Every Christian should desire to share the Gospel with others. Most of us can be easily intimidated by the thought of talking to someone about something so important and personal as salvation and eternity. How can we overcome this fear?
I’d like to say that it’s easy, but it isn’t. It can be hard to share the Gospel with a stranger or an acquaintance but harder to share with family and friends, or even with members of our church. Yes, you read that correctly. Just because someone sits in a pew doesn’t mean they have repented and surrendered to Christ. We live in a time when sin is accepted or ignored, and many preachers tickle ears rather than preach solid Biblical truth.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some wonderful pastors doing a great service for the Lord, and if your pastor is one of those, pray and encourage him. On the other hand, there are many who want to rewrite Scripture in order to make everybody feel good about themselves.
Scripture was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and isn’t subject to human changes. In fact, a point people who doubt like to question is the integrity of Scripture, so it would be a good idea for you to fully understand that Scripture was penned by men by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Scripture is God’s instructions to us on how to live and what to believe. If you desire to share the Gospel with others, be sure it’s the Gospel found in Scripture, not something modified to fit modern life. Sin hasn’t changed, nor has God’s grace. There are many “other gospels” being taught today. None of these false teachings will bring salvation.
“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:4).
There are lots of false teachings in today’s society, and a good understanding of Scripture will give you answers for the false teachers. Never compromise Christ and His finished work on the cross. Christ was God incarnate. He isn’t “a god,” and He isn’t the brother of Satan. He is God, the second Person of the Trinity, and the Creator of all that is, including Satan.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).
Later in this chapter of John, we are told, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
If you understand Genesis chapter 1, you understand that Jesus was there in the beginning, and He spoke everything into existence. He is the Word made flesh. This is a truth that anybody who believes the lie of evolution has a hard time understanding. When you share the Gospel with someone, they need to understand that they are a sinner, and they need to understand where sin originated. They also need to understand what really happened on the cross.
Sin originated in the Garden of Eden; the serpent lied to Eve about God, and she believed the lie. Adam chose to disobey God.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
We can read in Genesis that Adam sinned (disobeyed God’s instructions), and all of creation was cursed by his sin. The name Adam simply means man.
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45).
In this verse, the Apostle Paul explains that the first man was made a living soul; he didn’t evolve but was created. The last Adam (Jesus) is a life-giving spirit. Without Him, we are lost and destined for eternal damnation. God has no desire to see anybody spend eternity apart from Him. He had a plan to offer salvation to sin-filled mankind. His only begotten Son would enter His creation and shed His blood on the cross to take sin away. It takes repentance and faith in this truth for sinners to find salvation.
If you are witnessing to someone, they have to understand that they sin. Most people don’t think much about sin, nor do they think about what God considers sin. Most believe “I’m a good person and haven’t done anything to deserve punishment in Hell.” God has a very different idea of sin than humans, and we need to see things as God sees them. I have never killed anybody, but I certainly harbor animosity toward some people. Shame on me. I don’t make a habit of using God’s name in vain, but is that talking about words, or does it refer to calling myself a Christian but living in a way that doesn’t honor God?
Jesus gave His life to take my sin away, but I still live as if I were a part of the world. I get angry for no reason, and I don’t honor Christ as I should. Shame on me. Yes, I’m a sinner saved by grace. I’m sure you are, too. Pride, which is a sin, will blind you to your own sin while clearly seeing sin in others. When you share the Gospel with others, don’t be afraid to talk about sin.
“For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Everybody has sinned, but we usually can justify our own sin. In excusing our own sin and continuing in it with no repentance, we earn our reward. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
God didn’t leave us in a fallen state. He provided the only way to find salvation and forgiveness for our sin. That salvation can only come from faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Sadly, I watched a video where the pope was speaking to a group of non-Christians, and he told them that no matter what they worshipped, they were saved because they had a god. What a heresy! There is no salvation except through the blood of Jesus.
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
There is no salvation except through repentance and accepting Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. Thank God for the cross.
When you share the Gospel, take your friend to the cross. Let that person see their sin and understand that Jesus shed His blood, which was untainted by sin, to take sin away. On that day, so many years ago, your sins and mine were nailed to the cross. Satan and his minions were defeated on that day, but you have to choose to accept the free gift of salvation through repentance and accepting Christ’s free gift of salvation.
God gave the Law to Moses, and it points out sin. Animal sacrifices were required to cover sin, but only the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross, can take sin away.
“And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:13-15).
Those principalities and powers are the minions of evil who whisper evil thoughts to you. Satan has no power over you, other than what you allow. You have to choose to follow Christ and allow His power to guide you. When you witness to others, make it clear that they must make a choice. They can reject Christ and His finished work on the cross, or they can accept His free gift of salvation. It’s really a “no-brainer” choice. Death or life?
Rejecting Christ’s finished work on the cross is what condemns a person to eternal death. Understand exactly what Jesus did on the cross, and share that Good News with everybody. Take up your cross and follow Him.
God bless you all
Nathele Graham
Recommended prophecy sites:
www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com
All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.
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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).