Thank you for your heartfelt concern for Dylan. It's wonderful to have friends who care about our eternal well-being. Let's pray for Dylan together.
Let's remember Christ words for us to go and make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands that have been given to them as believers in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, I am with you always even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20 WEB). We should be praying for Dylan to come to know Jesus and to be baptized in Jesus Name as his Lord and Savior.
First, it's important to understand that it is only by the name of Jesus that we can be saved. As the Bible tells us, There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven given among the people, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12 WEB). Therefore we must repent or turn from our sinful lifestyle and believe in Jesus calling Jesus Lord and Savior and meaning it.
Salvation has been made available to all mankind by Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross as the final sacrifice. Nothing we do can earn this and salvation is a free gift from God. But it is more than just believing this. A person believing these things must still turn from their sin and put their faith in Jesus, making Jesus their Lord and Savior. Jesus is the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the Almighty (Rev 1:8,17). Romans Chapter 10 verses 9-13 of the World English Bible summarizes the Gospel Message in giving Salvation: If you will confess with your in mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead then you will be saved. Believing from the heart has to do with righteousness. Confessing with the mouth has to do with salvation. As the scripture says anyone who trusts in Jesus will never be disappointed. There is no distinction between any of us because the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Jesus. For, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord is circumcised in heart and will be saved.
Paul the apostle also tells us: If anyone is in Christ Jesus they are a new creation and the old things have passed away and the new things have come forth (2 Corinthians 5:17 WEB). To be in Christ Jesus, a person is saved and believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that has also turned from their sin; they are saved as their old sinful lifestyle has died away. Now their life has changed and they start being like Jesus by going to their local church and reading the Bible Scriptures and changing their lifestyle to holy lifestyle.
Before rebuking as we are commanded, let us first intercede in prayer for this precious soul and ask for the Lord to intervene in his life. Show us merciful compassion by the grace of the Lord and Savior in Jesus Name. Calling on the name of Jesus Christ is the only way to access God. Thus we are filled with the Holy Spirit when we were saved. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee or deposit that Jesus has purchased us from the auction block of sin and that the name of Jesus Christ is the only access to God.
Pray that God will bring people into Dylan's life who can share the gospel with him. Also we can pray that there are Christians in Canada who are obeing God and inviting Dylan to church. When Dylan becomes a new Believer in Jesus Christ, and then he will embark on a journey towards salvation and he will be turning his life around. He can make Jesus the head of his life. God will give him His Holy Spirit, His grace, and His sufficiency to live a victorious holy life. The bible affirms, If you then be raised with Christ Jesus, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of the Father Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died to your old lifestyle, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3 WEB).
We need to rebuke Christiandomin our society that would say Dylan can continue in their sinful life and still be in Jesus Christ. We must not rebuke Dylan. This does not need to be dwelt on. But this does need to be said because so many people mistakenly believe this. We are not to be in our sinful life but be a new creation in Jesus Christ as discussed above. We should end our lives of any sins in our life. Any sins in our life(s) should be stopped. While it is true that we are saved by grace by confession of Jesus as Lord with our mouth, belief in Jesus being raised from the dead in our hearts, calling on the name of Jesus, and turning from our sin; this does not mean we can continue in our sinful lifestyle.
We should pray with expectancy, knowing that God is willing and able to save Dylan. Let's pray:
Dear Lord Jesus, we come before You, lifting up Dylan to You. We ask that You reveal Yourself to him, that You Soften his heart so Dylan believes You. Grant Dylan the gift of repentance, and bless Dylan with the faith to believe in You Jesus and trust in You as Lord and Savior and to call on the name of Jesus to be saved and become a new creation in Jesus Christ. May Dylan find his purpose in You and his need fulfilled in You and the church fellowshipping. Save all souls In Jesus Name!
We agree together for Dylan's salvation, In Jesus Name! May God's will be done. Amen.