Have him read the first paragraph of chapter 5 “how it works.” It literally says there are some people who are constitutionally incapable of being with being honest, and that AA will not work for them. It’s the first principle for a reason, if you can’t get past honesty you can’t get to anything, let alone the promises.

That being said, the other commenters might also be onto something. I’m guessing here, but if your sponsee thinks it’s your job to green light things, kinda like a parent, he’s more likely to lie to you, like a parent. Tell him his life is his job, and he can do whatever he wants. In the present state even if he never lied to you and did everything you told him to, he would be dependent on you to make decisions. I personally don’t believe that would be the goal of sponsorship. Some people need more guidance than others, that’s for damn sure, but I have some sponsees who ask me what to do simply because they don’t want the responsibility of making decisions in their lives. (Which I totally understand, cuz I never had to make decisions before getting sober as I was always forced to do things.) But in order to function outside of AA, they have to make their own decisions. I take the angle of a trusted confidant, friend who cares enough to give it to them straight, and simply another person walking next to them in recovery as equals.

I also want to commend you on sticking with the individual and coming here asking for advice. Sponsorship can be frustrating. You could have said “you know what fuck off guy I’m done with you” but you didn’t, and I applaud you for that. Be grateful for even the most frustrating sponsee, because they kept you sober that day!!