Explaining the Way of Salvation!
Hot fun in the Summertime! One of the blessings of Summer is the opportunity to pour into the lives of children, students, and adults! Between, outreach opportunities, Vacation Bible School, missions trips, and service projects, the Summer is ripe for evangelism. The following is a basic presentation of the Gospel, given to me by the late Dr. James Eaves1, that I have added to my personal testimony and used to help lead people to Christ. I pray that you will find it helpful in the witnessing opportunities you have all Summer!
There are 4 steps to get into heaven (I like to use four books, as stair steps. I also encourage you to walk with the person through the scriptures…preferably a helpful translation like the NIrV):
- Salvation is needed.
a. Sin defined: The reason humanity needs salvation is sin. So, what is sin? Romans 3:23, “Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God’s glory.”
i. Anything you do that does not please God. (1 John 3:4)
ii. Anything you say that does not please God. (Matthew 12:36-37)
iii. Anything you think that does not please God. (Proverbs 24:9)
iv. Anything you omit or fail to do that does not please God. (James 4:17) When you look at it this way, it is easy to sin, isn’t it? (Notice the progression from doing to saying to thinking to omitting. This helps cover the “righteous” or self-satisfied sinner.)
b. Sin is universal: Isaiah 53:6, “All of us are like sheep. We have wandered away from God. All of us have turned to our way. And the Lord has placed on his servant the sins of all of us.”
i. How many people do you think sin? (Now make this specific to him or her…) Do you sin? Well, what happens to you because you have sinned?
c. The consequences of sin: Romans 6:23, “When you sin, the pay you get is death. But God gives you the gift of eternal life because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done.”
i. Sin separates us from God. If you die without salvation, you will experience separation from God for all eternity as well. (Romans 5:12, Isaiah 59:2) Does this mean that you need to be saved from your sins? (Unless he or she acknowledges their sin, guilt, and need for salvation you need to stop the presentation and establish this truth.)
2. Salvation is provided.
a. God loves you. John 3:16, “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.” (Galatians 2:20; Romans 5:8) Do you believe me? Can you say, “Yes, I understand that God loves me.”?
b. God gave His Son for you!
i. Jesus lived the only perfect life (1 John 3:5; Hebrews 4:15)
ii. Jesus died for our sins (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 1:7; Isaiah 53:5-6). God put all our sins on Jesus, and he placed them on the cross for us. (Have the person hold out their hands palms up…and move an object from the hand representing them over to the hand representing Christ.
iii. A gift must be received. Jesus was God’s Son who died for you and paid your penalty for you.
c. Jesus was raised from the dead so that we might have life! (Romans 4:24-25)
d. Jesus ascended into heaven to intercede for us to God the Father and to prepare our eternal home. (Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1; John 14)
e. Jesus is coming again in total complete, eternal triumph. (Acts 1:11; John 14:1-3)
f. Jesus is here now…to save! (Matthew 11:28-29)
3. Salvation is offered.
a. Salvation is a free gift (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Revelation 22:17)
b. Salvation is offered, but you must respond. So, what response does God expect?
i. Repentance (Acts 3:19; 20:21; 1 Corinthians 7:8ff)
ii. Faith (Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:1; John 1:12)
iii. Believing in Jesus, not just facts about him…but believing IN him, means believing in Jesus and trusting him to save you. (Take time here to clear up any questions one might have.)
4. Salvation accepted and experienced.
a. Say, “You have said that you need to be saved. You have seen that God has provided salvation in Jesus. You have seen that God offers this salvation to you through repentance, faith, and believing. The only thing left is for you to receive the gift of salvation and experience it for yourself. Only you can take this step.”
b. (Help the individual understand that they must make their decision on their own…and be ready to lead or guide them as they express their faith in Christ’s salvation. This time between them and God is not yours to supervise. Be sensitive.)
Lastly, do not forget follow-up. Follow-up is “the process of training and bringing spiritual children [regardless of their age] to the place of mature fellowship and service in the church. It embraces all we do individually or collectively to integrate the new converts into the church, to keep them enlisted, to build them up spiritually, and to teach them to win others to Christ.”2 I will share more on that beautiful subject next month!
James
1Dr. James F. Eaves (1925-2015) was a pilot and officer in the USAF in World War II and Korean War; BA (Union Univ.), MDiv & ThD (Southwestern); retired from FBC, Albuquerque, NM; served as interim pastor in Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kansas, New Mexico, and Arkansas. 17 years professor, Southwestern Seminary; Director of Evangelism and Church Growth Development for NAMB.
2Wayland Moore New Testament Follow-Up. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Co., 1963, 11.
