Note: Tagged Gospel Witness with the other posts in this series.

There is a funny story about soul winning. A man asks, how can I be saved and one replies just hold on; God loves you. And another man replies, just let go; God loves you. Then somebody comes and opens their Bible showing the man how to have eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Recently, there was the blessed opportunity to share the Gospel with a lost sinner. They ultimately balked at the idea of serving Holy God. When asked, they flat out said no.

We almost always share 1 John 5:11-13 while discussing the nature of the record (testimony) being set forth. 1 John 5 includes what we know we have, a new life now in Christ and life eternal with the Father.

“11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 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.” – 1 John 5:11-13

You can know that you have eternal life. Many, sadly, confess to a day when they will stand before Christ and find out; the Holy Bible says you can know now, today!

It’s important to note that when sharing the Gospel, the lost sinner is making their covenant with Christ. It’s also important to note that when sharing the Gospel with a lost sinner, we use evangelistic language and substance, allowing the Holy Spirit of God to bring them under conviction for sin and the realization of the need for salvation from death and hell. Telling lost sinners to stop sinning is mostly a waste of time; they need salvation first.

If you have been blessed to lead souls to Christ but did not discuss the things in this post with them, please don’t think you did something wrong. God saves who He will by the manner He chooses, and no two salvation testimonies are the same. Each salvation is personal, from Nicodemus, to the woman at the well, to the Ethiopian Eunuch. There is no formula for salvation; God leaves the perfect intact truth of His covenant with them in the new convert’s heart as the Holy Spirit begins to grow them. But consider discussing the service of God and the authenticity of what you’re sharing from the Bible.

Depending upon how the discussion goes, we share 1 John 5:11-13 very near the end of the conversation if the lost sinner makes it that far. As John does, we can discuss the record of what we have, why, and how we know. By the time we share these verses, the lost have agreed that they are a lost sinner, that God is the judge of their sin, and that they are headed to death and hell being condemned already. They have agreed that Jesus has authority and power over their eternal destination. They have also stated agreement that Jesus died for their sin and rose again on the third day as the satisfaction of their sin debt and proof of the power of Christ to offer new life now and life eternal.

I don’t preach Lordship salvation when I share the Gospel with a lost sinner. But, we always, in one manner or another, as part of sharing these verses with the lost sinner, tell them that God will begin to change them, giving them new desires from the heart outward, that they will begin to be remade into the likeness of Christ, or a son of God. Part of this change that happens after salvation is that we serve Christ in the Kingdom of God. We can state it just like that, or perhaps as, become a son of God to follow the will of Holy Father God or work in the Kingdom of God keeping all that Christ commands. Some variation of this is essential to share, asking the lost sinner, will you serve Christ? Too many Christians have been saved, they claim, but for what they do not know. Service is what Disciples of Christ do.

You can share 1 John 5:11-13 how you feel led, keeping within the truth while evangelizing Jesus Christ as the only Saviour, sure foundation, and way to the Father in heaven. We review the record that we, the lost and the witness, have made, explaining that what we are doing is making a record before Holy God of all that the lost sinner has confessed about himself as a sinner and the futility of works. And also that the lost sinner has agreed upon the only solution, the power and authority of God by Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to save their eternal soul.

If somebody is under conviction of the Holy Spirit, they will not hesitate or reject serving God. Their definition of service, being a lost sinner, especially if raised in religion, may be faulty. It’s essential to tell them that we are not talking about religion (though we are, but not as the world perceives and sadly not as most denominations and cults express) and that we’re not talking about a Church or, again, what they may perceive to be the true church of Jesus Christ. Salvation is personal; it’s a relationship with God, through Christ, the Holy Spirit in us. If they are genuinely saved, they will have true religion and be among the body of Christ. This part of the conversation may vary if the person is a regular Church attendee.

So we review the record of all that’s been discussed, clearly stating that salvation means a change of heart and therefore mind, entering into a life of service to bring glory to the Father through Christ.

We usually share this other verse, that’s in Romans, early in the conversation. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans 6:23. Sin brings death, which is what God owes the sinner (wages) for their works of transgressing God’s Law but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, it’s a gift; He’s a wonderful and marvelous Saviour, but Jesus is also Lord, King, and Master of His inheritance, which are the converted sinners one and all, His body, the church. If the lost sinner is under conviction, they will testify about their desire to belong to God, working in the Kingdom, as you discuss these verses.

During your talk, if you have not discussed the authenticity of the Bible while sharing the Gospel, these verses in 1 John 5 (or Romans 10:17, faith by the word of God) are a perfect opportunity to do so. After all, John says, this is the record. The Bible and the passages you share are the basis upon which the lost sinner and Holy God are forming their covenant; if the lost sinner doesn’t believe the Bible, they are not being saved at that time, regardless of what else they may say or desire. If the Holy Spirit is upon them, they will confess that Jesus is real, that the Bible is true, the written record is authentic, and that they want to belong to Him in service.

Remember, we’re having a narrow-scope evangelistic conversation with a lost sinner. However, souls get saved over a Psalm (song) or apocalyptic passages such as Genesis 3 and Revelation 20-21, some of which may include symbolism. The Holy Spirit often uses the fall in the Garden and the resurrection of the damned unto the lake of fire to bring fear of God, a conviction for sin, and the need for the one true Saviour, Jesus Christ. But we also count those passages nonetheless to be the record of sin and eternal damnation that God has given us to bring a desire of life and life everlasting through the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ.

The poor fellow who decided against Christ seemed disconcerted and even offended by the conversation and me. He wanted his life cleaned up and straightened out without the pesky bother of a Lord. When they balk, we pray for them, for God to send another messenger, and for the seed to take hold in their conscience that Christ would draw them and call them into His love. It’s important to remember; that we are only the messenger; soul winning is not friend winning. We tell them the truth; their problem is with God if they don’t like it.

You will not win them all, but it’s far and away the better thing to be thorough in showing them the love of God and then let them go away than to make buildings full of lost sinners, some deceived, some falsely converted by easy believism. The object is not ours; the crowns are Christ’s cast at His feet upon the mount of His throne, for the Father is the one that works all in all. God, save that young man’s soul.