"It wasn't a potential atonement actuated by the sinner, it was an actual atonement initiated by the savior."
John MacArthur
"It wasn't a potential atonement actuated by the sinner, it was an actual atonement initiated by the savior."
John MacArthur
Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission, is an interesting command.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Why did Christ not say, “go and make believers?” Disciples are who you tutor after someone is a believer.
Notice what Christ said in Matthew 9:37.
“…the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”
Doesn’t this sound like much of the growth and prep work is already done, all you need to do is be there. Keep this in mind, we’ll return to it later.
So, how do we share the gospel?
Let’s look at Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15
How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
Oh, to be used by God, what a grand privilege.
Memorize the spirit of these verses as a coherent explanation.
Please note that we have the gospel as part of our website.
Romans 10:17 shows the power of salvation. Obviously, it’s the Holy Spirit that facilitates all this.
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
That’s the power. Not a convincing story or a sad story or deep emotions. All that’s fine, but it’s the word.
Two questions may help in opening a conversation with an unbeliever and help you understand from where they’re coming.
These are diagnostic questions and are designed to see where the person’s heart is. Are they aware, sure they’ll go to heaven, and based on what, being a good person?
I also usually get into a discussion of how many religions exist. Why? One of the objections you often encounter is, even is I buy the above, what makes your religion better than all the other religions?
Here’s how I answer.
Let’s assume there a fundamental basis for religion. You might assume it’s to help us do good things or be good but you can do good thing by working at a soup kitchen or animal shelter. You don’t need religion for that.
No, religion addresses what happens to us or where we go when we die. Nothing else addresses that. Nothing. So religions lays out how you can go to heaven once you die and avoid going to hell.
Now of all the thousands of religions in the world, the truth is there are only two. Only two.
Restate the bible verse or verses above and ask if they would like you to lead them into a prayer of salvation. Let them know all they need to do is to turn away from their sin life and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Do not say, “just ask Jesus into your heart.” That’s too trite (sorry).
Remember the harvest from above? Here’s the secret – God has already been working on them and He causes the salvation.
Let’s look at 1 Cor 3:6-9:
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
God is already working on them. You may not close the deal. That’s not the point, you’re God’s fellow worker.
Before I was saved, I told someone that the bible was full of old wife tales. He humbled me by asking if I ever read the bible. I hadn’t. That was God working on me. Shortly thereafter, I became a believer.
John Newton, the author of “Amazing Grace” was a slave trader who heard the word from an aunt who took care of him when he was younger. It wasn’t until much later when he was almost shipwrecked that he accepted Jesus. Prior to that however God was working on him through his aunt.
Most believe the goal is to just get someone to accept Jesus. The real goal is to be used in God’s field so that after they do accept Jesus you can disciple them. Your job has just begun.
How are you going to disciple the next person Jesus entrusts to you?