HPE 5 - THE OPENING and the CLOSE
Reference:
Stanford, R. (1999). Handbook of Personal Evangelism.
Free Downloads of Book (Handbook of Personal Evangelism) at the following site: http://www.eph289.com/
CHAPTER 5 - THE OPENING AND THE CLOSE
The wonderful thing about the Gospel is that it meets the needs of every individual, but we should be careful to explain it properly to people so that they can SEE it will meet their needs.
(my notes, not the authors) one of the ways I witness is I start with usually three questions which allows me to clearly understand where this person is in their faith. After the three questions, there might be follow up questions.
Question #1: if you were to die today, where would you go?
If the person says heaven, then I ask the next question.
Question #2: why are you going to Heaven? Give me one answer about why you are going to Heaven: e.g., good person, water baptism, communion, confirmation, good works, give money, attend church, etc.
At this time, most people will answer that they are going to Heaven because “they are a good person.”
Question #3: my next question is, “if you are good enough to go to Heaven, why did Jesus Christ die on the Cross for your sins?”
Again, most people will say, “I do not know.”
Once I have their answer(s), I know the exact information I need to witness effectively to this person.
You are now ready to share the Gospel of Salvation.
1. God loves you.
2. You are a sinner.
3. Christ died for all your sins. Christ was buried for you. Christ resurrected for you.
4. If you believe.
5. You receive eternal life.
After the Gospel presentation, I ask if they want to receive Jesus Christ alone for salvation -believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial and resurrection.
If they say yes, we say a prayer. I am very clear that the “prayer” does not save them, it is the “object of their faith.”
Their faith placed in Christ alone is what saves them. The prayer is one more opportunity to share the Gospel clearly without distractions.
Prayer example: dear Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for all the sins of (name of person) at the Cross of Calvary, be buried for (name of person), and resurrect showing (name of person) that their sins have been paid in full. At this time (name of person) heard the Gospel of his/her salvation and (name of person) is believing right now that Jesus Christ did exactly what He said He did -died for their sins, buried, and resurrected for them. Right now, (name of person) are not trusting in their rituals, sacraments, traditions, or works of men; however, (name of person) is trusting in the finished work of Christ. At this time, (name of person) believe in Christ alone for salvation. (name of person) know now they are a child of God by faith in Christ alone and are forever a child of God. (name of person) knows now that they have eternal life that can never be lost or taken away for (name of person) is sealed by Holy Spirit of Promise, (name of person) is placed in Christ’s hands, (name of person) is placed in Father’s hands, and they forever know they have eternal life that starts today. Today, (name of person) has been born again, today is (name of person) spiritual birthday. We pray all this in Jesus’s name, Amen.
After the prayer, I thank the person for allowing me to be part of their salvation for every time is an awesome experience.
This person is a believer in Jesus Christ as their Savior, they have come to know and believe that their eternal salvation is all by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. This person's eternal life can never be lost because it depends solely upon the unfailing person and promises of Jesus Christ, His finished work, and God’s grace, which is His unmerited, undeserved favor.
God’s gift of salvation is available to the very worst of sinners and requires no commitment to obedience, no promises to keep, no pledges to uphold, no repentance from sins, no asking Jesus into your heart, no religious rituals to perform, no efforts to try to keep the law, and no good works to obtain or maintain their free and forever salvation by God’s grace.
Salvation from a Hell you deserve to a Heaven you do not is simply a matter of trusting in Christ alone and His substitutionary death and resurrection from the dead. Salvation is free to all who believe in Christ alone because He has already paid for all sin freely, fully, and forever upon the Cross when He died in your place to save you.
What a blessed assurance to realize that all of your sins are paid for and you can know with absolute certainty that you have eternal life as a free gift from God simply by faith in His Son as your Savior.
You can give your testimony which can be a powerful and effective tool for witnessing and sharing the Gospel of Christ.
You might have a fear of witnessing. These four things will help you overcome your fear of witnessing:
Knowledge of the Scriptures
Successful past experiences of witnessing
Being around people who also witness
Prayer
The fear you have of witnessing will disappear as soon as you actually begin to witness.
The important thing is to GET STARTED!
Do not allow Satan to keep you from being an effective witness because of fear.
I John 4:18: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
You have read I John 4:18. Now it is time to believe in I John 4:18.
To be a great soul winner, you must study and practice, study and practice, and study and practice some more. You can practice with a friend. You can video record yourself.
No one becomes a perfect soul-winner overnight. The important thing is to START witnessing now. Witness to someone TODAY!
Any clear salvation tract can be used in your witnessing.
(my notes) A person can use the wordless book to witness. A person can use the Gospel Hand to witness.
Here is another example to witness:
Ask: “where are you going when you die?”
Ask: “have you ever wondered if some of the things you have done would keep you from going to Heaven?”
Tell: you can know right now whether or not you are going to Heaven or Hell.
Tell: the reason you can know now is that your destination of Heaven or Hell does not depend on what you do. It depends upon your acceptance of what God has already done for you.
Tell: the good news is that God tells us He saves us by paying for our sins and giving us eternal life. Read Ephesians 2:8-9.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Tell: amazing, isn’t it? But God said that He would save us through faith, not what we do ourselves. It is a gift of God. This means that it is free to us because God has paid the price.
Tell: why not take God at His Word and believe John 3:16.
John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This would make you God’s child -this believing in Him -and then, when you disobey Him you would certainly receive chastisement, but He would never lose you or cast you out. God guarantees this to us in John 6:37 and 39.
John 6:37: All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
John 6:39: 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.
Tell: if you trust in Christ as your Savior, God will deal with you as His son, and while punishment for what you do wrong will never be Hell because you are now His child, He will chasten you because He loves you.
Tell: to have eternal life you do not have to join a church or pay money; in fact, you can do nothing to earn eternal life. You simply accept the payment for your sins that God already made for you. Believe the record God gave of His Son.
I John 5:9-13: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 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.
Tell: you can trust Him. Why not, right now, silently, tell God you believe that He died on the cross for your sins, burial and resurrection for you just like He said He did. Right now, receive Christ as your Savior.
You can see that the message is a non-denominational, clear, gospel invitation with an invitation to receive Christ as Savior at the end.
When you feel sure he understands the Gospel and you are ready to ask him to trust Christ as His Savior, then do so. DO NOT WAIT!
If the person rejects the Gospel message, ask them “why” they reject the Scripture. Try and get an understanding of “why” they will not believe in Christ alone for salvation.
Again, you can point out that these are God’s Words, this is His plan of salvation and if a person rejects the Gospel of Christ, they are calling God a liar.
I John 5:10: He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
Atheism and idolatry do not come from ignorance but from WILLFUL refusal of the TRUTH.
Romans 1:19-20: because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.
Romans 1:28: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.
DO NOT
When you are asking a person to receive Christ as their Savior, do not ask them to join your church. Do not confuse church membership with salvation. After he/she is saved you might recommend a good church to them.
During the invitation to receive the Lord, do not ask them to change their life or to make any promises to God. This has nothing to do with their salvation and will only confuse the issue in their mind.
DO
Preach the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith.
God the Holy Spirit will save the person, indwell their life, and give them power to live a life pleasing to the Lord.
Use the Word of God to back everything up that you share with the person.
Romans 10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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