Blue Step Gradients

The Gospel

The Beginning of All Spiritual Life

How To Present The Gospel

There should always be two parts to a presentation of the GospelThe Law it is from the Law that man sees his need for help (Rm 7:7-24)

The Gospel provides the solution to the problem that the Law presents (Rm 7:25)

Two Elements

Too often, well-intentioned Christians present an incomplete Gospel.

It is not enough to simply tell someone that they should get saved because Jesus loves them or Jesus will make their life better.

Statements such as these can often be misleading to an unsaved person.

Beware of our evangelical lingo, which the heathen often do not understand.

Evangelical Clichs

Accept Jesus We don't accept Him, He accepts us

Ask Jesus Into Your Heart He won't fit

Give Jesus A Try Jesus is not a used car. You cannot simply try Jesus. Faith is either all in or all out.

Make Jesus Your Lord and Savior He already is Lord and Savior

The Law of God

The Ten Commandments MUST be the starting point.

Without the Law, the good news of the Gospel is foolishness (I Cor 1:21).

The Foolishness of the Gospel

Imagine a stranger walking up to you and saying, I just sold everything I have in order to buy you this cure for cancer. If this were all the explanation you received, you would probably be confused and think the guy is weird. But, if the same stranger walked up to you and said, I can look at you and clearly see three proof-positive symptoms that you have cancer. Here is the cure. I sold everything that I have to purchase it for you. You would probably respond very differently.

An Incomplete Picture

When we only share the Good News, we are not telling the whole story

Simply telling an unsaved person that Jesus died for him will likely confuse him

Finding out someone died for you, but not knowing why is confusing and foolish

The Job of the Law in Witnessing

The Law reveals to man the wretchedness of his sin (Rm 7:7).This is addressing the conscience rather than the intellect

By addressing the conscience, we are not seen as being judgmental, because it is the heathen's own conscience that condemns him.

Even small sins are shown for what they truly are: a direct offense against the Holy God.

The Law aught to make the individual feel hopeless.

Example: Christian in The Pilgrim's Progress

Christian's Burden

I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept and trembled; and not being able longer to contain, he brake out with a lementable cry, saying, 'What shall I do?'

The Heathen's Burden

Once the Law has convicted the sinful heart of its offenses against God, it leaves the individual with a great burden.

God is holy and no sin can be in His presence.

God is just, and because of this justice, sinful law-breakers must and will be punished.

The weight of the Law and the consequences of breaking them is crushing, especially after understanding that there is nothing one can do to atone for his lawlessness.

The Good News

After presenting the Law, the Good News looks good!

The Laws shows to the human heart that a debt is owed that no man can pay (Rm 3:20).

The Gospel reveals that Jesus has paid the just penalty of man's sin (Rm 3:23-24).

If one will repent and trust the Savior, he will be saved from the wrath of God.

The Pilgrim's Progress

So I saw in my dream, that just as Christian came up with the Cross his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back; and began to tumble, and so continued to do, till it came to the mouth of the Sepulchre, where it fell in, and I saw it no more.

Proofs of Conviction

Seeing what Christ did for us despite our rebellion against Him should lead us to the deepest expression of gratitude.

The only appropriate and acceptable response is to repent and forsake all others and turn to Him with complete trust that he will complete the good work that He has started and will save us from the fires of Hell.

This is what we call being born again.

Proofs of Salvation Cont.

True repentance and faith will lead to radical changes.

A truly repentant person turns from the sin that he used to love and embraces the God that he once hated.

One who has been made into a new creation will be productive and bare good fruit.

Another Worst Case Witnessing Encounter