How do I present the Gospel to others?

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It is sad that so few Christians are practicing soul winners. We get questions from our listeners about how to win a loved one to the Savior. Upon inquiring, we find that the person does not know how to present the gospel, and maybe cannot even define the gospel. Here are a few tips to help you with your fishing for men.

First, you must be a practicing Christian! A lady had two sons, one a lawyer and one a preacher. Both had earned a doctorate, so when a person would ask for Dr. Smith, she would answer, “Do you want the one that practices or the one who preaches?” Unfortunately, too many Christians are not practicing the Christian life. Last month we dealt with the subject of commitment and change in the Christian’s life. These are absolutely necessary for the one who would bring people to the Savior.

A fisherman tries to keep his line and bait free from debris that would frighten the fish away from the bait. We who would present the Savior must have clean lives so that the light of the gospel will not be diminished by the dirt in our lives. It may be a habit or an attitude that is harmful, or a personal matter that turns people off.

Second, you must be a praying Christian! Someone wisely observed that you must talk to God about men before you talk to men about God. It is God the Holy Spirit that must quicken the soul before that person can ask Jesus Christ to be his Savior. Read Ephesians 2:8 & 9. It might be wise to have someone else join you in prayer for that person. Pray specifically for the person by name, and ask God to prepare the heart of that person. Prayer is like preparing the soil to receive the seed. It makes a difference in the way the seed, the Bible, is received.

Third, you must be a prepared Christian! Perhaps you might want to highlight Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 10:13, John 3:16, John 1:12, etc. in your Bible or New Testament. In my early days of soul winning, another idea that helped me was to write on the top of the page, upside down, the next verse I was going to use. I would put a little arrow to show me which way to go in the Bible to find that verse. You see, I want the person I am talking to about the Lord to actually read the verse for themselves, so I would be looking at it upside down, and I would be turning pages in the opposite direction that I normally use. By having the verses highlighted, it makes it easier to locate the verse for the person to read.

Always remember, God has promised to bless His Word (Isaiah 55:11), not your words. Very often, we share our testimony, our ideas, or an interesting story of someone’s conversion. These may be good in their place, but the only thing that will produce a Christian is the seed of the Word. That is why it is important to memorize Scripture, so that we can quote God’s Word to the person. It is the Sword that cuts to the bone and changes lives.

Fourth, you must be a proclaiming Christian! We can be totally prepared, all prayed up, practicing the Christian life, and never win anybody to the Lord because we did not speak up. We can speak of anything else with ease, but we hesitate to share the most important message of the ages with our loved ones and friends. We listen to the devil when he tells us they will not understand, or they might be offended, or we might make a mistake, etc.

Don’t let Satan keep your mouth shut. Share the gospel with your loved ones and friends.

Finally, we must be producing Christians. Jesus said, in John 15, that we glorify God by producing much fruit for Him. We are told in Proverbs 11:30 “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” When our Savior confronted the disciples after His resurrection along the sea, He asked them, “Have you any fish?” They answered, “No”. Then Jesus told them to cast the net on the other side of the ship. You see, it is the desire of the Savior and of our God that we should have fish in our nets. Have you, my friend, any fish in your net, and persons you have won to the Savior?

I am convinced that if we are practicing Christians, praying Christians, prepared Christians, we can be proclaiming Christians that will produce results.

For more on this topic see: 303 Evangelism  or visit our BBN Bible Institute and take Course # 52400 Personal Evangelism

How can I read my Bible daily?

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Reading the Bible is like eating food. It does the same thing for the soul that food does for the body. Neglecting the Bible reading and Bible study will make you a weak Christian. Just as eating food is a habit, and our body lets us know when we neglect it, so we need to stay in tune with the need of the soul for nutrition.

One spiritual Christian came up with a good way to make sure that Bible reading had its proper place. His motto was “No Bible, no breakfast!” That is tough duty, but if it takes that, it is worth it. Eating will cease one day, because the body will die. The soul will live on forever, in Heaven or in Hell. Does it not make sense to nourish the one that is eternal?

Some have found that having an accountability partner can encourage Bible reading. That person can ask, occasionally, what have you learned recently from the Word? The Bible says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17. Some businessmen meet each other at a place where they can have breakfast together, read the Bible, and discuss what they have read. Husband and wives can hold each other accountable by asking the same type of questions. This should not be an inquisition, but a friendly reminder that the Bible is essential food for the family.

