Greetings fellow Brothers and Sisters In Christ,
I am new to these forums and I come seeking guidance and/or answers on a topic that in my logical mind shouldn't even be an issue, but in my family, it apparently has become an issue, and a rather ugly one at that.
I lost my Uncle to pancreatic cancer in late 2006.
I remember the day he told me that the cancer was inoperable and that he had less than 4 months to live.
My uncle prefaced the news with he swore my family to secrecy so he could share this news with the utmost of respect for my sake, but what he didn't know was that I already knew as my Aunt had already told me two weeks prior.
For reasons I can't explain, from the moment my aunt told me, I felt an inexplicable urging to minister to my Uncle. My mother and my aunt told me NOT to go there with my Uncle as he was not without Jesus so he didn't need saving.
I was not convinced as my uncle had made statements previously that he didn't believe in God, but in my humble opinion, my mother and my aunt needed to believe that my Uncle was right with God so as to make themselves cope more easily with the loss that was to come.
And of course, when I did ask my Uncle if he knew Jesus, he said, "No and I don't want to!"
My intent in asking was to be there for him as I thought was the duty of all Christians one to another.
And I thought that praying with him would ease whatever was burdening him (pain, fear, anger, whathaveyou).
But the vehemence of my uncle's answer shocked me and I respected his wishes to not speak of God to him again.
But about 3 weeks later, I received an angry letter from my mother. During a visit to his doctor my Uncle said he was losing sleep because I had asked him if he believed in Jesus, and why did I have to do that to him?
She'd told me my aunt had overheard him and become angry with me as well because they think I purposely hurt him with the question.
In the end, my mother (a self professed Believer) told me I was dead to her, and I was devastated.
My significant other at the time, saw me crying. And when she'd read my mother's email, all but declared war on my mother and aunt. Emails containing profane, hateful language flew back and forth and back and forth all in the name of defending my actions but unfortunately soon grew a life of its own.
I was blamed for the exchange, for bringing my close friends into personal family business, and ostrascized even though I was content on dealing with my mother personally and my significant other had other plans.
It took 3.5 years before they'd speak to me again.
I was told that there was some verse in 2 Timothy that stated that God granted all Believers the authority to ask about another person's belief in Christ if such belief was in any way questionable.
And she'd posited to me..what answer would I have if were standing before God, and He asked me why I turned my back on the opportunity to bring a soul to Him?
Flash forward to May 26th. During a visit, my aunt blew up at me because I dared mention a friend who was part of the original email exchange those years prior in passing when relating the story of a curio that I ended up giving to my aunt.
She has emailed me with an apology, but I came to find out that both she and my mother have kept all those emails! Yet I am forgiven?
I don't think I need forgiving as I would choose to ask my Uncle if he believed in Jesus again if God told me to do it.
But my ultimate question is:
What does Scripture say about my experience? Was I wrong in asking my Uncle if he knew Jesus because it was perceived by outside parties that he was not in need of saving?????
Did I disobey my family by asking?
Did I misunderstand my responsibility as a Christian?
This has caused old wounds to be reopened and I am heartsick and depressed because of what my aunt and mother have said about me.
Please help.
