THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

 

• You cannot negotiate with the person or with God. This is between God and the person

• The key issue you need to deal with is repentance (surrender to God’s authority and ownership)

• When people are repentant, there are usually signs (not always). They often cry, or they at least appear very concerned and want to find a solution to their concern.

HOW I PREFER TO SHARE THE GOSPEL

 

Establish God’s ownership and authority. If they don’t understand the concept of God’s authority, they won’t understand the concept of sin or the need to repent.
- Psalms 24:1 (NLT) The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

 

Explain that because God is King and the absolute authority over all creation He has the right to make the rules. God declared the payment for sin (rebellion against Him) to be death.
- Romans 6:23 (NLT) For the wages (or payment) of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Because God is just, He Must complete His justice. It would not be fair for God to say that He is going to do something and not do it. Because He is just, He is obligated to complete His justice.

- Psalms 89:14 (NLT) Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

 

Because one man sinned, death is the inheritance for all mankind because of inheritance and by participation.
- Romans 5:12 (NLT) When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

 

God, in His foreknowledge, knew what the plight of mankind would be, and so He graciously decided to complete or satisfy His own demand for justice through the death of Jesus.
- Romans 5:8-11 (NLT) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. [9] And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. [10] For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. [11] So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

 

- Isaiah 53:10-11 (NLT) But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands. [11] When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
The idea here of being “satisfied” is not that it made God happy. Jesus Christ “satisfied” or “completed” the requirements that God placed on sin and therefore satisfied God’s justice.

 

Mankind must respond to God’s invitation to salvation with repentance and faith. This was the message that Paul preached!
- Acts 20:21 (NLT) I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

 

- Repentance toward God means acknowledgment of His authority and ownership over our lives. Faith in the Lord Jesus means that if God accepts the sacrifice of Jesus as sufficient to pay for sin, we too can “accept” or “believe” by faith and receive it.
My personal opinion is that repentance is the hardest issue. Surrendering to God’s authority is what people will struggle with the most.

 

New believers must begin the discipleship process to help them learn what it means to have a relationship with God.
- Matthew 28:19-20 (NLT) Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. [20] Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

 

SUMMARY

Establish God’s ownership and authority:
Psalms 24:1 (NLT): The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.

God is the Creator, King, and Judge. He declared the payment for sin to be death:
Romans 6:23 (NLT) For the wages (or payment) of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Because God is just, He must complete His justice:
Psalms 89:14 (NLT): Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.

Because God declared the payment for sin to be death, every person is condemned to both physical and spiritual death.
Romans 5:12 (NLT) When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

God chose to satisfy His own justice through the substitutionary death of Jesus:
Romans 5:8 (NLT) But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

Jesus died on the cross, paying the death penalty that God commanded and thereby satisfied God’s righteous justice:
Isaiah 53:11 (NLT) When he (GOD) sees all that is accomplished by his (Jesus) anguish, he will be satisfied (God’s justice is satisfied). And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

Mankind must respond to God’s offer of a restored relationship through repentance and faith.
Acts 20:21 (NLT) I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.