We have a certain biblical responsibility and certain measure of spiritual discernment is necessary when dealing with UNBELIEVERS and treating an APOSTATE. The Scripture distinguishes between the way we need to approach the unbelievers and those who spades from the faith.
Our responsibility is layed our in Ezekiel 3:18-19 where Lord instructs that whenever we hear a word from His mouth, (Bible, prophecy, vision) to warn those wicked and righteous on His behalf. "When I say to the wicked, "You will surely die," and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Are you willing to risk your own life by watching an unbeliever perish without warning them? If so, you will be held accountable for his death. "Yet if you have WARNED the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself." Amen. Our duty is to WARN all unbeliever of their wicked ways not try to change them.
Thereafter, Colossians 4:5-6 teaches us the attitude we must have towards the unbelievers, to "walk in wisdom toward those who are outsiders, redeeming the time. Our speech should always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that we may know how to answer each one." Amen. It is crucial we ask to be filled with wisdom and knowledge so every word that we confess is biblical truth, that we are filled with the Holy Spirit, with courage and strength to proceed in a godly manner. May the Lord help us adopt this attitude so we can be successful soul winners for Christ.
Unbelievers, no matter how successful they seem by worldly standards, are lost & blinded by satan, and in need of salvation in Christ. We should not take witnessing lightly—it is a matter of life and death. We must show interest and compassionate and use the Word of God to help them get out of the doubts and disputes they are imprisoned by, convincing them that the Word of God is divine truth.
It is also our duty to win the souls of SOME unbelievers as Christ died for ALL those who believe, repent and obey God! We must do this by CONFESSING our Lord to unbelievers, for whosoever shall confess Jesus before others, He will confess them also before His Father in heaven (Matthew 10:32) through the WORD OF GOD! Thereafter, faith comes from hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Our heavenly calling is NOT to force the Word upon anyone by foolishly believing we can "change" their mind for ONLY the Holy Spirit can convict and change a person's mind to accept Christ and renewing them in Christ.
The parable of the sower in Mark 4: 14 teaches us to plant the seed of Christ by sowing the Word of God amongst all men with compassion and kindness, and let God do the rest for Jesus explains that as the word is heard by men, it has different results according to the different standards each person uses to judge or measure the word. It will not have the same results in each hearer.
1.) SOME DO NOT ACCEPT: "And these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them" (Mark 4:15). The unbelievers here do not really hear the words. There is an admonition from the Lord that who ever has ears let him hear. Some who are exposed to the words of God do not actually hear it and it is quickly whisked away much like the birds ate the seeds which fell on hard packed dirt. Those who reject God and His Word have no chance of salvation and are destroyed and tormented in eternal hell.
2.) SOME ACCEPT BUT FALL AWAY: "And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away" (Mark 4:16-17). Unbelievers receive it immediately but does not take root. It produces no fruit, therefore cannot produce a changed life. If the Word is falling on an unbeliever, the persecution may be in the persons mind as they consider the implications of following Jesus if they are converted. What changes would he have to make to follow Jesus. They may incorrectly believe they will have to "clean up their lives" before they can be saved and therefore are discouraged. The words of salvation sounded so sweet, but the perceived requirements are too great. Satan may be the one who persecutes one here with lies and deception causing the word to die before it produces in a persons life.
3.) SOME ACCEPT: "And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold" (Mark 4:20). These unbelievers accept the words and they produce the fruit of salvation and righteousness in their lives. This happen because of their faith in the words they heard. They believe that the words are true and are true for them.
We must recognize the great and fundamental differences that there are between believers & unbelievers. We must not treat those who are mere dogs and swine (unbelievers) as if they were able to appreciate either the holiness or the beauty and wealth of spiritual truth (believers). The scavengers by nature greedily devour the most unholy of things.
In their ignorance, those who wilfully reject the gospel often feel enmity towards those that have offered it to them, thus often it is difficult to carry out this command, as it is evident that we cannot know beforehand who will accept the gospel or not.
Without a doubt, we all, at some point, have experienced enmity from unbelievers because of our belief. To such wicked people Matthew 7:6 teaches us "not to give dogs what is Holy; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." We must remember that the god of this world blinds their minds to see God's truth, therefore they will reject the Word and attack you.
We must not be discouraged if we do not always see results as we faithfully teach the Word. Some people do not accept it for they are reserved by God for doomsday, some simply refuse to understand God's truth because they are not interested. God reveals truth to people who will act on it and make it visible in their lives. When we talk with people about God, we must be aware that they will not accept if they are not willing to have an open heart about receiving the message. We are called to be patient, taking every chance to tell them more about God and praying that the Holy Spirit will open their minds and hearts to receive the truth and act on it. Productivity is in God's hands! Aleluia!
As born-again children of God and members of the Body of Christ, it is also our duty to HELP our brothers and sisters IN Christ whom are side-tracked and are ready to fall in the flames of apostasy; some even walk away from Christ altogether!
In Ezekiel 3:20-21 the Lord WARNS us that "when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand."....Are you willing to risk your own life by watching your brother and sister in Christ perish without warning them? If so, you will be held accountable for his death. "However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself."
Jude 1:22-23 teaches us to have compassion on some, making a distinction, but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh". In the Old Testament a leper's clothing was contaminated and had to be burned (Lev. 13: 47-52). Today, when we deal with people who have fallen into sin; whether it be alcohol, smoking, drugs, gambling, especially sexual sin, adultery, pornography, fornication, we must remember that material objects we are exposes to, such as provocative clothing, for instance, often causes others to sin by provoking them to lust. When we see these things, provocative clothings our mind forms an associations with sexual sins such as adultery and can easily give in to our desires.
Therefore, when we deal with those who have been defiled, we must be careful to avoid anything that might be a temptation in our own life. An unknown author expressed this thought in the following way: Clothes belonging to a person, association and carry the contamination of sin, evil contagion. All that is associated with a life of sin should be cast out of our lives, disposing of it, if we want to be safe from infection and contagion of this disease destroying souls.
Although, as faithful children of God we are to have mercy and compassion, and to pray for sinners, we shall see with disgust everything that bears traces of sin. When trying to find common ground with those to whom we witness, we must be careful not to fall into the quicksand of compromise. When reaching out to others, we must be sure that our own footing is safe and secure. We must be careful not to become so much like non-Christians that no one can see Christ in us. Influence them for Christ—don't allow them to influence you to sin!
Let's NEVER FORGET that it is the GRACE of God that keeps us breathing, and doing so to praise Him, and through the death of His Son at Calvary, our sins are forgiven and salvation is offered to those who believe, repent & faithfully obey God. Through Jesus Christ we can believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that our faith and hope are in God (1 Peter 3:21). Aleluia! All glory to God! Absolutely by NO MERIT of ours, we receive salvation through Christ, but solely a gift from God offered to those who love Him and obey His Word! What a priviledge!
To God our Savior, who alone is worthy, wise, perfect, powerful, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. AMEN! The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, His peace and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all who are in Christ. GOD BLESS YOU ALL IN JESUS NAME! AMEN!