WITNESSING
Before you begin your Bible study, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, be
sure you have named your sins privately to God the Father.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(Known, Unknown and Forgotten sins) (1Jn 1:9)
You will then be in fellowship with God, Filled with the Holy Spirit and ready to
learn Truth from the Word of God.
"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth,"
(John 4:24)
RESPONSIBILITY OF WITNESSING
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and
you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and even to the remotest part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
Who is responsible for the declaration of the Gospel — the good news of
Salvation — to the unbelieving world? Is the duty and privilege of witnessing
reserved solely for ministers, missionaries and evangelists? Far from it!
Personal evangelism is the responsibility of EVERY believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ!
Before He returned to heaven, the Lord commissioned born-again
believers to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. His Command is
repeated in several of the epistles; thus the Apostle Paul reminded the
Corinthians that they were to be ambassadors for Christ. (2Co 5:20) An
ambassador is a high-ranking minister of state, often a member of royalty or
nobility, sent to another state to represent his sovereign on official business.
Ambassadorship exists in the Spiritual as well as in the temporal realm.
Like earthly ambassadors, we did not appoint ourselves but were appointed by
our Savior to represent Him on earth, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
while He is seated at the right hand of the Father. (Col 3:1-17) As children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus, we were born again into a high and noble position;
we are not only citizens of this country, but also “fellow-citizens with the saints,
and of the household of God.” (Eph 2:19) As the heavenly King’s personal
representatives on the earth, we are in FULL-TIME Christian service,
regardless of our vocation or profession! We do not act in our own interest but
in the interest of our Lord! Like earthly ambassadors, we receive our
instructions in written form, and we must remain at our post of duty until the
Lord recalls us. Every perfect provision is made for us by our Sovereign; yet
our effectiveness as ambassadors depends upon our understanding of our
mission. Like all functions in life, particularly Spiritual functions, witnessing
requires proper motivation, adequate preparation and Spiritual Knowledge of
God’s pertinent Truths.
Apart from the Divine appointment of each individual believer as an
ambassador, there exists the Spiritual gift of evangelism. (Eph 4:11) Both
functions coexist in God’s Plan, but because their simultaneous operation is not
correctly taught, personal witnessing is frequently distorted into a merit system
or is set aside entirely in favor of mass evangelism. As a result, there prevails
today a non-Biblical pattern: an evangelist is invited to some church to conduct
a “revival,’ and members
of that church bring their friends to hear him. If a few people are saved in this
“revival,” believers often think that their personal obligation to witness has been
fulfilled. Consequently, the erroneous concept has developed that evangelism
should be confined to a local church or public building.
Let me correct this misconception. First of all, in its true sense, a revival
concerns believers, not unbelievers. Second, the primary function of the local
church is the communication of Truth to believers so they might grow in grace
and become Spiritually self-sustaining, and Spiritually mature. Third, most
unbelievers will come to church only under some type of pressure or coercion.
In the wrong frame of mind, they are resentful and scarcely give their full
attention to the Gospel. Instead of responding to the message, they may react
to it and wait impatiently for the service to end.
But let us assume evangelism is carried out under more favorable
conditions. Suppose that we had an evangelist at our church for a week, and
fifty of those who attended responded to the Gospel. It is wonderful when even
one person accepts Christ as Savior; but here are FIFTY who did! Isn’t that just
great? Think again! In our hypothetical case, let’s say that we had exactly one
thousand church members, and all of these one thousand believers began to
witness to those unbelievers with whom they rub elbows every day. This might
take place in the office, at the factory, in the shop — on our dime of course!
(With Spiritual fineness, class and style) It might occur on the campus or in the
barracks — wherever they associate with unbelievers. Suppose that in a given
week each of the church members led one person to Jesus Christ. Now here is
a totally different picture: you have ONE THOUSAND converts in contrast to the
FIFTY! The entire Concept of Biblical witnessing is that believers should go
outside the local church in order to disseminate the Gospel to unbelievers and
Truth to believers! The point is that although not every believer is an evangelist,
every believer is responsible for witnessing!
AGENCIES OF WITNESSING
The first declaration of the Gospel occurred in the Garden of Eden after
the Fall, with the Lord Himself as the Evangelist; and the first man and his wife
as the recipients of the good news of Salvation. (Gen 3:15-22) After the
regeneration of Adam and Eve, the Gospel became their sacred trust, and
witnessing operated on what is called the “family plan.” According to this
system, the first parents set the precedent for all future parents in that they
evangelized their own children.
The pattern was established; and the first religious carnal believer, Cain
murdered his Spiritual believing brother; Abel, (Gen 4:8-9; Jud 1:11) and God’s
restoration of the regenerate line of Christ; through Seth, who also responded
positively to the Gospel. (Gen 4:25-26)
The family concept of evangelization continued through Noah and his family
until the time of the Flood. (Gen 7:1) After the Flood, (Gen 8:21) God
Commanded that the posterity of Noah’s sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth, be
divided into separate nations. (Gen 10:1) As these new nations developed and
expanded, evangelism was generally contained within each national entity.
With the passing of time, mankind became increasingly preoccupied with
the details of life — material possessions, friends, loved ones, pleasures and
success; consequently, they turned a deaf ear to the Gospel and Divine
Thinking. When people reject the grace of God in Salvation; and when believers
neglect Truth, decadence and apostasy invariably take over! This was the case
at the time of the construction of the Tower of Babel: the need for evangelism
was forgotten, and man substituted his own thoughts and plans for those of
God. (Gen 11:1-9) God had to break up the first “United Nations” to assure that
witnessing would continue on a world-wide basis. The family system of
witnessing was replaced with one specific missionary agency the nation Israel.
God called out one believing Gentile, Abram, to become the father of the
Jewish race, (Gen 12:1-3) and over a period of four hundred years, formed this
nation.
Israel was made God’s appointed custodian of Divine Truth and was given
the responsibility of evangelizing the world. (Rom 3:1-2) Instead of carrying out
their assignment, the Israelites came to regard Salvation as a Jewish monopoly
and ultimately failed in their mission! A particularly apostate period in their
history brought the Jews under severe Divine discipline — the Babylonian
captivity, following which God graciously promised His people an additional 490
years of missionary activity. This period was cut short seven years as a result
of Israel’s national rejection of their Messiah and the subsequent death of Jesus
Christ on the Cross. The Jews still “owe” God seven years of witnessing; yet
so great were Israel’s failures that God set them aside in favor of a new
agency — the New Covenant Church age.
When I say “Church,” I do not mean any specific local church; I refer to all
individuals who have personally received Christ as Savior during the Church
Age; (From the day of Pentecost, A.D. 33 until the Harvest) — (Matt 13:30;
Rev 14:15) ALL born-again believers from every nation on the face of the earth.
So, if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are a member of the
Church universal; you are responsible to God for the dissemination of the
Gospel in your own nation. Because of the confusion about personal
evangelism, we have missed a great opportunity to win souls to Christ in our
generation. America is not a Christian nation; our citizens are as desperately in
need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the people in darkest Africa are! How
can we hope to send out missionaries if we cannot witness effectively in our
own backyard?
Following the removal of the Church from this earth at the Harvest. There
will be a period known in the Bible as the “Great Tribulation.” (Matt 24:21;
Rev 7:14) Once again, the Jews will assume their major role as the Lord’s
witnesses, for this final period of time completes the 490 years God promised
Israel; for evangelism. In those terrible years, the testimony of angelic
witnesses, (Rev 14:6-7) and that of the resurrected Moses and Elijah;
(Rev 11:3-12) will spread the Gospel throughout the world. Grace always
precedes judgment!
