“But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” – Matthew 13:8

“IT seems to me that there is a higher joy in looking at a body of believers than that which arises from merely regarding them as saved. Not but what there is a great joy in salvation, a joy worthy to stir the angelic harps. Think of the Saviour’s agony in the ransom of every one of His redeemed, think of the work of the Holy Spirit in every renewed heart, think of the love of the Father as resting upon every one of the regenerate: I could not, if I took up my parable for a month, set forth all the mass of joy that is to be seen in a multitude of believers if we only look at what God has done for them, and promised to them, and will fulfil in them. But there is yet a wider field of thought, and my mind has been traversing it all this day,—the thought of the capacities of service contained in a numerous band of believers, the possibilities of blessing others which lie within the bosoms of regenerate persons. We must not think so much of what we already are as to forget what the Lord may accomplish by us for others. Here are the coals of fire, but who shall describe the conflagration which they may cause?

We ought to regard the Christian Church, not as a luxurious hostelry where Christian gentlemen may each one dwell at his ease in his own inn, but as a barracks in which soldiers are gathered together to be drilled and trained for war. We should regard the Christian Church, not as an association for mutual admiration and comfort, but as an army with banners, marching to the fray, to achieve victories for Christ, to storm the strongholds of the foe, and to add province after province to the Redeemer’s kingdom. We may view converted persons gathered into church-membership as so much wheat in the granary. God be thanked that it is there, and that so far the harvest has rewarded the sower; but far more soul-inspiring is the view when we regard those believers as each one likely to be made a living centre for the extension of the kingdom of Jesus, for then we see them sowing the fertile valleys of our land, and promising ere long to bring forth some thirty, some forty, some fifty, and some a hundredfold. The capacities of life are enormous, one becomes a thousand in a marvellously brief space. Within a short time, a few grains of wheat would suffice to seed the whole world, and a few true saints might suffice for the conversion of all nations. Only take that which comes of one ear, store it well, sow it all, again store it next year, and then sow it all again, and the multiplication almost exceeds the power of computation. Oh, that every Christian were thus year by year the Lord’s seed corn! If all the wheat in the world had perished except a single grain, it would not take many years to replenish all the earth, and sow her fields and plains; but in a far shorter time, in the power of the Holy Spirit, one Paul or one Peter would have evangelised all lands. View yourselves as grains of wheat predestinated to seed the world. That man lives grandly who is as earnest as if the very existence of Christianity depended upon himself, and is determined that to all men within his reach shall be made known the unsearchable riches of Christ.

If we whom Christ is pleased to use as His seed corn were only all scattered and sown as we ought to be, and were all to sprout and bring forth the green blade and the corn in the ear, what a harvest there would be! Again would it be fulfilled, “There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains;”—a very bad position for it,—”the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.” May God grant us to feel some degree of the Holy Spirit’s quickening power while we talk together, not so much about what God has done for us as about what God may do by us, and how far we may put ourselves into a right position to be used by Him.”

[…]

“Ye are not under the law, but under grace:” hence you do not obey the will of God because you hope to earn heaven thereby, or dream of escaping from divine wrath by your own doings, but because there is a life in you which seeks after that which is holy, pure, right, and true, and cannot endure that which is evil. You are careful to maintain good works, not from either legal hopes or legal fears, but because there is a holy thing within you, born of God, which seeks, according to its nature, to do that which is pleasing to God.”

-Charles Spurgeon, The Soul Winner, excerpts Chapter 11, https://thesoulwinner.org/

Yes, what he said!

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” – Proverbs 11:30

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

Acts 8:26-35

“32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.” – Acts 8:32-33

In the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch, God shows the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) fulfilled in accordance with God’s broader purposes and specifically within its establishment. From the structure in Matthew 28:19, We know that Philip had taken the training of our Lord and obeyed the command to go (“Go ye”), listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit of God, and shared Scripture with a lost man teaching (“teach all nations”), by the word of God, how to be saved. The Ethiopian believed and was baptized (“baptizing them”) into the faith.

We don’t learn when or where the Ethiopian was afterward trained in the faith to keep all that Christ commands (Matthew 28:20). This instruction is provided to Christians throughout Acts and the New Testament letters; indeed, the entire Bible is for our education. This does happen, sometimes a lot; a soul will be converted as you share Scripture with them, yet did the Lord have other plans for their training and to which group of believers they would attach. Invite converts to Church for sure, but pray for them over the next several days or more, that the Lord would train them up at the place He desires.