There are several ways to study the Bible. First, there is the method of reading straight through a book of the Bible. For beginners, I would not recommend starting at Genesis and going straight through the Old Testament before getting to the New Testament. I would suggest that new Christians start with First John, then the Gospel of John, the other gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) then Acts and on through the epistles.

Second, there is the search for doctrinal truths. Search out, through cross-references and a topical index, what the Bible says about Heaven, Hell, Faith, etc. There are many free online resources where you can search. Click here to try one.

We have a number of aids to Bible reading and study on our website. You can go to the programs page, click on any of the times that we give the Bible Quiz Question on BBN. You will be able to listen to any of the questions for the week. Try to answer them by looking them up in your Bible. We also have Bible memory verses for each week. The current one is on the English home page.

Third, you might want to do a character study on a Bible person. Study the life of Samson to see how a person with great potential falls short of what he could have been and take heed in your own life. Look at Nehemiah and realize what one person can accomplish if he or she is the proper person and yielded to God. It is a great study to see how to lead people through difficult times and circumstances. It may save you a lot of money spent on buying success books. The Author of the Book has reviews that go back centuries!

Perhaps you might want to do a study on a city and watch what happens there. Maybe a study on what the Bible says about fathers and sons, or mothers and daughters. Use a pencil or pen and paper, or use the computer to take notes on what you learn. Recently, on Father’s Day, I decided to carry my Father’s Bible to church. I noticed a number of notes he had made in his Bible and on the pages at the front and back of his Bible. Some verse references he had put there had a significant note alongside them, “For Harold and his children.” I was blessed as I looked up some of those verses and realized that he had claimed them for me. When you are in Heaven as my Father is, what will your children and those left behind read from your Bible?

Whatever method you use be sure to read your Bible daily. It is imperative. Sin will keep you from the Bible, or the Bible will keep you from sin. Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” There is no other way. One way to put the Bible in your heart and soul is with Bible memorization cards. As you come across a verse that blesses you, write it out on a card, with the reference on the reverse side of the card. Then quiz yourself as you wait on the phone for the menu to cycle to the person you are trying to reach, or as you wait in line at the bank. Take them with you on the bus, train, or other means of transportation. DO NOT READ THEM WHILE YOU DRIVE!

Missionaries and others who have been imprisoned in some land for witnessing for the Lord had said that the only things that sustained them, spiritually, during those tough days was the Bible verses they had memorized and the hymns they knew. You may never be imprisoned for witnessing for the Lord, but suppose you would contract some disease that required you to be hospitalized and alone for long periods of time. What would give you that peace of mind that can sustain you in such times? Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about which version of the Bible is right and which one is wrong. There are ardent supporters for various versions and you can start a vigorous debate on this subject. For certain, some versions are better than others, but the version that I can assure you will produce the worst results in your life is the Unread Version!

For additional material on this topic please see:00500 Survey of the Bible

How can I know that I am going to Heaven when I die?

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Perhaps the most often asked question is: “How can I know that I am going to Heaven when I die? It is asked by young and old, male and female, and people from all kinds of backgrounds. It may be from a church member who had been faithful to a church for years, or from a person who has never been to church.

Often, the person has made some kind of a decision or had some kind of experience that has satisfied them until now, but there is a question in their mind that causes them to wonder. I usually ask them if they are satisfied that what they have done, or what they experienced is enough to get them inside God’s Heaven.

You see, it is not what satisfies us, or makes us feel religious that will take us to Heaven. It is only the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross—His death, burial, and resurrection that will atone for our sins. His precious blood is the only antidote for the penalty of sin, death.

I recommend to anyone who is not positive that you are ready to meet God and here His, “Welcome Home!”, that you pray this prayer, right now, where you are: “Lord, if I never have before, I right now confess that I am a sinner, and I want Jesus Christ to be my personal savior. Forgive all of my sins, and give me eternal life as you have promised in the Bible.” If you will do that, I can tell you that God will save you, and you will be ready for Heaven.if you just prayed that prayer. We will send you some information that will help you get started living for the Lord.

Also read:  How to get to Heaven

For more information on this topic please see our BBN Bible Institute course: 10600 Doctrine of the New Birth

How can I believe in something I can’t see or understand?

