How can my non-Christian parents and family see God?

OLD ARTICLES. Maybe you have been a Christian for many years or you have just become a Christian. Here are some examples and advice taken from the study bible. These can help you to grow and show Christ in your daily life.

We assume that your parents are not born again Christians (Born again = relationship with Jesus. Not born again = ex. just religious without faith or not believing in Jesus). You have just become a born again Christian, your Mom thinks it’s “nice” and your Dad won’t talk about it. How do you make them see Jesus is real person?

The Bible can sometimes teach difficult things, and we don’t always understand the meaning. One of the toughest sayings that Jesus said is in Matthew 10:35-36, 35 For I have come to turn "`a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- 36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' What does Jesus mean when he says “Your enemies will be right in your own household”?

If you have faced pressure and/or opposition from friends because of your new faith, you realize that your decision for Christ causes people to make decision about you. Some will stay with you and support your decision because they are your true friends. Others will leave because they don’t understand or because your values no longer encourage their lifestyle.

We also may find opposition@home. In these verses, Jesus is not telling us to be disobedient to our parents or try to cause problems@home. He is just stating the fact that a person who becomes born again has different values, goals and morals, therefore can they cause division. This is actually not only a fact, it’s a promise! Rarely will the only Christian in a household go unchallenged.

It’s not that common that your parents or family openly hurt you because of your new faith, but sometimes it happen. Put-downs can really hurt when it comes from someone you love. The best course of action is to not try to make your parents see anything. Instead, just live your life in obedience to them as the Bible commands in Eph. 6:1-3, 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"--which is the first commandment with a promise-- 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." This is the first commandment with a promise attached (see also Exodus 20:12). To live in peace for generations in the Promise Land, the Israelites would need to respect authority and build strong families. But what does it mean to “honor” parents? Partly, it means speaking well of them and politely to them. It also means acting in a way that shoes them courtesy and respect (but not to obey them if it means disobedience to God). Believe it or not, but God has put every authority, every leader in this world to their position. As Christians we must obey them and honor them, but if they lead us to sin we shall not obey them. That doesn’t mean that we not shall obey them at all, we have to obey them and be under their authority, so that we can be under God’s authority and he can bless us. Even those who find it difficult to get along with their parents are still commanded to honor them.

You can’t by yourself change your family. That’s the job of the Holy Spirit: “When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John16:8). You are to be God’s representative in your home, hopefully to be a part of bringing your family to Christ.

Remember:

1. Don’t neglect your family because it does not yet accept your faith.

2. Don’t neglect the higher mission of keeping God as your number-one priority.

3. Go to church on Sunday, listen carefully to the pastor and get in contact with elderly people, they have lots of experience and can give you good advice.

4. Honor your father and mother. Important to remember that this is commandment with a promise of God’s blessings that we can’t even understand.