In Acts 1:8, all disciples of Jesus Christ are commanded to be witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth. We are to tell of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Mark 16:15, Christ’s disciples are told to preach the Gospel to every creature. But it’s Matthew 28:18-20 that has the structure of the Great Commission; to teach all nations and, upon conversion, baptize them into the faith in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Then converts are to be instructed to keep all that Christ commands.

In Acts 8:26, the angel of the Lord prompts Philip where to go. Note that Philip is not given a 3-point outline, interim milestones, and a Church growth plan with a building fund as the measure of success; although, he did get taught by Christ and prepared for the mission. And nobody (if you do find somebody hold on fast) will teach you how to be a disciple; you’ll have to pray and study the Scriptures and try the mission; in this, you will find Christ is faithful. God called the disciples, and they followed, so follow on.

Philip is faithful to go. We can say with assuredness that if you do not pray like you mean it, and study your Bible as though your life depends upon knowing it, and serve in spirit and in truth among a group of serious and committed believers, that the Holy Spirit cannot use you, and may never prompt you to go because you remain an infant in your faith being untrained and unprepared. Many in this condition do, however, hear the prompting of the Spirit of God. But as Matthew 10:32-33 below indicate, they tell God no in their heart because they are not serious about the work of Christ in the Kingdom of God to see the fruit of the greatest reward for our labor, the conversion of souls to the faith.

“32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 10:32-33

Now to our text. We’ll lightly cover a few verses in Acts to set a framework for being a witness for Jesus Christ within the Great Commission.

Verse 27 of Acts 8: says in part, “behold, a man of Ethiopia.” Here we find the principal reason for Philip to be attending to the mission of Christ in the region of Gaza. The word behold in verse 27 indicates that God has now revealed the purpose to which Philip has been sent.

In verse 29, we see that AFTER he was dutiful to be first at the appointed place and time along the road headed south to Ethiopia, the Spirit prompts Philip to the specific duty he must carry out. How many, God help them; have rejected the initial prompting of God to go, the work remaining undone. If Philip had not gone, how does the Gospel get to Africa? The Ethiopian was a man of great authority. You never know with whom you’ll share the Gospel.

If you pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, attend to preparation by the study of Scripture, and have your heart set to serve and your mind purposed to the task, God will give you teed-up softballs ready to hit out of the park. There is the Ethiopian, reading Isaiah and asking to be shown what it means. That’s what happens to the faithful serving within the Great Commission. Sometimes God will reveal His sovereign power to you who have shown faith to believe that He goes before you. This is a time of celebration in the Spirit and to further walk worthy (1 Thessalonians 2:12 / Colossians 1:10), growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The reward of faith is a greater faith by the revelation of God to us through Christ, leading to ever more extraordinary service of Him.

So there, in verse 30, Philip asks the Ethiopian if he understands the Scripture, and in verse 31, the Ethiopian asks a great teaching question for us; “How can I, except some man should guide me?”

In verse 35, the word of God says that Philip “began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.” We know where he started but not the course he took or upon what verse he ended, but the Gospel to save, bringing forth faith to the hearer, under the power of conviction by the Holy Spirit of God, is right there in the text he read to Philip.

Not so much technical instruction, but here are a few tips and ideas to help you enter a conversation about God or the word of God and move the conversation forward to Christ crucified for the shedding of blood, remission of sin, and resurrection unto life eternal. The section of Scripture that the Ethiopian was reading is Isaiah 53:7-8. We don’t know what Philip said to the Ethiopian or how he explained this section of Scripture, but if you’ve done the groundwork in prayer and study, the Lord will be faithful to answer. The Lord already told Philip to go, upon which command Philip went. When he arrived at the place, “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” So why would a Gospel witness doubt the Lord now? Philip went and started talking to the Ethiopian. God will speak to lost souls, bringing their faith unto conversion to life everlasting; we just deliver the good news of salvation.

The Ethiopian desired a “guide” to show him the meaning of the Scripture. This is soul-winning 101; get your Bible open so they may hear the word of God, building their faith (Romans 10:17). A soul winner should be instant in season and quick with the word of God, to start at a question about Scripture or God and preach Jesus Christ. The first thing to do is slow down and read that section of Scripture. Within every passage of Scripture are God’s purposes in judgment, grace, and instruction in righteousness. Philip “began” at the same Scripture. It’s not hard to open the Bible and begin at any section, only for those in earnest desire of God, guided by you, to arrive at the foot of the cross and into eternal life as a born again son of God. This is what Philip did. If you have to move to a different book or section of Scripture, such as Romans or John, then take the lost sinner there to arrive at the cross.