Then follows the Millennium.” (Isa 65:25; Rev 20:2) Although the personal
reign of Jesus Christ begins with believers only, the birth of unbelievers during
that period will make witnessing necessary. The responsibility of personal
evangelism rests with individual believers living in that era of history. So great
will be the saturation of the Gospel message that, (Isa 11:9) predicts that “the
earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
Thus, while the agencies for witnessing in each dispensation are slightly
different, the means of salvation is always the same — faith in the Person and
work of Jesus Christ! (Acts 4:12)
MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE FOR WITNESSING
It is a well-known fact that you cannot communicate what you do not know!
If your knowledge of the good news of salvation is fuzzy, so will be your
presentation. As a result, the person to whom you witness will have no clear
understanding of the Gospel or the issue in salvation. Often, there is too much
zeal in witnessing and too little knowledge. For example, zealous but ignorant
Christians have a mistaken idea of what constitutes genuine conversion; usually,
they want everyone to give up his sins and change his wicked ways. Yet
salvation is entirely-the work of God! Therefore, if you want to be effective in
witnessing, it is imperative that you understand your subject. Note, I did not say
that you must understand the whole realm of Truth in order to tell others of God’
s Plan of Salvation; what I am saying is that you should at least know what that
Plan is all about! Furthermore, you should be cognizant of where your part in
witnessing ends and that of the Holy Spirit begins; you should master the
prerequisites for successful personal evangelism. What, then, is the minimal
Spiritual Knowledge standard for effective witnessing?
1. Witnessing is the responsibility of every believer. There are two areas in
which you may witness; in your life (2Co 3:3; (2Co 6:3) and with your lips.
(2Co 5:14-21; (2Co 6:2)
2. Witnessing involves knowledge of Bible Truths pertinent to Salvation.
"But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do
not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
"And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;
and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father (Christ was
accepted) and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the
ruler of this world has been judged. (John 16:7-11)
God the Holy Spirit convicts the unbeliever, of unbelief in Christ; that
ONLY CHRIST has perfect righteousness; and that we are ALL sinners. And
that there is eternal judgment.
3. Clarity of witnessing demands your accurate understanding of the two
deaths Spiritual and physical of Jesus Christ on the Cross. (Isa 53:10;
John 19:30)
4. The challenge of witnessing comes from the Doctrine of Unlimited
Atonement. (1Jn 2:2) Christ died for all mankind!
5. The dynamics of witnessing are determined by your mental attitude and
are related to your Spiritual growth or maturity.
6. The effectiveness of witnessing depends on the ministry of God the Holy
Spirit. (1Co 2:11-12)
7. Confidence in witnessing comes from your own assurance of eternal
security.
8. The reward of witnessing is a part of your blessings in time and in
eternity.
With these prerequisites in mind, let us examine their practical aspect in
your fulfillment of the Divine commission — communication of the Gospel to an
unbeliever on a personal basis. The dynamics of witnessing by life and lips are
stated in, (1Th 1:4-5).
For our gospel did not come to you in Word only, but also in power and in
the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we
proved to be among you for your sake. (1Th 1:5)
Before you open your mouth in a verbal presentation of the Gospel, you
should be keenly aware that God has chosen you, a member of His Royal
Family, (Believers in the New Covenant Age) to be His ambassador. Your life
has a very definite meaning and purpose, for your Lord has committed to you
the ministry of reconciliation. (2Co 5:18-19) At one time you, too, were the
enemy of God; (Rom 5:10) yet that enmity was removed by the death of Jesus
Christ on the Cross. Now you are a child of God and beloved by Him; you have
something really worthwhile to communicate to others. But how do you go
about it? Your initial step is to learn Bible Truths pertinent to Salvation. First of
all, there is the Doctrine of Reconciliation.
Reconciliation is the removal of the antagonism between God and man, the
first work of God from which man benefits eternally. Until Jesus Christ
reconciled man to God, God and man were separated by an impassable
Barrier. The Barrier consisted of sin, the penalty of sin, the problem of physical
birth, the problem of the character of God, the relative righteousness of man,
and man’s position in Adam, in contrast to the eternal life and absolute
righteousness of God. No matter how good or religious man might be, he does
not have the ability to penetrate this Barrier. If you are to clearly present
salvation, you must understand the, mechanics of the removal of the Barrier —
the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Illustration
Jesus Christ died for the sins of the entire world and thereby redeemed
mankind; He paid the penalty for sin; He made possible our new birth
regeneration; (1Pe 1:23) He propitiated, (Satisfied) the Father’s righteous
demands; He credited His own perfect righteousness to all who will believe in-
Him and vindicated them in God’s sight. Finally, He placed us in His own family
— in short, Christ totally and completely removed the Barrier. There is nothing
to keep man from God except his own attitude toward Jesus Christ. If you can
communicate the Doctrine of Reconciliation, you will eliminate all fuzzy thinking
and all false issues; you will leave behind the information needed upon which an
individual can make his decision — for or against the Savior. (John 3:18)
I have dealt with many unbelievers who were hostile to the message of
grace. They had attended a number of evangelistic meetings where the
evangelists had failed to clearly present the Gospel. Instead, they had made an
issue of sins. Even if everyone in the world stopped sinning today, none of them
would be any closer to heaven! Sin is simply not the issue; Christ is the issue!
The objective in witnessing is not to get people to stop sinning — that would be
a hopeless task; the emphasis is on the work of Christ as the SOLUTION to sin!
Many a person has come away from an evangelistic meeting with the
impression that in order to be saved, he had to (1) give up his bad habits; (2)
stand up in front of everyone present and so make a fool of himself; (3) weep
great tears of repentance at the mourner’s bench or at the altar down front; or
(4) have an ecstatic experience. No wonder he bristles with antagonism at the
sound of the Gospel!
There are always those who want to help God by adding to salvation — by
walking down the aisle, by feeling sorry for sins, by being baptized. God does
not need any help! He provided Salvation all by Himself! Often people are saved
IN SPITE of the emphasis on false issues; yet Salvation is always by-FAITH IN
JESUS CHRIST! NOTHING MORE — NOTHING LESS! The only way to make
the issue clear to the unbeliever is to be sure that you have declared, once and
for all, that the Lord Jesus Christ did ALL the work. (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5) There
is nothing man can do for Salvation but BELIEVE in Him. (John 1:12;
Acts 16:31) This is where the Gospel comes in!
The word “Gospel” means “good news.” While it is true that we are all
sinners, this is not part of the Gospel. The indictment that “all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23) is bad news; so is the verdict: “the
wages of sin is death.” (Rom 6:23) The good news begins with the fact that
Christ died for our sins. He took our place so that we might be saved. The good
news is that “Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16) We need to give the world this good news of Salvation! In the
process of witnessing, you will often encounter this question: “What about the
people who have never heard the Gospel?” While this question has a Biblical
answer, it must first of all be regarded for what it generally is — the unbeliever’
s attempt to take the pressure off himself by changing the subject. Just
remember that your duty is to present and clarify the Gospel, not to apologize
for it! However, there are four approaches to the subject of heathenism.
1. Definition of heathenism. Heathen are heathen not because they have
never heard the Gospel, but because they have heard it and rejected the Truth.