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Some people give different reasons for not believing in Heaven, Hell, or God, for that matter. Some will point to calamities and say, “A loving God would not allow that to happen.” Others look at portions of the Bible that appear to contradict each other and say, “A God of truth who is all-knowing would not have written this.” Still others insist that they will not believe in anything they cannot see or understand. This seems to make sense until you look more closely at that argument.

That person has let his own mind or intellect become the measure of what is true and what is false. I would venture to say that the same person has never seen a thought wave nor understands how the brain works. Tell me what happens to all those thoughts, memories, and judgments that were processed by the brain, one split second after death? Yet, unbelievers worship at the shrine of their own brain and trust its reliability. I do not know about you, but my mind has failed me on occasion, and usually at the most embarrassing moment. I can remember a friend in the ministry meeting a fellow preacher whom he had known for years. His wife, my wife, and I were with him at that meeting. The two had talked for several minutes when my friend’s wife said, “Well, honey, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Poor fellow! My friend stalled until it became obvious to all that he had forgotten his friend’s name.

It may sound very intellectual to say, “I only believe in what I see and can understand,” but it is a poor excuse that will not stand before God. Trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and be sure of a home in that wonderful place called Heaven. Yes, He is alive and salvation, Heaven and Hell are real!

For more on this topic see: 00100 Basics Of The Faith

Victory over sin

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“Even though I know that I am a Christian, I am still having problems getting victory over sin in my life. What’s wrong?”

We get this question quite often from listeners who are having a hard time with a particular sin in their lives.

We forget that we will not be glorified until we get to Heaven. We are living in an imperfect body, governed by an imperfect brain, and dwelling in an imperfect world. Our exhortation to holy living cannot be denied, and our example is Israel going into the Promised Land. When they crossed over Jordan, they immediately faced a battle! After winning that one, they faced another, and another, and another.

In the Christian life, we will always be fighting the battle of living in a manner that will please and honor the Lord. On that battlefield, we face three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. We are bound to lose that battle, if we forget that there is a three prong attack from our enemy. (1 John 2:16)

The first route of attack is the world. We do not want to be different from the world and we do not like the opposition and criticism of the world. As Christians, though, we must realize that we are not called to march to the world’s beat, and we are headed in a different direction. God told Israel not to marry or have anything to do with the inhabitants of the land they were to conquer, because they would wind up doing the sinful things that had caused the present occupants of the land to be condemned to death by God. Can we not learn that we, too, have been called to be in the world, but not of the world (John 15:19)?

The second attack comes from the flesh, that is, from the body in which we live. It has appetites and desires, that, kept in control and exercised according to God’s directives, lead to a happy, fulfilled life. However, the flesh, without limits, will lead one to excesses that destroy the body, and in the process ruin our relationship with the Lord. This can be in the area of eating, drinking, sleeping, satisfying sexual desires, etc. (1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23).

Finally, there is the arch-enemy of our souls, the devil. He opposes anything that is of God and anyone who would live for God. We are told to put on the armor of God to be able to do battle with him (Ephesians 6). The only way to victory is to fight by God’s rules, and to recognize that we will be in this battle until we are called to Heaven.

For more on this topic please see 0101 Trials and Temptations  or take the BBN Bible Institute course # 22100 God’s Discipline For Living

Demon Possession

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Occasionally, we will get a counseling call that deals with demon influence over a person or in a particular location. We have been asked to pray to cast out demons, or to pray that the Lord will protect a family and a home from the effects of demons.

We need to understand first who a demon is and to whom he must listen. It is also important to recognize the signs of demon influence. These are far more in number than most Christians believe. Powerful, violent, outlandish acts are not the only manifestations of demon power and influence. We also need to understand the limitations put on demons by our God and how our God tells us to deal with demonic power. Even demons must obey God and are subordinate to Him in power.

We have quite a few examples in scripture of people who were possessed of demons. Our Savior dealt with the demons by ordering them to obey Him. In one case, the most notable, perhaps, He ordered them to move from the body of a man to the bodies of swine. The apostles, also, cast out demons on occasion. However, we are given an example in the Bible of some who felt this was a good way to make a good living. These seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, attempted to cast the demon out of a man, and wound up being badly beaten and driven out of the house without their clothes!