But praise God for the fatness of the pitch that Philip received. Isaiah 53 is the prophecy of the torture of Christ, the coming Gospel, fulfilled not long before Philip and the Ethiopian met. Because Philip was trained, prepared, and faithful, he came upon a man who asked; can you show me what the Bible means? If only they were all that easy.

You might object that the Holy Spirit didn’t prompt you to go, but you are without excuse; we are commanded in Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15, and the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 to do this work. If you start this work, God will be with you. And, it’s a blessing. We are so prone to sin there is nothing we could say that would make you serve this way. You have to experience it to see it. You’re missing out on one of the best aspects of life in Christ when you don’t share the Gospel seeing lost sinners come to faith. When the power of the Gospel to convert a soul under the Holy Spirit comes upon a lost sinner, it’s mighty to behold.

So, the Ethiopian got saved, and baptized, then proceeded to carry the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with him into Africa. If you’ve been saved and baptized, don’t let that good news go to the grave with you; share the Gospel. This is why Christianity in the west is dying; millions, having heard but refusing to share, are the dead end of a former Christian civilization. Philip was not a dead end.

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

“Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” – Matthew 9:38

There are three primary approaches to contacting lost sinners. Witnesses for Jesus Christ don’t win souls by accident; they do it on purpose. These tools will help you grow in confidence and effectiveness while sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Find the way that works for you.

Your knowledge, personality, background, education, and salvation testimony build upon each other to make you the Christian God wants you to become. By adding tools and ideas to your existing knowledge, you significantly increase your effectiveness while being a witness for Jesus Christ. One of the overall objectives of this training should be to incorporate tools into who you already are in Christ Jesus.

By being yourself while talking with lost sinners, you may find the exact type of people who respond to you so that they hear the Gospel and get saved by Jesus.

Holy Father God saves who He will by the workings of the Holy Spirit. Soul Winners simply tell the truth of the Gospel.

“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

Your faithfulness in being consistent is a tool that the Lord can use mightily for His glory. Holy God sets divine appointments between a Soul Winner and lost sinners. Being consistent and reliable puts you where God can use you best.

If you are faithful by making yourself available, Father God will appoint lost sinners to hear the Gospel from you; while sharing His message of love and salvation through the cross. One thing you will have to do is be purposeful. Set specific times each week to seek the lost. Make a plan, and stick to it. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance after you go.

Believers in Jesus are called to be separate and sanctified. We are to go to the lost, telling them the Gospel, not living among them and being like them. How was Jesus a friend to sinners? By telling them the absolute truth regardless of how it made them feel. Purposefully going and telling people what great things Christ has done for them glorifies God. Try different ways of approaching people to see what works for you; God will bless the efforts.

We suppose there are three main ways we can approach lost sinners.

In our first way, let the lost get to know you over a couple of get-togethers and soon share the Gospel. Invite the lost sinner to coffee or dinner and get to know each other a little. We are not hiding that we are Christian while doing this. Prayer thanking Holy God for a meal is a great way to show the lost sinner that you are a public and caring Christian. And also, during this prayer, we can share the simple Gospel by thanking Father God out loud for Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection so that your guest may hear this necessary and straightforward truth.

Then, on the 2nd or 3rd meeting, get out your Bible and open it up to them, introducing the Gospel by sharing verses that show the truths of why they must have Jesus. This is one way to approach co-workers, neighbors, schoolmates, and other acquaintances.

We are NOT friend-winning. You must get down to business and be direct by having a specific plan to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must tell them the truth about their sin condition even if it hurts their feelings. We must convey to them the eternal consequences of their sin, even if it means they no longer consider us a friend. You’ve been the greatest friend they’ve ever had by telling them the Gospel. If the lost sinner won’t accept Jesus, that’s between them and God. Soul-winning is not friend-winning.

Another way to approach folks is a short five or 10-minute conversation and then bring up the things of God. Introduce yourself, let them get to know you by being friendly and polite, and then talk to them about the Scriptures. What we are doing here is looking for an entry point to bring up the word of God to get our Bible open. Every aspect of life is present in the Holy Bible, so being aware of the Holy Spirit while listening to your new acquaintance is an excellent way to find an opportunity to bring up the things of God. This approach may work well for you.

Again, the purpose is to get down to business, opening our Bible and sharing the Gospel. We’re not doing a Social Gospel Christianity.