(Rom 1:18-32)
2. God-consciousness. Sooner or later, all normal members of the human
race reach the point of God-consciousness. (Rom 1:19) At that time, man will
be either positive or negative toward God. Should he desire relationship with
God, he will receive information upon which to make a decision. (John 7:17) If
he is negative, then God is not responsible for providing more information. (Any
member of the human race who dies before he reaches God-consciousness, or
the age of accountability, is saved by grace. Individuals such as morons, idiots
and mongoloids are saved because they lack the mental faculties to reach God-
consciousness and cannot be held accountable for their decisions. All others
are without excuse! (Rom 1:19-20)
3. The application of Divine essence. From the standpoint of Divine
essence, heathenism has never presented a problem. As the ABSOLUTE
SOVEREIGN of the universe, God possesses absolute positive volition. Who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth!
(1Ti 2:4) Since it is God’s will that no one perish. He desires that every human
being be saved. God has not only provided the solution to man’s sin problem
through the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, but He has also seen to it that
pertinent information is disseminated. God has made every necessary provision
so that ALL members of the human race have the opportunity to be saved.
What keeps God’s sovereign will from being fulfilled in the matter of Salvation?
The coexistence of human volition with Divine volition, expressed in human
rejection of the grace provision of the Savior. God will never violate human
volition. He offers Salvation freely; whether or not you accept it is entirely up to
you!
God is PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE. Therefore, He is
absolutely fair in all His dealings with mankind — in His indictment and
condemnation of the human race, (Rom 3:23; Rom 6:23) as well as in His
provision of the Plan of grace. (Rom 6:23) God is LOVE. His love for man is
manifested in every phase of His Plan, from the matchless gift of His Son,
(John 3:16; Rom 5:8) for the Salvation of all who believe; (John 3:18) from the
total provision in time; (Php 4:19) to the endless blessings in eternity!
(Rev 7:13-17) Now, when God’s love is spurned, God’s justice must be
accepted as the alternative!
Because God is ETERNAL LIFE, His every characteristic is perpetuated
forever. Furthermore, He is willing to share His kind of life with all who believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who reject eternal happiness choose eternal
condemnation. (John 3:18; Acts 13:46)
God’s OMNISCIENCE, OMNIPRESENCE and OMNIPOTENCE extend His
gracious offer to every member of the human race regardless of his
geographical location, isolation, circumstances or linguistic barrier. He knows
exactly who is and who is not desirous of Salvation; He knows how and where
they can be reached with the Gospel; He is able to save to the uttermost all
who will be saved.
Then there is God’s IMMUTABILITY, which guarantees that God’s Plan of
Salvation will never change and that His offer will never be withdrawn as long as
man lives on the earth. The VERACITY of God guarantees His Word and
Promises! Since He obligates Himself to save WHOSOEVER wishes to be
saved, He will not welsh on His Word. He means what He says, be it the
gracious offer of Salvation on the one hand, or the warning of condemnation on
the other! From century to century, God’s Plan of Salvation includes EVERY
HUMAN BEING from frozen Lapland to darkest Africa! If man is not saved, it is
his own fault not God’s! (Rom 10:8)
4. The Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement Jesus Christ is the Savior of all
men in the sense that He died on the Cross for ALL MANKIND.
(1Jn 2:2) states that “...He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not
for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Thus, the solution to man’
s problem is universal in nature: all are SAVABLE; yet not all will be saved!
Minimal knowledge for witnessing further includes two judgments: the
judgment of human good and the Last Judgment. Both will occur simultaneously
at the end of time. (Rev 20:11-15) You see, when Jesus Christ died on the
Cross, He was judged for the sins of the entire world. Once the sin problem
was solved, sin ceased to be an issue in Salvation. At the same time, Christ
rejected human good man’s effort to gain God’s approval by his own good
works. The issue in Salvation, therefore, is the work of Christ versus human
good. All who rely on their own good deeds to get them into heaven are in for a
big disappointment, for there is no place for man’s efforts in the Plan of God!
(Tit 3:5) Many people ask questions about the Last Judgment. Are you
prepared to answer them?
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose
presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.
(Rev 20:11)
Visualize our Lord seated on his throne. (John 5:22)
Before Him all the unbelievers of the human race will be gathered. There
will be no believers at the Last Judgment, because “There is therefore now no
condemnation, (Lake of Fire) to them which are in Christ Jesus...” (Rom 8:1) If
you have received Christ as your Savior, you are spared from the Last
Judgment.
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne,
and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of
life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books,
according to their deeds. (Rev 20:12)
There are two sets of books kept for the Last Judgment. First of all, there
is the Book of Life which records the names of all who have personally received
Christ as Savior and are notable by their absence. The interesting thing about
the Book of Life is that originally all members of the human race were listed in
it. But when a person dies without accepting Jesus Christ, his name is
BLOTTED OUT of the Book of Life. (Rev 3:5; (1Jn 5:5) Secondly, there are the
Books of Works. These books contain the names of all unbelievers, as well as
every good deed they have done. You see, when a person rejects Christ as
Savior, he is saying, in effect, “I can stand on my own good works; I have no
need for Christ!” WORKS versus WORKS! Energy-of-the-flesh works versus
the work of Christ in Salvation; old sin nature good deeds versus Salvation by
grace!
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave
up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them
according to their deeds. (Rev 20:13)
At the Last Judgment, every person who stands at the judgment bar is
there because of unbelief. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does
not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name
of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18) “He who believes in the Son has
eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of
God abides on him.” (John 3:36) Sin is NOT the basis of the Last Judgment —
in fact, sin will not even be mentioned! I repeat, the people who stand there
have rejected Christ as Savior, and the basis for their indictment will be their
works. No matter how many good works they have performed, these all add up
to MINUS-R. Man’s minus-righteousness cannot have fellowship with God’s plus-
righteousness. The ONLY way to get PLUS-R is to believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ.
A perfect example of attempted Salvation by works is found in Romans 9.
This is the great indictment against the Old Testament Jews who failed to
recognize the true purpose of the Law.
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness,
attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith. (Rom 9:30)
Many hundreds of thousands of Gentiles were saved in Old Testament times
without any exposure to Israel or knowledge of the Mosaic Law.
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness,
attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; But Israel,
pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they
did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over
the stumbling stone, just as it is written, "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE
OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN
HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!" (Rom 9:30-33)
What tripped up the Jews was their effort to be saved by their good deeds
— and their good deeds condemned them! They pursued after a righteousness
based on the Law. (The old sin nature cannot be made HOLY! (Rom 7:18;
Rom 8:8)
Every member of the human race ultimately makes a choice, either to
accept the work of Jesus Christ on his behalf, or to reject it. Christ died for the
sins of the world, so SIN IS NOT THE ISSUE! The issue is “What will you do
with Christ?” If you reject Him, you will stand on your own old sin nature good
deeds, just as the unbelieving Jews of the Old Testament WILL!
That is a brief description of why certain Jews who had the Old Testament
Scriptures and knew the Mosaic Law missed the boat. They chose their own
good deeds rather than the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That takes us back
to Revelation 20.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second
death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book
of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:14-15)
Since Jesus Christ died for the sins of the entire world, God cannot hold
the personal sins of the human race against them! Therefore, the only basis for
indicting any member of the human race is his rejection of God’s solution the
Lord Jesus Christ! If you understand this particular point, then, in your own
words, your own personality, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, you are in a
perfect position to witness for Christ and to make known the Good News.
