My husband has been trying to help his brother realize the times we are in, that things are getting worse with the country etc. He has become discouraged and is giving up on him and not talking to him. He says that the prophets gave up when no one listened. They were told to dust off their sandals and leave, move on. I disagree. It’s true the disciples were told to dust off their sandals and leave if a town did not accept their teaching. The prophets preached destruction and stayed for a long time. What are your thoughts on this?
You didn’t say if your husband’s brother is a believer or not, but either way when it comes to religion you can’t argue any one into seeing things the way you do. In my opinion, the best thing to do in cases like this is to state your position clearly, make sure the other person understands and then place it in the Lord’s hands. This doesn’t mean you give up or quit. It means that your tactics change to prayer rather than discussion. The Lord will soften the person’s heart and he’ll begin asking questions, either of you or someone else, it doesn’t matter. But if you keep debating him, you risk making his heart that much harder.