“For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” – 1 Corinthians 2:2

And thirdly, we can take a much more direct approach, going straight to Scripture. You can walk right up to strangers in public places, Bible in hand, and demand (politely with a smile on your face) to know the condition of their soul as to its eternal station. If they will listen for a minute or the Holy Spirit completely captures them (this does happen, it’s mighty to behold), you can quote Scripture to them about salvation while also offering to show them what the Bible means by that (those) verse(s). Many use this approach when door-knocking in neighborhoods as well.

In this manner, we introduce them almost immediately to the word of God without even stating our name or shaking hands which might sound cold, but it works well with strangers in public spaces such as parks and other gathering areas. Keep in mind that Holy God sets appointments between the witness and the lost sinner.

One term for this approach is called street witnessing. In this way of sharing the Gospel, we are not being aggressive, unfriendly, or abusive in any way. Don’t do damage to the name of Christ. We are kindly and directly showing the truth to total strangers. We never compromise anything about the truth of God. It’s essential to be polite and friendly but firm and never back down from who Jesus Christ is and what comes of a man who rejects Him.

You can walk up to people and ask them about their eternal station. You can ask: Are you going to Heaven? Or, Who is Jesus to you? Or, Do you know where you will spend eternity? Etc.

The lost may seek to get rid of you by simply stating that they are saved. We don’t accept that answer; follow up by asking what it means to be saved or asking them to explain how that happened, politely but firmly; their eternal soul is on the line.

When approaching the lost in this manner, having a verse or two of relevant Scripture committed to memory is helpful.

It is the job of the Christian to warn everybody that they face the wrath of God and that they have to believe in Jesus Christ to be saved. Pray while asking Holy God to order your steps in service of Him as a Soul Winner; prayer can undoubtedly be considered a tool of the Soul Winner.

“When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” – Ezekiel 33:8

“Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” – Ezekiel 3:19

Note: This post is tagged Gospel Witness and Notes on John as it falls into both categories.

“7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.” – John 16:7-11

Dispensationalists have succumbed to a lazy wait for the rapture approach to the ordinances and commands of Christ. One bad thing happens in the news, and they declare that we’re out of here any minute now, so why bother telling people about salvation in Christ Jesus. Many of them are useless in God’s redemptive plan.

Calvinists suffer from the same problem, but the reasoning is different. They think that if a person is predestined to salvation, why should they bother to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These are also useless in God’s redemptive plan.

Jesus is speaking (Above) to His disciples about the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. Verse 9 is significant. The Holy Spirit convicts the lost sinner of sin for not believing on Jesus. This brings the lost sinner to realize their need for forgiveness from sin, which can only come by God through faith in Jesus Christ.

When a soul gets saved: it is given by the Father to the Son (John 6:37), Jesus died for them (Revelation 13:8, many others), saved them (Acts 4:12), and the Holy Spirit convicts them (John 16:8-9 above) when you (Mark 16:15) relate the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) bringing belief by faith through sharing scripture (Romans 10:17) with the hearer. I know that seems backward but hang in there.

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11

The Father isn’t suddenly surprised when you share the Gospel with a lost sinner, and neither is the Son. You don’t convince anybody of their need for salvation; the Holy Spirit does. Those being called already have the Holy Spirit bearing on their conscience (lay up earnest prayers for them about this); Jesus already died for them, and the Father has already given them; the witness, that’s you, comes along and tells them the truth.

Some are full of fear, having fallen into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31); others are just starting to hear from Him (John 3:9) while He makes them aware. They hear the Gospel from a witness; maybe they turn God-ward at that time, or perhaps you plant another good row laying down the seed that Holy God is using to build their initial faith, bringing conviction of their need for Christ. Then another perhaps sows more seed onto the good ground of their heart (Matthew 13:8), and another reaps.

Although there is no formula for salvation, it’s good to know God’s workings in the councils of heaven to understand the operation of God in salvation. We’re telling you this, not as an intellectual understanding, but that you might both pray in this knowledge and that you would be walking in the will of the Father as you share the good news of Christ Jesus. Don’t be discouraged by seed planting that is evidently (to you) without fruit. The Word of God does not return to Him void, but it prospers wherever He sends it (Isaiah 55:11). Folks have all kinds of testimonies, and myriad things may happen to bring awareness of God to a soul, but behind it all, the Almighty in three persons is doing as they will.

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” – John 6:37

Here are a few verses that explain the same essential things. All those given by the Father shall come to Christ. The first thing in the salvation of a lost sinner is that Holy Father God gave him to the Son for an inheritance (Psalm 2:7-8). Then, Jesus saves his soul because the Son knows all things whatsoever the Father has given Him (John 3:35). See also Matthew 11:27.