PRINCIPLES OF WITNESSING
Effective witnessing demands a thorough understanding of a number of
Principles. Because too many Christians fail to learn these Principles or the
Spiritual Thoughts which undergird them, they think that greatness in the
believer’s life is measured by the number of people to whom he witnesses in a
day or a week. Nothing could be farther from the Truth! Witnessing is not soap
salesmanship; witnessing is the fulfillment of a Divine Command in which the
believer plays a minor role and God the Holy Spirit has the major role! This
brings us to our first Principle.
1. The Holy Spirit is the Sovereign Executive of witnessing.
And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me.
(John 16:8-9)
In these words, Jesus prophesied the coming of God the Holy Spirit on the
Day of Pentecost; (Acts 2:1-4) as well as His convicting ministry to the world
concerning “sin, righteousness and judgment.” I have on occasion been
subjected to sermons on this topic in which the minister or evangelist
vociferously harangued his audience about five or six overt sins which were
obviously objectionable and shocking to him. Invariably, the conclusion was that
these were precisely the types of sins of which the Holy Spirit convicted
mankind! To ascribe the convicting ministry of the Spirit to various and sundry
sins is, of course, way off base and shallow! Notice that Jesus Christ spoke of
SIN in the singular. When the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, it is of only ONE SIN:
“CONCERNING SIN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN ME.” In dealing
with the unbeliever, the Holy Spirit emphasizes one sin only; the
UNPARDONABLE SIN rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Why is it necessary that God the Holy Spirit have a part of witnessing for
Christ? The answer is found in, (1Co 2:14)
But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they
are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are
Spiritually appraised. (Understood) (1Co 2:14)
The soul of the unbeliever differs from the soul of the believer. Every
human being born into this world possesses a soul, a body, and in the body, an
old sin nature. However, man is born without a human spirit. (The human spirit
is acquired only at the moment of Salvation; Tit 3:5; Jas 2:26.)
Now, (1Co 2:14) states that Spiritual Thinking --- God’s Thoughts cannot
be understood without a human spirit and or being in fellowship. How, then, can
the Gospel, Spiritual phenomena; enter the soulish mind of the "natural’’ man?
This is the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who ACTS in place of the missing
human spirit to make the Gospel real and understandable to the unbeliever.
This is precisely why the Holy Spirit must be the Sovereign Executive in
witnessing. Once a person accepts Christ as Savior, he receives his own
human spirit, as well as the indwelling Holy Spirit He is then capable of
assimilating the details of the Gospel as well as additional Doctrinal information.
2. Pertinent Truth is the weapon of witnessing. For I am not ashamed of
the gospel, for it is the power of God for Salvation to everyone who believes, to
the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Gentile) (Rom 1:16)
For the Word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to
us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1Co 1:18)
The Gospel is the powerful weapon of witnessing. This does not mean that
you are limited to the use of Scripture portions; you may present Gospel
information as you have categorized it in your soul. But by all means, use what
Gospel verses you know, for the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to penetrate
the mind of the unbeliever. Pertinent Scripture breaks through --- nothing else
will do the job!
Anyone who witnesses must believe that the Word of God is powerful
enough to reach the unbeliever!
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged
sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and
marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb 4:12)
Furthermore, you have God’s guarantee that His Word will never return
void, but rather that it will prosper and accomplish God’s will! (Isa 55:11)
However, do not get into an argument or controversy as to whether or not the
Bible is indeed the Word of God!
If I confront an attacker with a revolver in my hand, I don’t say, “This is a .
357 magnum. Smith & Wesson, four-inch barrel . . .” I don’t need to convince
the assailant of my weapon’s power; I simply aim the gun and shoot! You see,
the whole point is that you use the Bible regardless of what the unbeliever may
think about it. Remember that to the unbeliever’s soulish mind, the Bible cannot
be the Word of God. The objective is that YOU understand its ballistic potency
and use it! The Bible is your offensive weapon in witnessing; it launches your
missiles and activates “the power of God unto Salvation.” (Rom 1:16) Your
fearless and confident use of the Word of God will assure effective witnessing
for Jesus Christ!
3. The believer is the agent of witnessing.
One of the reasons we remain on this earth after Salvation is to witness
for the Lord Jesus Christ. This Principle is stated in both the Old and the New
Testaments. (Prov 11:30) “...He that wins souls is wise.” (Acts 1:8) “You will
receive power... ...You shall be MY witnesses...” (2Co 5:20) “We are
ambassadors for Christ.” Whether your witnessing is accomplished by the
impact of your lifestyle on unbelievers in your periphery or by the opportunity to
verbalize the Gospel, your motivation for witnessing is of utmost importance.
Does it match that of Paul in the Book of Romans?
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise
and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also
who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of
God for Salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the
Greek. (Rom 1:14-16)
I AM A DEBTOR! As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we owe a debt to
the entire human race — the Gospel! We have something fantastic: eternal life,
forgiveness of sin, a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus
Christ, plus every Spiritual blessing that accrues as a result of Salvation. How
can others have these things unless you tell them, (Rom 10:14-15) unless you
discharge your debt?
I AM READY! Your readiness is your preparation: your mastery of the
Spiritual Knowledge in witnessing; your ability to communicate pertinent
information; and, most important, your being filled with God the Holy Spirit
through the use of, (1Jn 1:9) when necessary. If the above conditions are met,
you can say, “I AM READY!”
I AM NOT ASHAMED! It is the height of stupidity to be ashamed of
Someone who has saved you form the Lake of Fire! But it happens all the time
— people ARE ashamed of mentioning the Lord or of proclaiming the Gospel!
Often, being ashamed is nothing more than fear of failure due to ignorance of
Truth or to disorientation in the Christian life. When we get our PRIORITIES
mixed up, we lose our perspective regarding God’s Thinking and its importance
to us and to others!
Many Christians cannot endure the pressures that result from witnessing.
They become intimidated and say no more about the way of Salvation.
Pressures never stopped the Apostle Paul. Thessalonica was a large city in the
ancient world, and thousands of its citizens were open to the Gospel. Paul was
then on his second missionary journey. He had traveled along the Egnatian Way
—one of the famous highways of antiquity — and had crossed Asia Minor. (The
area of present Turkey) Upon the apostle’s arrival at Philippi, the devil
attempted to keep Paul from continuing on his mission by subjecting him to
adverse circumstances and personal suffering. Paul was not to be deterred. He
left Philippi and made his way to Thessalonica, where the Lord gave him a
tremendous harvest of souls. (Acts 17:1-4) Paul’s activities in personal and
mass evangelism give us an excellent Biblical pattern for witnessing.
(1Th 2:1-20)
4. Effective contact is necessary for witnessing.
For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in
vain. (1Th 2:1)
The word “know” (OIDA in the Greek) indicates knowledge which has been
transferred from the perceptive lobe — comprehension — to the right lobe of
the soul’s mentality the area from which Spiritual knowledge is applied. “Our
coming to you” represents contact.
Our Lord Himself cited the perfect analogy to witnessing when He said,
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt 4:19) What did He mean
by that? Note, first of all, that fishermen must have a desire to fish; motivation.
Second, fishermen must be equipped to fish — preparation and readiness.
Third, fishermen must go where the fish are. So, you see, it takes some effort
to make contact with the fish; you must KNOW GOD; AND HIS LEADING; SO
THAT WE WOULD KNOW WHEN WHERE AND HOW TO FISH! Arriving at the
place where you plan to do your fishing may involve seasickness or a strenuous
hike through poison ivy. As a “fisher of men,” Paul stressed these very
Principles; properly motivated and prepared, he overcame hardships and
pressures to reach those who were positive toward the Gospel.
