I’m very distraught over the fact that a friend of mine is not saved, when I thought she was. She says she doesn’t think the Bible is reliable and there is no way to know what is to be taken literal and what is not. Because of this, she is unsure whether Christ is the son of God. She says she doesn’t believe in hell or Satan. She thinks a loving God would forgive all sinners. I tried to talk to her, but without a belief in the Bible, it wasn’t working. I really want to know how to get through to her.
It’s very difficult to tell who’s saved and who isn’t, but from what your friend is saying you might be right. If you’ve read 1 Cor. 2:14 you know that the person without the Spirit does not accept and cannot comprehend the things of God. This means that before you can effectively share the Gospel with someone, the Holy Spirit has to create a sense of openness so he or she will be receptive. And that can only happen after the person has expressed a desire to know God.
Your friend seems to be doing just the opposite, so the best course of action for you is prayer. Ask God to open her heart and provide a bona fide opportunity for her to hear the Gospel, whether from you or someone else. If she heard it before, she was apparently not persuaded, but our God is a God of 2nd chances and your prayer will be instrumental in seeing that your friend gets one.
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:1-4).