So there is this person that says he got saved when he was young and that he believed. But like 5 years ago said he didn't believe anymore and is an atheist. Is he still saved? Now he says he can't believe he ever believed ay of that and that he never had one prayer answered. He uses the GD word a lot and other bad words. He calls God an imaginary friend for adults. He says once saved always saved so he's good. He said he never got baptized and never wants to and never liked going to church.
I know that believers are supposed to try to help get people saved but I am not sure how to help. We have talked about it before but he's set in his way and says he could never believe again.
Here is what I have to be true of those who say they were "once saved but now are not:" you will find that most have simply never understood what salvation is to begin with.
Most understand "being saved" as going to church with their parents. They have no understanding of Redemption, only some religious lingo.
This is what I would suggest: first, make sure you yourself are ready to address the questions they may pose. What I mean by this is understand how and why someone is saved, and be able to explain that in simple terms. Secondly, you challenge this person in regards to their understanding, and I usually do this by asking them how one is saved. A simple enough question, but the answers that ensue are rarely Biblical.
In order to help those who think they have lost or walked away from salvation understand Scripture doesn't allow for this as a possibility, then you have to confront them on a doctrinal level.
This doesn't mean you have to wait until you have every answer, because you can speak with them and promise to get back to them with an answer if it is something your not really sure about.
Another issue to consider is that it is possible for Christians to fall into a state of shipwreck, but usually falling away evidences that the "salvation" they claim to once have had was not genuine conversion, but simply religious participation. I have only encountered a few that I thought may be brethren in need of restoration, most of them were never saved, and the "salvation" they walked away from was a construct of indoctrinated heritage.
So the only way to really approach this fellow is to compare what his understanding of salvation is in light of what Scripture teaches. And if you can show him that his understanding of salvation is not the salvation taught in Scripture, it will at least take away his justification for assuming salvation on a Biblical level.
If he never believed to begin with, you can at least show him that it's not a matter of "never believing again."
Good luck with that.
God bless.