Once Paul reached his destination, he made certain that his contact would
not be “in vain.” “In vain” means hollow, empty, fruitless or ineffective. He knew
that fishermen must use the right bait His bait was the Gospel, its content
clearly defined. Confident of his message, he witnessed in the power of the
Spirit and never made an issue of himself. His job done, he stayed out of the
Holy Spirit’s way to await the results. Thus, he fulfilled two other analogies to
witnessing: fishermen must keep out of sight and be patient Even as fishermen
will be rewarded for their efforts, so fishers of men can anticipate the fruits of
their labor: the joy of seeing souls saved in time, to the everlasting glory of
Jesus Christ throughout eternity.
Paul followed this pattern in detail and stated:
For our Gospel did not come to you in Word only, but also in power and in
the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we
proved to be among you for your sake. (1Th 1:5)
Not only by word of mouth did Paul and his traveling companion, Silas,
proclaim the Gospel, but also by witness of life. “What manner of men” they
were, was well-known — ambassadors of Christ, above reproach.
Consequently, their message received a favorable hearing. The old cliché that
our actions often speak louder than our words is only too true when it comes to
personal evangelism. The unbeliever says, “Show me; then I’ll listen to what you
have to say!” (Jas 2:18) If your lifestyle does not match your high calling in
Christ; is it any wonder that he turns away and thinks: “If this is a sample of
Christianity, I want no part of it”? To his detriment, he judges a wonderful
relationship and way of life by a poor representation. So watch your life-style
as well as your contact with the unbelieving world; remember, you are the Lord’
s representative. His personal ambassador on the earth! (Col 3:17)
5. The Gospel must be clearly presented.
But after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you
know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid
much opposition. (1Th 2:2)
Even in the face of strong opposition, the Gospel must be presented with
bold clarity. During their stay at Philippi, Paul and Silas were severely
persecuted because of their stand for Jesus Christ. They had been dragged
into the market place, (Open court) where they were beaten with Roman rods
and cast into prison. (Acts 16:16-26) Although they had suffered greatly, they
“were bold to sing and speak” the Gospel; fear of additional punishment did not
stop them! There’s a Principle for us in this: your witness today will determine
your effectiveness in witnessing for Christ on an even greater scale tomorrow
or the next day.
One of the tragic results of failure to understand evangelism correctly is
that so many people have been sent to the mission field who had no business
there. A large percentage of Christians who depart starry-eyed for foreign
fields refuse to go back for another term after their first furlough. The casualty
rate is tremendous! It is erroneous to presume that by crossing a mountain
range or an ocean, a believer somehow becomes a missionary. When you find
a Christian who will not cross the street to speak to a neighbor about Christ,
you can be sure that he will do no better in a foreign land. The best test for a
missionary includes these questions: (1) Does he know and clearly
communicate the Gospel and pertinent Truths? (2) Does he witness regularly at
home? (3) Does he manifest Spiritual maturity and stability in his Spiritual life
and show concern for lost souls? If you, for instance, are reticent about
witnessing in your own area, you would soon wither under the fires of
opposition elsewhere!
6. The Gospel must never be compromised or watered down.
For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of
deceit. (1Th 2:3) The word “exhortation” means “persuasive conversation” and
describes the declaration of the Gospel. All of you have been actively or
passively involved in "persuasive conversations."
If you are married, no doubt you have been either the recipient or the
initiator of persuasive conversation! If you own insurance, an automobile, a
house — in fact, if you have purchased almost anything — persuasive
conversation was involved. Life is filled with persuasive conversations, and if
this is normal in life, why not in the realm of the Gospel?
Next in this verse, we find three negatives: “not from error”; “or impurity”;
“or by way of deceit.” Witnessing demands that the content of the Gospel and
or Truth be absolutely correct! Whether Paul wrote or verbalized the Gospel, he
always made it clear that Christ solved the sin problem, that there is no longer
a Barrier between God and man. He did not add to the Gospel of grace, nor
did he dilute it by throwing in false issues!
“Or impurity” certifies Paul’s use of, (1Jn 1:9) He made sure that he had
kept current on rebound” before he witnessed for his Lord, and so should you.
Only in the power of the Holy Spirit can you score a profound impact on the life
of the unbeliever; only when He communicates through you can you be sure that
your witnessing is truly service for the Lord instead of merely human old sin
nature good.
“Or by way of deceit” presents the Principle that the Gospel must never be
watered down. The Greek word for “deceit” (DOLOS) means “huckster.” It was
originally used for a tavern keeper in the ancient world who diluted his alcoholic
beverages with water. When his customers first arrived, they were served good
wine. After a few rounds of drinks, when the guests had become a little high,
the tavern keeper began to water down the drinks. Although the wine was
thinned down more and more, the price remained the same. This, then, is the
word Paul chose to define what should never be the case in the presentation of
the Gospel — huckstering. (Watering it down to make money) Under no
circumstances must the Gospel be diluted with social reform, economic
panaceas, brotherhood, do-goodism, legalising or philosophy!
7. The Gospel is the capital in witnessing.
But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the
Gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.
(1Th 2:4)
The Greek word for “allowed” is the verb DOKIMAZO, which means “to
test” someone or something for the purpose of approval. The ability of Paul
was never in question; his approval through the test was! Paul realized that God
had allowed every adversity, trial, frustration and heartache in his life so that
the importance of the Gospel might be emphasized! (1Pe 1:6-7) Upon God’s
approval, Paul had been entrusted with the Gospel.
One word in the Greek, “to be put in trust” (PISTEUO) denotes a deposit.
In the ancient world there were no banks as we know them today. Instead,
banks were located in the heathen temples, which were chosen as depositories
because the gods were thought to guard them; certainly, no mortal would dare
incur the anger of the gods, and thus, the money would be safe. The customer
brought his wealth, deposited it with a temple priest and received a note in the
amount deposited. The money could be withdrawn at any time upon payment of
a specified percentage charged for safekeeping.
The word was also used in the sense of making an investment. If a person
had money to invest, he could deposit it with a successful merchant. A contract
was drawn up, and if the business venture prospered, the investor received
interest on his deposit. Eventually, “to be put in trust” came to mean to deposit
or to invest capital with the intent of making a profit. Capital invested is
synonymous with free enterprise, that wonderful system which helped make
America the most advanced and prosperous nation on earth! How I love that
word “capital”!
The Gospel, too, is capital. God has deposited the Gospel and Truth in
each believer in order that it might bear interest and pay dividends.
(Matt 25:14-16; (2Co 4:7) Therefore, the importance of our personal
responsibility in declaring the Gospel cannot be overemphasized!
(Matt 25:29-30)
We should also note that PISTEUO is in the aorist tense. When was this
deposit made? In a point of time, divorced from time and perpetuated forever.
We translate the point-of-time aorist “once and for all.” God has once and for
all made a deposit in you and in me, and He expects compound interest. We
neither earned nor deserved this deposit; we received it in grace. Thus, the
deposit of the Gospel bestows quite an honor on us. Now we have the privilege
of passing the message on to others; and a privilege-it is indeed, for it’s always
nice to be able to give someone good news! What are the dividends God has
every right to expect? BELIEVERS AND SPIRITUALLY MATURE BELIEVERS!
