I've got a business aquantance and friend who I eat lunch with about once a month. For the last couple of years we seem to get into these long winded topics on religion. Of course I've been sharing with him each and every time... planting the seed so to speak. We get along great and carry on some really good conversations... sadly it is so interesting to hear his beliefs and theorys.

Here's the deal... he believes in Universalism based on various secular books and material he has read over the years. It really does little good to discuss what the Bible says because he believes in only parts of it. He and his wife attend a Catholic Church but he will tell you he does not agree with most of what the Catholics believe. He will also tell you that he believes in a little bit of all religions and that means other than Christianity. He definitely believes there is a God. He believes the Holy Spirit is in everyone, good or bad. He believes there was a Jesus who died for everyones sins.

What he says of course is that he believes God loves everyone so much that He could never punish anyone eternally as the Bible suggests. He tells me he has a hard time believing that God really destroyed anyone in the Old Testament days. He thinks people wrote all the negative events to place fear in people although these people knew it would not really happen. He says since God loves us so much and that since we are His children that He would never punish us eternally. He asked me if I could ever punish my children for eternity. Which I couldn't, but I'm not God either.

There's lots more he says, but as you can imagine, he has all the basic beliefs of universalism.

Is there any way to reach these types since he refuses to believe all of the scriptures?

Are there good questions to ask that might get him really thinking? I realize I'll probably always be grasping at straws with him, but we will continue to see each other due to business and I want to continue to plant the seed in hopes that it will take root one day. We get along great and converse well, so no issues there. He laughs at me and I laugh at him, although it ain't so funny really.

Any hope is appreciated.

__________________
In Christ,
brother Sonnie

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the LORD: "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'