Jesus continues in John 6:38-40:

“39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” – John 6:39-40

Jesus has ascended back to the right hand of Power and sent the Holy Spirit for several purposes, one of which is to reprove men of sin, which for the lost sinner means conviction of the heart and conscience for their sin. “Of sin, because they believe not on me” – John 16:9 from our text at the top. This conviction brings the lost sinner to his state of need for forgiveness.

Then, the lost sinner hears the Gospel, which is the good news of God’s way to be forgiven for sin, bringing salvation from the wrath of God, which, without Jesus, abides on all men (John 3:36). Further, He brings eternal life by the resurrection, “…I will raise him up at the last day.” The spiritual new birth is a type of the resurrection to come.

All disciples are witnesses for Jesus Christ. It’s not the only thing Christ’s disciples do. Still, we are commanded to do it under the Great Commission in Mark 16, Matthew 28. Right before Christ ascended, He told His disciples that the Holy Spirit’s arrival was imminent, and after that, they were to be witnesses of Him to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Maybe they’re saved, but when somebody claiming to be Christian will not witness for Jesus Christ, they declare before the throne of the Almighty and among men that they are, in fact, not Christ’s disciple. They may be a good Church member, or they may be a religionist of a type or even have some standing among a group of believers. But he also may have climbed up some other way (John 10:1) into the sheepfold. Those that belong to Christ Jesus hear His voice (John 10:27), and they know Him (John 10:14) that has commanded us to spread the good news of salvation unto all the people of every nation.

Without a growing body of Christ, the church is withering. Look around; there are more lost sinners than ever and fewer true converts. This situation is having a severely negative impact on your civilization. Your eschatology or teachings of your Church fathers have no bearing from which to derive an excuse for being a lazy or phony Christian. Go and make disciples.

Note: Tagged Gospel Witness with the others of this irregular series.

Soul-winning is not discipleship, witnessing is not apologetics debate, and being a witness for Jesus Christ is not fishing for new Church members, nor is it a class about Church, denomination, or religion.

We are not wasting time on unfruitful theological discussions with the lost. As interesting as those may be, they need salvation first. And Gospel witnessing is not entering into apologetics discussions which may be fun but are unfruitful for the lost sinner. Filling lost sinner’s heads with Bible knowledge and wowing them with your theological prowess is not soul winning. They need a straightforward salvation plan.

Never argue. Your debating skills are not Holy Spirit conviction upon a lost soul. If you feel the need to argue, you have difficulty expressing specifically what the Scripture says about a point. It would be best to search the Scriptures to share better that particular concept that leads toward faith in the lost sinner. Lost sinners need to hear a clear presentation from Scripture showing their need for Jesus Christ.

Soul-winning is not discipleship.

Both distinct missions seek the growth of the body of Christ. Soul-winning aims to grow the number of true converts, while discipleship seeks the development of individual believers in their depth and breadth of maturity in Christ.

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

Discipleship seeks to plant the sure foundations of the Christian faith in the infant (immature) believers by imparting doctrinal truth to them. Teaching infant Christians so that they mature in Christ is also a mission-specific command of Father God.

Discipleship seeks to have the body of Christ grow upwardly, that is, laying a sure foundation so that individual Christians grow in the faith and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and all that He commands by His word. This gets done by the faithful teaching others (all nations) that are faithful to do all that Christ commands. (2 Timothy 2:2 and Matthew 28:18-20)

Fruit of Spirit is not the fruit of the Christian.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

You want this fruit to show forth in all you do, but it’s not yours; it is evidence of the Holy Spirit transforming you into meet for the Master’s use.

Many untrained Christians claim the fruit of the Spirit is their fruit as a Christian. They owe Holy God an apology. The fruit of the Spirit is His fruit in you. The fruit of the Christian includes sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, bringing in the Lord’s harvest, so souls get saved to the Glory of Holy Father God. And, He wants us to bear much of this fruit.

Fishing for Church members is not Gospel Witnessing.

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” – 1 Corinthians 12:27

At times, you will have to flat out tell some lost sinners you contact that you’re not talking about religion or Church. Fishing for Church Attendees and Soul-winning is not the same thing. Nor are we telling lost sinners to straighten up and fly right. They need salvation in Christ Jesus; that’s what lost sinners need. At the end of your talk with the people you contact, you can invite believers to Church.

The church is the body of Christ. It’s a body, a living organism. Any organism that is not growing by multiplying and reproducing is dying. How does one increase the body of Christ? We do this by sharing the Gospel as the Father makes converts through faith in Jesus (John 6:37), as the Holy Spirit brings conviction for sin (John 16:9) to the conscience of the lost sinner.

