Hello Ruth,
it is good that you have such a concern from someone that is down trodden, who does not seem to be able to find a way out of his problems. It is also a very good testimony to others that you have shown love to this boy that those who bully him will have to see and wonder why. I would like to help you on this subject if I may.....
Firstly we must understand that man, together with the woman and children, are sinful. All are conceived in sin. Man (including the woman and children) was separated from God because of it. Sin is following after unrighteousness rather than the righteousness he was originally created in Genesis 1:27. Adam and Eve both sinned and they saw that they were naked and tried to cover up their sin with self effort and self righteous works Genesis 3:7 ... And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew
that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.... They were already physically naked as seen in Genesis 2:25 so the nakedness that is mentioned in Genesis 3:7 is different in that they had be created in the righteousness of God became unrighteous and therefore lost their relationship with God, there was a separation and God who was their covering put them out of fellowship with Him, Genesis 3:24. They had now come under the authority of Satan which is why you see so much evil in the world today! Romans 5:12-21 emphasis on verse 19 .... For as by one man's disobedience (Adam) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus Christ) shall many be made righteous.....
Secondly, your friend said to you that if God really cared for him he would not be in this situation. As can be seen from the first point judgement came upon all men because of one mans disobedience. But, you could say it was Eve that took the fruit and ate and passed it onto her husband not the other way round. The fact remains that God sees the man as the head of the family, the covering, the one who should lead his family on a righteous path, the teacher of the Word of God. Adam chose to obey his wife, who had been deceived by Satan, rather than hold to the commandment given by God.
Thirdly, we are instructed in Matthew 28:18-19 to go and teach the nations ..... If so why? So that they may understand the need for salvation from sin and be able to come from under judgement. How is this salvation given only through Jesus Christ because through this one mans obedience the many will be saved. The Son of God became the Son of man, the guilt offering for sin. If God did not care about your friend why did He give his only Son to die in his place? John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Another way of putting this verse is as follows:
For God so loved your friend that he gave his only begotten Son, that if your friend should believe on him he would not perish but find eternal life. Being born again or the term
does not mean to enter into the womb a second time and be reborn. No, it means that everyone must repent and re-enter into a relationship with God, their spirit reunited with Gods Spirit and they become one. A relationship is not religion, Jesus hated religion He spoke a lot about His relationship with His Father in heaven ... John 10:30 I and My Father are one .... The oneness that I am talking about here is they become one in righteousness, they become a testimony to Jesus Christ in this world being transformed by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:1-2), growing in the likeness of Christ because of their relationship with Him!! This is the same relationship that man had with God before Adam and Eve sinned. It is the same relationship that Abel had with God, Moses had with God, all the prophets in the Old Testiment had with God, all the Apostles had with God, all the desciples had with God. Why should it be any different for us? Jesus Christs death on the cross made this possible. We must appropriate it through repentance. One man (Jesus Christ) died for all therefore no one need die for his own sins or the sins of others which is what suicide really is. It is taking ones own sins to the grave together with those who seem to hate him/her. Jesus did not commit suicide He knew what his purpose was and He willingly gave His life so that we may find life. He is the tree of life to whom we must come.
Fourthly, Jesus said Come to
Him all those who labour and and are heavy laden (with burdens) and
He would give them rest! There is really no need for any of us to carry these burdens anymore Jesus Christ done it all on the cross. He said just before he died ... it is finished... the work of redemption is complete. No one need carry such burdens anymore because He has dealt with it on the cross, the judgement of God came upon Jesus Christ, His Son, for our sins and the sins of your friend.
In conclusion it is not nice to have to go through what he is going through. It is difficult for him to see anything else except the problems he is facing. Yes, he may be saying this to win peoples sympathy (as some are saying) but it is just a sure a reality that he is thinking of these things. I tried twice to commit suicide, fortunately for me I did not carry it all the way through. I am absolutely grateful to God for His grace and for sending His Son, because once I entered into this relationship with Him I immediately knew that He would help me through all my troubles ... and He did! He has transformed me into someone who can declare Him to the would a testimony bringing glory to God. Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Yes the jugement of God is upon those still in disobedience but once there is repentance He immediately turns against those who are against us and fights for us and teaches us how to handle the problems we face in this dark world. Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou are with me; they rod and thy staff the comfort me .... Even though I walk through this world, I need not fear any evil because He being my Shepherd is with me and His Word and His discipline comforts me and leads me into greener pastures. Therefore I can truely say ... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever Psalm 23:1-6, John 10.
Please read Psalm 107 here is just an excerpt ... Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God and contemned the cousel of the Most High: therefore he brought down their heart with labour; and fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder...... How many times do you see the word He mentioned!
I hope I have helped you to understand where your friend is sitting at the moment and that I have equipped you with enough to show him the way to the truth and eternal life.
I will pray for you and him that God will have mercy on Him and that he will find eternal life and that God will help him in all his troubles.
Regards
Donald
Pretoria
South Africa
Seriously.