From fulfilling the debt that we owe; to give them the Gospel and teach them
Truth! (Heb 5:12-14)
Witnessing is not a matter of “pleasing men.” If you live your life trying to
please people, you’ve had it! This is especially true in the Spiritual realm. If any
part of your Christian life is lived to gain attention or approval from others, then
you have missed the boat entirely! You may be lauded as the hardest worker in
your congregation, yet you are merely spinning your wheels, for anything you
do for the approbation of men stems from false motivation. The issue in the
Christian life is not WHAT you do but WHAT you THINK and WHY you do it! If
you witness simply to please others, only an old army term can adequately
describe the mess — SNAFU! (Situation normal — all fouled up) This is not the
way God intends for us to work. EITHER DO IT AS UNTO THE LORD OR
DON’T DO IT AT ALL!
8. The Gospel and the Teaching of Truth; is not for sale! (Prov 23:23;
(1Co 9:17-19; (2Co 11:7)
For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext
for greed--God is witness-- nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or
from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our
authority. (1Th 2:5-6)
High pressure salesmen may resort to flattery in order to sell a product,
but this must never be done in witnessing. If you declare Christ by using
flattery, you are doing a right thing in the wrong way. The Gospel will stand on
its own; it does not need selling gimmicks! Paul never witnessed to satisfy
approbation lust, nor did he use the Gospel and Bible teaching to raise money!
This is what is meant by the phrase “nor with a pretext for greed.” The only
issue is the work of Christ on our behalf. To use the Gospel to raise money only
introduces the false issue of buying Salvation. Salvation and Divine Thinking are
the GIFT of God; and should be given FREELY! (Prov 2:6; Matt 10:8;
Rom 8:32; (1Co 2:12)
In the past, various Christian service organizations have asked me for the
names of wealthy men in this city. When I asked why they wanted these
names, I was told that they wished to lead those persons to the Lord. Again, I
questioned, “Why just the names of wealthy people? Aren’t you contacting ALL
unsaved persons in this area?” The answer was invariably the same: “W-e-l-l,
we want to win these people to the Lord, for we believe that they will want to
support our work.” That is using the Gospel as “a cloak of covetousness,’ as is
the taking of an offering at evangelistic meetings!
9. Genuine concern motivates consideration in witnessing.... Nor did we
seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles
of Christ we might have asserted our authority. But we proved to be gentle
among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. (1Th 2:6-7)
As a model witness, Paul compares his method of operation among the
Thessalonians to that of a nursing mother. Everyone knows what constitutes a
mother’s loving care for her newborn child: she gives him warmth, nourishment
and comfort. Even an infant responds to a mother’s gentleness and love; how
much more should the Thessalonians respond to Paul and Silas! So Paul wrote,
“In Teaching Truth, we were as tender with you as a nursing mother is with a
baby.”
Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you
not only the Gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become
very dear to us. (1Th 2:8)
“Being affectionately desirous” is one word in the Greek, (HIMEIROMAI)
used especially of parents who had lost a child and now grieved or longed for
him. The word denotes the strongest kind of love that can be experienced for
an absent loved one and indicates an habitual attitude of mind.
In relating the real concept of this verb to witnessing, we learn that there
should always be a certain ache in our souls for the unbeliever. This
affectionate longing depicts a genuine desire to see unbelievers come to know
Christ as Savior; and believers to reach Spiritual maturity! Because Paul
experienced this ache for the people of Thessalonica, he was motivated to
share the Gospel and Truth with them. More than that, his concern for them
manifested itself in courteous consideration.
For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and
day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the Gospel of
God. (1Th 2:9)
“Keep on remembering” is an order. (MNEMONEUO; present tense,
imperative mood) The epistle is addressed to a group of persons who had
responded to the Gospel and were now “brethren” — members of the Royal
Family of God. They were to consider in retrospect the great sacrifice Paul and
Silas had made. The two men had labored at Paul’s trade of tent-making to
supply their daily needs rather than become a financial burden to the
Thessalonians. Although they had worked to the point of exhaustion, they kept
on announcing the Gospel and Mind of Jesus Christ; (Truth) (1Co 2:16)!
Consequently, their witness of life and lips bore dividends for God!
10. Follow-up must supplement witnessing.
You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and
blamelessly we behaved toward you believers. (1Th 2:10)
When a person accepts Christ as Savior, he immediately becomes a
newborn child of God. Now you just do not dump a baby into the street and
expect him to look after himself! The same principle applies to the newly born-
again Christian; witnessing must be supplemented by follow-up. If this is not
done correctly, the new believer may become a casualty in the Christian life.
Let me illustrate: a person has received Christ in some church which requires all
new Christians to come forward. One second after the benediction, some well-
meaning saint congratulates him as he says: “Now, Brother, if your life is really
going to count for God, you must stop doing thus and so.” This is like taking a
baby in his cradle and saying, “Now, son, beware of red-headed women!”
Babies need food — not advice! They need love and comfort; they don’t
need nit-picking and static. You have to remember also that you don’t feed an
infant T-bone steak; you start him on a liquid formula and then put him on foods
that are easily assimilated. The same applies to baby believers: you don’t feed
them Truths and Principles designed for the mature believer. You feed them
basic Concepts of the “pure milk of the word.” (1Pe 2:2) By which they may
grow! Even the Lord Jesus Christ is said to have Taught His audience “as they
were able to hear it”; (Mark 4:33)! Paul was like a father to the Thessalonian
believers; he treated them as he would his own children. Now he reminded
them of this fact:
Just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring
each one of you as a father would his own children. (1Th 2:11)
Notice the perfection of Paul’s threefold follow-up; (1) “We exhorted”; (2)
“we encouraged”; (3) we “implored.” “To exhort” means to call someone to your
side; therefore, “to aid.” When Paul called his converts to his side, he provided
encouragement, consolation or cheer. “To implore” means “to teach”; Paul
through the filling of God the Holy Spirit, Taught the new Christians Truth in a
simple, conversational manner. Thus, they received nourishment as well as aid
and cheer.
11. The purpose of follow-up is Doctrinal, personal and collective. Note
that follow-up still has a threefold purpose: first, Doctrinal; the new believer
must be Taught Truth. No believer can advance Spiritually on his own. Were it
true that all a Christian need do in order to grow in grace and in the knowledge
of his Savior is read a chapter or two of the Bible daily, the Lord would not have
found it necessary to give certain men the gift of pastor-teacher. (Eph 4:11) It
is the duty of the pastor-teacher to feed the flock of God, to edify and equip the
saints. (Eph 4:12) God has now designed and provided the computer to be the
believer’s daily classroom!
The second reason for follow-up is personal: fellowship and
encouragement of the new believer. During the period of adjustment and
orientation to Phase Two, (God’s plan for the believer in time) the immature
Christian often needs encouragement. He has not yet developed sufficient inner
resources of soul with which to recognize the importance of Truth to every facet
of life. Until he straightens out his priorities and gets with Truth on a regular
basis, the floundering believer is in danger of falling by the wayside. Be
prepared to give encouragement during this initial growing period.
The third purpose of follow-up is collective: finding for the new believer a
Bible-teaching, Christ-centered church. If that is not possible in your locale,
point him in the right direction, toward Truth Taught in MP3 and or written form.
It is God’s intention for every saved person to “walk worthy” and to become
Spiritually self-sustaining — that is, to be able to handle his problems before the
Lord.
So that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into
His own kingdom and glory. (1Th 2:12)
A “worthy walk” depicts the function of the individual member of the Royal
Family of God his life-style in the power of the Holy Spirit. (Gal 5:16) states; “...
walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”
The Thessalonians’ response to Paul’s follow-up was tremendous.