Filling a building with lost sinners is not the mission Jesus gives His disciples. But that’s the instruction the head of those corporations learned in CEO school called seminary college.

Fishing for new church members is not soul winning. The church is the assembling together of believers (Hebrews 10:25).

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20

Tagged Gospel Witness with the others of this irregularly posted series. Tools for witnessing here and here.

“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” – John 12:32

The kindest thing you can do for a lost sinner is to be pointed and direct about their eternal soul’s condition and need for salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The conversation is truly between the lost sinner and the Holy Spirit of God under conviction; they must come to Christ by faith on their own. We don’t lead lost souls into a false sense of salvation. We are merely a messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Many folks who fear sharing the Gospel don’t understand that you are not even responsible for the outcome of the conversation. Soul winners tell the truth, pointedly and plainly, so that God may use His sword, which is His word, to bring a lost sinner to the cross of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit speaks to the lost person’s conscience, while God uses the Bible verses you share to bring their faith. Your fear is unfounded; you tell people that the Bible says x, y, and z, and they agree or don’t. It’s between them and God.

He is faithful. If you begin this service to God, He will be right with you, teaching and guiding you. You will see the miracle of the moment of salvation as God saves those that He would.

The nicest thing a Christian can ever do is to tell a man that his sin has offended God, that for his sin, he is found guilty before God, who is the Judge, that for this guilt of sin, not sins but that he IS a sinner, he is condemned already to suffer death, and eternal wrath abides on him. But Jesus Christ already suffered that wrath for him upon the cross of Calvary, taking all the man’s accounts and settling them with Holy Father God, that on the day of judgment, God would see Christ’s purchased possession; a forgiven son of God who has been made joint heir with Christ in His kingdom.

Be a man, tell them with concern, but don’t hold back from the ugly truth of it all; the lost sinner is God’s enemy. But be ready, for those called of God will ask, how so? You must be prepared to show them to besiege God for forgiveness admitting guilt, and asking for life and life eternal that they may enter into the Kingdom of God and of His Christ. There’s no formula; belief by faith that Jesus paid it all upon the cross, plus and minus nothing.

Even when you “fail,” you don’t fail. Every contact made, every demonstration of outward faith to a lost sinner, every mention of the name of our Lord Jesus, every verse of scripture shared is a seed very well planted. God will nurture and grow those seeds in the lost sinner as He sees fit. God leaves His word’s pure and holy truth in the lost sinner’s heart. It’s impossible for you to fail, for God works in the hearts of men to bring them to repentance, not you; it’s God Almighty.

Free to have and use tools for telling people about Christ: Background on how to Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a Gospel Primer with specific step-by-step instructions. These posts are tagged Gospel Witness, so you can find them all as they are posted over time.

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“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10

If you are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, having received the Lord as your Saviour, then you have a duty to share that faith with lost souls by being a witness for Jesus Christ. Holy God ordained these works for you before you were saved. Jesus did not save you for no reason. He saved you for good works in the Kingdom of God to bring glory to His holy name.

“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.” – John 4:29-30

After hearing the good news, the very first thing the Samaritan woman at the well did was to go tell the whole town and bring them to Christ.

When Jesus was just twelve years old, He told Joseph and His mother that serving the Father was the most important thing.

“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” – Luke 2:49

Soul winners are disciples that continue the mission of Jesus Christ, seeking that which was lost. Christ offers the lost sinner salvation through forgiveness from sin so that they might be saved from death and wrath and hell. As was Jesus, we must be about our Father’s business.

Some of the worst opposition to your service of the Lord may come from family, friends, and other Christians. They are either not truly born again or are hearers of the word only, deceiving themselves (James 1:22). Pray they would repent and also serve. The job is to conquer the world in the name of Jesus Christ, bringing salvation to all nations by wielding the sword of God, which is His word. Go through them, over them, or around them. Lead, follow, or get out of the way!

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” – John 15:5

If you abide in Christ, you will see the power of the Holy Spirit firsthand to beholding mighty blessings when you share the Gospel leading souls to Christ. Pray, asking God to use you, give you boldness to proclaim the truth of salvation in Christ, and go before you convicting the lost of their need for salvation.

There is no checklist, process, specific method, system, or program that saves a lost soul. And no rite or ritual, or particular words or prayer that saves a lost sinner. Jesus Christ saves lost sinners by grace through faith in His finished work on the cross, plus and minus nothing. Your job is to go and tell them.