Since a Christian is possessed by the Holy Spirit, he cannot be possessed by a demon, but he can be influenced, causing virtually the same action that would occur if he were possessed. We need to remember, though, that we are not helpless in our struggle with evil. 1 John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” God does not leave us to be victimized by the Devil and his demons. 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Ephesians 6

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh [Grk. blood and flesh] and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual [or, wicked spirits] wickedness in high [or, heavenly] places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

For more on this topic see our Bible Institute course:10200 Doctrine of Satan

Can a person who commits suicide still go to Heaven?

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At times, we get questions about the death of a loved one, or someone who has died at their own hand.

Whenever someone commits suicide, they will be leaving unanswered questions for loved ones to wrestle with. A person contemplating suicide should consider the confusion and sorrow they are inflicting on those who remain behind.

The questions most asked are, “Would a real Christian do such a thing?” or “Can a person who does that go to Heaven?” or “Why did my loved one do this?”

In the Bible, we have some that we conclude were believers who thought of suicide. I think right away of Elijah under the juniper tree, or Jonah under the gourd. Both were in deep depression, which is normally the state of a person contemplating suicide. Samson, who is a man mentioned in the roll call of the faithful in Hebrews 11, committed suicide by bringing the pillars down on himself and his enemies.

One of the strongest urges God has put within humans is the urge to live. Even those who attempt suicide often struggle at the last second trying to stay alive. A person jumping over a bridge into water will try to surface if possible. It takes a temporary insanity to permit the person to take his or her own life. It is possible for a Christian to get out of touch with reality, and out of fellowship with the Lord and destroy himself. His eternal destiny would not be based on the last thing they did before death, but on the decision he made to trust Christ as his Savior. If we only made Heaven based on our final act on earth, not many would make it.

While suicide is a type of murder, since it involves taking a life, it is still a sin for which Jesus died. There have been many accounts of murderers being saved, and no one who knows the scripture would deny that a murderer can be saved and forgiven of that deed. Since Christ’s atonement pays for all sins for the Christian, it covers murder and even suicide, but, lest anyone should think that this makes suicide an acceptable option for a Christian, consider this. A Christian will have to answer a very serious question in Heaven should he end his own life. That question will be asked by God, Himself, and it is, “Why did you not choose My best for your life? Could you not trust Me that I knew what was best for you?” You see, His best never involves violating His law.

God said eternal life is based on our belief on Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. (John 3:16-18) Our actions as Christians may bring shame to the name of Christ, but they are not the basis of our salvation. (Titus 3:5-7)

For more teaching on this topic see: 0105 Suicide and Self Destruction

 

Foretelling the future

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“I had a dream last night in which I believe I saw God’s plan for my future. Can you help me make sure this is God’s will for me?” Or, a person might ask, “I spoke with this person who says she can tell me what the future holds for me. What do you think?”

What I think, or what you think, has no bearing on whether something is true or not. There is only one immutable source of truth, and that is the Bible. It tells us how to determine whether something is true, or whether someone is actually speaking for God. Our age is not the first one to have difficulty with this question.

When Israel was on the way through the wilderness, they dealt with this question, as some attempted to speak for God. In Deuteronomy 13, God gave the answer. First, the thing prophesied had to come to pass exactly as the prophet had foretold it. Any variance would indicate a false prophet. In our day, that would brand a number of religious spokesmen who have announced dates for the Lord’s return, and that day has come and gone with no such event occurring. According to the passage in Deuteronomy 13, they would have been stoned to rid Israel of false teaching.

The second test was subtler. This time, the thing prophesied had come to pass exactly as the prophet foretold, or that person had performed a miracle or a wonder, but the teaching caused Israel to go in a way that God had not led them. This the test of absolute truth. Check every teaching by the Bible. It is the tuning fork that gives the correct pitch every time. All teaching must square with the Bible or be condemned as false teaching!

Experience never judges truth, truth judges experience. As my former pastor said, “I don’t care how high you jump or how loud you shout, I am interested in how straight you walk when your feet are on the ground.”

For more Bible teaching about this topic see 050301 Being In God’s Will or please visit the BBN Bible Institute and register for course # 11500 “Five Future Events”.
Or # 20400 God’s Perfect Will For Living

Am I really saved?

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We get questions from some of our listeners like this: “When I was 12, I made a decision to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior, but I am not sure that I will go to Heaven when I die. Am I saved?” Or, a listener may ask, “I am a Christian, but I am not living as I should. Does this mean I am not a Christian?”