Whereas many people are hostile or indifferent to the Word of God because
they have been subjected to legalism prior to the time of Gospel hearing, the
Thessalonians readily accepted the message of Truth. This acceptance
effectively worked in them, and they became actively operational.
(Rom 6:17-18) Their witness and service for the Lord was a reality and elicited
thanksgiving in Paul and Silas.
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the
word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men,
but for what it really is, the Word of God, which also performs its work in you
who believe! (1Th 2:13)
12. The result of effective witnessing is stability in suffering.
For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus
that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your
own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord
Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but
hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may
be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But
wrath has come upon them to the utmost. (1Th 2:14-16)
Soon after the Thessalonians accepted Christ and organized as a church,
they began to experience pressure. Opposition came from the Roman Empire,
the Jews and the heathen fraternities in their vicinity. They suffered intense
persecution from these groups; however, because the Thessalonians were
properly Instructed, they stabilized and received blessing and growth in their
suffering! (1Pe 3:14; (1Pe 4:19)
While it is true that the Christian life is a life of fantastic privileges and
blessings, the Lord warned us that sooner or later we would face pressures
from the world. (John 15:18-19) Yet He also promised us victory and ultimate
triumph. If the follow-up to effective witnessing is done according to the
Principles defined in the Bible, (God’s Thinking) then the result in our own
Spiritual live as well as the Spiritual life of others will be stability in every
circumstance of life! (2Co 1:9-10)
PITFALLS IN WITNESSING
While there are no set rules for effective witnessing, there are a number of
pitfalls or demands in witnessing; and these should be examined and avoided.
1. Do not argue! You may win the argument but not the soul of the
unbeliever. Your responsibility is to provide Information, not to win a debate.
Present the Gospel, but never dispute its validity. Leave the rest with the Holy
Spirit, whose function it is to make the Gospel a Reality.
2. Do not allow yourself to be sidetracked by false issues! Stick to the
subject! Don’t be drawn into a debate concerning the authenticity of the Word of
God, living a good life or social problems, etc.
3. Do not get into a rut! Different approaches to the subject of the Gospel
are necessary to reach different people. Be flexible! What may be effective with
one person may be a total failure with another. Your own IQ or that of your
listener is not an issue, nor is it vital that you understand Judaism to witness to
a Jew or physics to speak to a scientist about Christ. Knowledge of Truth is the
answer, for your flexibility comes with Spiritual maturity. (Php 2:13)
4. Do not embarrass people! Deal with the individual alone whenever
possible. Witnessing to one person in public often produces embarrassment,
loss of prestige, annoyance. If this is the case, the people you seek to reach
for Christ may turn you off completely, and you may never have another
opportunity to reach them. Remember that personal evangelism is exactly that
— PERSONAL!
5. Do not set quotas! It is not mandatory that you speak to a specific
number of persons every day about Jesus Christ. This is a false standard for
Spirituality sponsored by many Bible institutes.
Witnessing is not indicative of Spirituality; it is a result of Spiritual maturity;
and Truth in the soul. The quota concept requires a vow that you witness to a
certain number of people daily. Should you fail to meet your quota, you consider
yourself a flop. This, in turn, leads to a guilt complex, which is a mental attitude
sin. Never permit yourself to be sweet-talked into taking a vow such as, “Before
God, I will speak to ten souls every day.” If God insisted on quotas and vows,
this would be declared in His Word! Simply witness whenever the Lord provides
the opening!
6. Do not measure your Spiritual life by your witnessing! A person is not
Spiritual because he speaks to ten or twenty persons every day. Even an
ignorant or a carnal believer who uses the Scripture can be effective, (Although
in the latter’s case there will be no growth and or reward for his witnessing;
growth and reward are a result of learning Truth; and applying God’s Thoughts
above our own! (Isa 58:13-14) The effectiveness resides in the Word of God,
which states that, “...It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what
I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent It.” (Isa 55:11)
7. Do not judge other believers for their apparent failure to witness! Whether or
not they witness is between them and the Lord; you are accountable for your
own life, not for the lives of others! Such judging only brings Divine discipline
upon you. If you judge or malign others, YOU are out of line.
8. Do not brag about your experiences in witnessing! Testimonies about
personal witnessing efforts often reflect pride and constitute occupational
hazards in the Christian’s life. Avoid “bragamonies”; the Lord knows what you
are doing, and that is all that is necessary!
9. Do not be confused in your prayer life! Don’t be bound by such epigrams
as “Talk to God about the unbeliever before you talk to the unbeliever about
God.” Since God supplies your contacts, and since He is omniscient, just fire
away with Gospel information and forget the clichés! Prayer does have a bona
fide part in witnessing, however. Paul expressed his concern for the unsaved
Jews of his era in writing and in prayer: “...My heart’s desire and prayer to God
for Israel is that they might be saved.” (Rom 10:1) Since the sovereignty of
God and the free will of man coexist, how do you pray intelligently for the
Salvation of the unbeliever?
Pray that God will bring about such circumstances as would be most
advantageous for the Gospel to be presented. Pray that unbelievers whom you
have been unable to reach may be contacted by Spiritually mature believers
who know how to present the true issue of Salvation clearly and graciously.
Pray in accordance with, (1Ti 2:1-4) for the Salvation of all unsaved persons in
governmental office, that the Gospel and Divine Thinking may have free course
in our nation and in the whole world! Pray that our leaders may begin to
recognize their own inadequacy to solve the problems of the world; (Psa 9:20)
that they might look beyond themselves and see their need of the Savior. Your
own prayers on behalf of missionaries allow you to enter into their ministry and
help pave the way before them. Therefore, never underestimate the power of
prayer in witnessing!
REWARDS OF WITNESSING
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under
compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this
voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship,
(ROBBERS’ DEN; Matt 21:13) entrusted to me. What then is my reward?.....
(1Co 9:16-18)
Witnessing is no more and no less than our responsibility, just one of the
many reasons God left us here on earth. Paul’s statement implies that there is
discipline for failure to witness at the opportune moment, even as there is a
reward --- growth and advancement in The Spiritual life! Eternal reward centers
on the words “Spiritual maturity.” Truth in the believer’s soul is what motivates
him to witness. It is this Truth — the Mind of Christ resident in our minds — that
is the perfect Divine work which brings us rewards in heaven. Witnessing is a
natural result of Spiritual growth and is therefore an integral part of the overall
rewards picture. Our rewards in time are twofold: the joy of Christian
fellowship and the blessing of inner happiness.
1. Joy of Christian fellowship.
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while--in
person, not in spirit--were all the more eager with great desire to see your
face. (1Th 2:17)
When I first accepted Christ as my Savior, I wondered whether there were
any other Christians in the school I attended. I began to witness and. had the
privilege of seeing several students believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This led to
some of the most wonderful fellowship I have ever known. Since then, I have
had other opportunities to lead people to the Lord, always with the same
enjoyable results. The principle is that some of the greatest and most
marvelous contacts you will ever have are in Christian fellowship. These
associations are particularly rewarding when they are based on your personal
witnessing for Christ; furthermore, they leave behind fragrant memories.
Paul, too, experienced the joy of Christian fellowship. Although he had to
leave Thessalonica, he was most eager to return there. Why? Because he had
such a fantastic time with those people who had responded to the Gospel.
Even when Satan hindered Paul’s visit to his Christian friends at Thessalonica,
he could never deprive the apostle of his fond memories, nor of the decorations
he would receive at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
2. The blessing of inner happiness.
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the
presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.