Note: Instead of linking these posts about being a witness for Jesus Christ, we’ll tag them “Gospel Witness” at the bottom. You’ll find them all, by clicking this Tag, as we post them over time on no particular schedule.

But don’t wait; here is some background about being a witness for Jesus Christ. (I was tired when it was written; it ain’t pretty, but the info is solid.) And here is specific technical instruction on how to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of a Gospel Primer. Get started right away, souls are dying and you’re losing your civilization.

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“He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.” Proverbs 10:5

It is a high privilege and an unspeakable honor to be given the precious opportunity to lead a lost soul into the Kingdom of God. Through opening our Bible and sharing the Word of God, we offer opportunity after opportunity for lost sinners, under the power and conviction of the Holy Spirit of God, to come to the fullness of faith in Jesus Christ and get saved. Soul winners gather the Lord’s harvest. When He points out that you failed even to enter the battlefield, what will you say? Don’t bring shame to your Father.

You can learn how to be good at sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can be a soul winner. You are already the exact right witness for a whole host of people that need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You need a few tools, putting your hand to the plow so that Holy God can more fully put you to use for His preeminent glory.

Being good at soul winning is more about being faithful to the Lord than talent or ability. God brings fruit through our faithfulness to go and tell the Gospel to whoever will listen.

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16

Soul-winning is a mission-specific ordination of the Father through His Son to all Christians (Acts 1:8). We are to bring forth good fruit for the glory of Father God. Some of the fruit that remains are new converts, true converts to Jesus Christ.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8

And so there you are, at the uttermost part of the earth, right where God put you. All Christians are witnesses for Jesus Christ. You are either a bad witness or a good witness in all that you do. We should be good witnesses and endeavor to get better at witnessing. We become soul winners by being good witnesses through taking our Bible and sharing verses with lost sinners.

Sharing verses with lost sinners from the Bible invites the Holy Spirit into a conversation to bring conviction to the heart of the lost sinner. By this means, they realize their need for Jesus, trust Jesus through the cross, and accept the offer of salvation. (Romans 10:17)

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

Soul winners seek that which was lost. Please don’t show up before the throne of God Almighty empty-handed. Soul winners bring in the Lord’s bountiful harvest of precious souls.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” John 15:8

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not a passive state of being. It is an active faith while being about the Father’s business. One primary task in this business is to share the Gospel with everybody to bear fruit for the King.

Jesus, in Mark 16, commands us to fulfill the Great Commission:

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15

The very first duty under this commission is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with lost souls. If they have faith and believe in Jesus Christ, they will get saved.

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” Luke 8:11

As witnesses for Jesus Christ, we often share our testimony. As messengers of Christ’s Gospel we tell the simple Gospel truth; Christ’s crucifixion for our sin, death, burial, and resurrection. As soul winners we plant those precious seeds from the Word of God by being prepared and regularly seeking opportunities to share the Gospel. Soul winners bring lost sinners all the way to the point of asking Holy God for salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. A soul winner tells people what great things Christ has already done for them by sharing verses of scripture that show the lost sinner his need, and specifically the Gospel.

“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” Matthew 4:19-20

The fruit of the Christian is to be fishers of men, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ while bringing lost sinners to the foot of the cross so that Holy God can convict them of their eternal soul’s condition. A soul winner is a fisher for those souls Holy Father God desires to save.

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:6

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:14-15

The glad tidings of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to bring eternal life are the greatest thing that a Christian can ever share with a lost sinner, “so shall ye be my disciples.”

Part One  Part Two  Part Three  Part Four

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 10:32-33

God ordained this way: we that are Christ’s would testify and share Scripture; it’s by your mouth to the ear of the lost sinner that is God’s chosen modality of bringing those He would save to faith in Him. There are more efficient ways He could have made, for sure. Still, none other would bring greater glory to the Father than you, having been a lost sinner yourself, now a vessel full of faith, going and testifying of Jesus Christ to those that He would also call to glorify His holy name.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. You can be a part of the workings of God to see lost sinners come to the fullness of the realization of Christ Jesus to get saved.

Linked here is a Gospel Primer with clear and specific instructions on how to talk to people about Jesus Christ. Freely take and use it for God’s glory.