My question to those callers who would ask either of the two questions is this: “What changed in your life when you made that decision?” The apostle Paul, who had met the Savior on the Damascus road came away changed forever. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” II Corinthians 5:17. Very simply put, “No Change, No Christ.” No one has ever met Jesus Christ and has come away the same. They are either better or worse, but there will have been a change. The change will be for the better, if they have accepted Him and invited Him into their lives. They will change for the worse if they are confronted by Him and reject Him.

A missionary was translating John 3:16 into the language of the people he was trying to win to the Lord. He was stumped, because there was no word in their language for the crucial word, “believes.” While he was thinking and praying, a national who had been working with him came into the room. This man had been working hard on the mission compound, gathering some supplies and repairing some things. He sat down in a chair and exclaimed in his native tongue, “It feels wonderful to put my whole weight down on this chair!” Immediately, the missionary had the word for which he was seeking. He translated John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever puts his whole weight on Him may have eternal life.” We commit our entire weight on a chair when we sit down in it.

Jesus did not operate a “seeker friendly” type of ministry, leveling the entrance standard to the lowest common denominator. Certainly, He loved sinners and died for them. He invited them to come to Him, but He expected, yes even demanded, a commitment of faith from those who would name His Name and follow Him.

Could it be that you have made a “decision to believe,” but have never made a “commitment to follow Him”. In like manner, we commit our total self to the Savior by faith when we accept Him as our Savior.

If you’d like to have more information about this topic, see 0301 Salvation or visit our BBN Bible Institute Online and register to study the course 00400 Understanding The Gospel.

Must I be baptized to be saved?

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The plan of salvation is very simple and some try to make it very complicated. When Jesus described salvation as a new birth, He was describing it as a new beginning, only in a different dimension. A person is saved by admitting he or she is a sinner, deserving of Hell because of sin, but trusting the finished work of Christ on the cross as the payment for sin. Salvation is not of works, lest any of us should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-10) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Notice what the above Scriptures say. We are saved without our working righteousness, but good works should follow our salvation. Jesus calls baptism a work of “righteousness,” at His baptism by John. Read Matthew 3: 15 “And Jesus answering said unto him, ‘Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he suffered him.” John had hesitated baptizing Jesus, but our Lord told him that it was needful to “fulfil all righteousness.” God imputes righteousness to us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He does this through faith, and faith alone. Romans 4: 5-7 “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, ‘Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.’”

No one is ready for baptism until they have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Paul, in describing his gospel that he received from Jesus Christ, in First Corinthians 15:1-4, never mentions water baptism. Paul told these same Corinthians that he was glad that he had baptized only two of them. (First Corinthians 1:14) Was he saying that he was glad that he had only led two of them to Christ? When the Phillipian jailer asked Paul and Silas what he had to do to be saved, they answered: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Later, after each member of the family accepted Christ, they were baptized as a testimony of their salvation, not as a part of being saved.

Some would point to First Peter 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Notice, though, that Peter is careful to point out that baptism does not put away the filth or sin of the flesh, but is an answer or a sign of the good conscience toward God. It is the symbol of identification with Jesus Christ or a confession of salvation.

Others would point to First John 5:6 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” They would say that the water is baptism and that it is added to the work of Christ on the cross to achieve salvation. However, John makes it clear that he did not mean to teach that by giving a clear teaching later in that chapter in verses 11-13 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

A couple of favorites for those who teach “Baptismal Regeneration” are Mark 3:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, etc. In each case, the word baptism follows belief or repentance. It is a sign that the person has done what God has said to be saved, or in the case of the Jews, that they had repented of not receiving the Messiah that God had sent. John the Baptist was baptizing Jews who were repenting of their sins, preparing them for the coming of the Savior. Twelve men, who had been baptized by John, later met Paul in Ephesus and were asked about their salvation. They had repented of their sin, been baptized by John, but were not saved. Once they professed Jesus Christ, they were baptized as a sign of their salvation and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In summary, to be saved you need to admit you are a sinner in need of a Savior to pay for your sins. Ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior and your Lord and trust His finished work on the cross for you. When you have done that, you are saved! To be an obedient Christian, be baptized and live the Christian life.

For more on this topic visit the BBN Bible Institute and register to study the course #00100 Basics Doctrines