not dead… You just have a healthy longing for living in “The time of Faith”… so go and search it out. We were not created to walk alone.