We are all witnesses for Jesus Christ. Sadly, most Christians in America today are bad witnesses and don’t even know what the Gospel is, probably because they aren’t actually Christian. Some Christians are good witnesses in how they live and share the love of Christ. But others, and this is our goal, are good at being a witness for Jesus Christ by purposefully learning how to share verses of Scripture in a way that God uses to bring faith in the heart of the lost sinner.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17

When sharing what great things Jesus has done for you, and especially when sharing how He saved you, it’s effective to share a few verses of Scripture about how Jesus saves lost sinners. There is real power in opening the Bible and sharing Scripture with a lost soul. It is strongly recommended that you read and discuss verses that prove sin, death, damnation, the futility of works, faith in Christ alone, and turning to God for salvation.

The Holy Bible is the words of life to open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the lost. As a witness, or soul winner, you are only the messenger of the Gospel; it’s God’s power in grace and mercy that saves.

Parts Two and Three of these Essential Instruction posts are also necessary preparation for soul winning. Going under your own power is almost always fruitless. Without prayer and knowing some scripture sharing the Gospel is much more difficult. The Holy Spirit brings conviction to a lost sinner, and it is the word of God that brings faith.

The purpose of this, Part Five, is to give you some tools and ideas that will help you grow into a believer who is ready to share what great things Christ has done for sinners. Jesus spent three years training His men. It’s ok to need training. Get trained and do the works of God!

Nobody can take your salvation testimony from you. Telling people about how you got saved is a good witness for Jesus. Telling lost sinners how they can be forgiven of their sin to be saved by the power of God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is what soul winners do by sharing a few verses of Scripture that the Holy Spirit uses to bring conviction to the hearer.

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

And so there you are, at the ends of the earth, saved, sealed, but for what? God didn’t save you because you’re a great guy or gal. He saved you to serve Him to bring glory to the Father through His Son.

You can share the Gospel in such a way that lost sinners come to the fullness of the realization of faith in Christ Jesus. You must pray for the help of God that lost souls would be converted to the truth. These conversations with lost sinners will be uncomfortable for both you and the lost sinner. Please keep in mind that the lost sinner is hell-bound to burn for all eternity. It is a much better thing to have a 20-minute uncomfortable conversation with a lost sinner, as you warn them, than that they die and suffer eternal damnation.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” – Revelation 20:11-12

You should care about souls headed for hell, and if you want a moral and just society, an America that is free again, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to get it. Nobody can set us at liberty but Christ. Do you want a Christian nation again? Serving in the power of the Holy Spirit that God would make more Christians through sharing a few verses of Scripture is the way to do it.

We are too hard on lost sinners and much too easy on other Christians. The lost know not what they do or before whom they will be held to account, for their eyes are blinded. They’re lost sinners; what do you think they’ll do but sin in wickedness, destroying what is good and holy all the day long. What do you need to be a just, moral, and upright Christian people; more Christians, say it ain’t so? How do you get more Christians; tell them *gasp* about Christ? Are you even Christian? How do you not feel pressed upon by the Spirit of God to share what great and glorious things He has done? Don’t shrink back now by denying God before men. Most Christians don’t even know what the Gospel is.

You can be a part of the workings of God to see lost sinners come to the fullness of the realization of Christ Jesus to get saved. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation.

The Gospel Primer will help you not only to discuss the things of God, but it will show you how to bring lost souls all the way to a decision to enter into His kingdom or reject Christ having chosen the things of this present world; God help them.

The lost sinner needs to understand these things. 1. That they are a lost sinner. 2. That the wrath of God is upon them. 3. That they cannot save themselves. 4. That only Jesus Christ can save them. And 5. That they must be saved by faith.

There is also a set of verses called the Roman(s) Road to show a lost sinner about these five facts. There are several variations of the Roman Road. Here is one such set of verses to share with lost sinners to show them their need for salvation in Christ.

Sin: Romans 3:10-12, 23

Consequences for sin: Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:14-15

Salvation from Sin and wrath: Romans 5:8-10

Belief (Faith) in Christ: Romans 9:10-11

Call upon the Lord: Romans 10:13

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10

Your knowledge, personality, background, education, and salvation testimony build upon each other to make you the Christian God wants you to become. By adding tools and ideas to your existing knowledge, you significantly increase your effectiveness while witnessing for Jesus Christ.

As a point of personal testimony, I’ll say that I’ve never been full of more joy or been closer to God than having just led a lost soul to the foot of the cross of Christ into the point of decision. It’s the coolest thing ever. (I know it’s a childish expression, but it really is the coolest thing ever.) There is nothing that has satisfied my soul more than to see the light of Christ realized in the eyes of a soul that God is speaking to through His Holy Spirit. You can see the Kingdom of God in action, first hand, beholding the power of Jesus Christ to save. No stories here; go and make your own.

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” – John 15:8