(1Th 2:19-20)
In the anticipation of his “crown of rejoicing,” Paul expressed the blessing
of inner happiness. Though he might never see the Thessalonians again on this
earth, he was perfectly content in spite of the separation. Paul knew that he
would meet them all in the presence of the Lord, and that is why he referred to
them as his “glory and joy.” What was true of Paul is true of every believer: the
privilege and joy of witnessing for our Lord is a source of inner happiness!
What a tremendous responsibility rests on each one of us who have
trusted in Christ — that of representing our Lord in the devil’s world! Certainly,
we can expect opposition; Satan is intent on obscuring the Gospel! (2Co 4:3-4)
But God has given us the means whereby we may be instrumental in breaking
through the darkness of unbelief --- the GOSPEL! (2Co 4:5-7) Therefore, it is
more than our wonderful privilege; it is our rightful obligation to tell others of the
Savior! Motivated by His love, (2Co 5:14) we are to make known Him who
loved us and gave Himself for us! (Gal 2:20) Take up this challenge to follow
the Lord as a fisher of men!
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who is wise wins souls.
(Prov 11:30)
APPENDIX
SUMMARY OF THE DOCTRINE OF WITNESSING
1. Definition.
a. Witnessing is the communication of the Gospel to the unbeliever and or
Truth to a believer --- on a personal basis; i.e., personal evangelism.
b. Witnessing is the responsibility of every believer.
c. Witnessing functions apart from mass evangelism, church evangelism, or
the preaching of the believer who has the gift of evangelism.
2. The threefold character of witnessing is found in, (1Th 1:4-5).
a. Witness of life. (2Co 3:3; (2Co 6:3)
b. Witness of lips. (2Co 5:14-21; (2Co 6:2)
c. Witness of Holy Spirit. (John 16:7-8)
3. The Holy Spirit is the sovereign Executive of Witnessing.
a. The unbeliever has no human spirit; therefore, he lacks the necessary
frame of reference for the Gospel. (1Co 2:14)
b. Hence, the Holy Spirit acts in place of the human spirit to make the
Gospel comprehensible. (John 16:8-11)
4. Pertinent Truth is the weapon of witnessing.
a. The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation. (Rom 1:16; (1Co 1:18)
b. The Bible is the absolute norm for Divine Thinking. (2Pe 1:19-21)
c. The Bible is the source f the Gospel. (Luk 16:28-31; (1Co 15:3-4)
d. The Bible is the Mind of Christ. (1Co 2:16)
e. The Bible is Divine power. (Heb 4:12)
f. The Bible never returns void. (Isa 55:11)
g. The Bible (God’s Thinking) endures forever! (Luk 21:33; (1Pe 1:25)
5. The believer is the agent of witnessing.
a. Witnessing is the responsibility of every member of the Royal Family of
God (Believers in the New Covenant Age. Acts 1:8; Eph 6:15; Eph 6:20;
(2Ti 4:5; Rev 6:9)
b. Knowledge of pertinent Truth is necessary for effective witnessing:
Christology and soteriology; (the Person and saving work of Christ) particularly,
redemption; (Our ransom from the slave market of sin) reconciliation; (The man-
ward side of Salvation) propitiation; (The God-ward side of Salvation)
imputation; (The crediting of God’s righteousness to the account of the new
believer, and the basis of his justification) positional sanctification; (The believer
set apart unto God at the point of Salvation) as well as the Last Judgment
c. Ability to witness depends on the following conditions:
(1) Proper emphasis on the Gospel, especially reconciliation.
(Eph 2:14-17)
(2) Correct and accurate information from Truth. (1Co 1:18;
Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12)
(3) Filling of the Spirit. (Acts 1:8)
(4) Assurance of eternal security and resultant stability!
(Rom 8:38-39; 1Pe 1:4-5)
6. Witnessing is the extension of the believer’s ambassadorship.
a. The believer is given the ministry of reconciliation. (2Co 5:18)
b. He receives as a Divine deposit the Doctrine of reconciliation. (2Co 5:19)
c. He is given the message of reconciliation. (2Co 5:20)
7. The issue must be clearly presented. (John 3:18; John 3:36)
a. Give the unbeliever pertinent information regarding Salvation. Christ is
the issue; the attitude toward Him, is the determining factor in Salvation.
b. Never put the cart before the horse! A person cannot live the Christian
way of life until he is born again.
c. Note the boundaries of the Gospel: (1Co 15:3-4) and remember that the
Gospel is good news. It is bad news that man is a sinner; the good news is that
Christ did something about sin on the Cross. Declare the Gospel clearly so that
the person witnessed to is in a position to make a decision for Christ
d. Do not add to the Gospel of grace. Nothing is accomplished toward
Salvation by persuading the unbeliever to give up or feel sorry for his sins,
improve his personality and behavior pattern, join a church, be baptized or give
money. Salvation is ours by grace, not by works. (Eph 2:8-9)
e. Never try to force a decision for Christ; this is the ministry of the Holy
Spirit in common and efficacious grace.
f. Remember that the first Divine institution, (Principles set up by God) is
FREE WILL, which includes both freedom and privacy of decision for
unbelievers to Choose to believe in Christ! (Isa 55:6-7) And believers to believe
and Think with the Word! (Heb 3:7-12) We are to provide them with the
Spiritual Thinking of God; and then, leave the results with the Lord! (Acts 7:51)
g. Avoid gimmicks! Emotional begging, public invitations to raise hands or
walk aisles; this constitute jumping through psychological hoops and have no
bona fide part in witnessing and or teaching Truth.
8. Effectiveness of witnessing depends on the ministry of God the Holy Spirit!
a. Directed toward the believer’s Spirituality (Control of the believer’s soul.
Acts 1:8; (2Co 3:3)
b. Directed toward the unbeliever conviction. (John 16:8-11; (1Co 2:14)
9. Clarity of witnessing is contingent upon the believer’s understanding of the
judgment of human old sin nature good.
a. Human righteousness was rejected at the Cross; only sin was judged.
b. Human righteousness will be judged in the believer at the Judgment Seat
of Christ. (1Co 3:11-16)
c. Human deeds --- old sin nature righteousness will be judged in the unbeliever,
and become the basis of his indictment at the Last Judgment (Rev 20:12-15)
10. The biblical pattern for witnessing is found in, (1Th 2:1-20)
11. Observe the postulates or pitfalls in witnessing.
a. Avoid argumentation!
b. Do not be sidetracked by false issues!
c. Be flexible in your approach to the Gospel!
d. Deal with the individual alone where possible!
e. Do not set quotas!
f. Never measure your Spiritual life by your witnessing!
g. Do not judge others by their apparent failure to witness!
h. Never brag about your experiences in witnessing!
i. Avoid false motivation in witnessing!
12. The analogy to witnessing is found in, (Matt 4:19): “fishers of men.”
a. Fishermen must have a desire to fish.
b. Fishermen must be equipped to fish.
c. Fishermen must go where the fish are.
d. Fishermen must use the right bait.
e. Fishermen must keep out of sight.
f. Fishermen must be patient.
g. Fishermen will ‘be rewarded.
13. The principle of prayer in witnessing is stated in, (Rom 10:1; Rom 14:13).
14. Effective witnessing belongs to the Spiritually mature believer; (Prov 11:30)
he is rewarded both in time and in eternity.
Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the
expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the
stars forever and ever. (Dan 12:3)
End
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