THE GOSPEL MESSAGE WITH THE PERSONAL CALL

1. THE AMBASSADORS'S MESSAGE:

Many I hear and read in blogdom and on the internet chat programs seem to be confused about how to go about witnessing the gospel ofChrist to others. They may know what Christ did for them but how to share that with others seems to be out of their grasp. It does not need to be that way. The gospel message we share is a message of reconcilation (2 Cor. 5)! Those who will believe will have a renewed will, by the Holy Spirit, therefore we can ask questions and appeal to their will and their desires when we tell them the message of reconcilation. We can inquire and see if a man's will is being, or has been renewed so that he desires to be reconciled to God when we witness. Below is the message and some questions we can ask as we witness and take the gospel to the nations. Personally I find this quite simple. I hope you do as well!

(2Co 5:11) Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

(2Co 5:12) We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.

(2Co 5:13) For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

(2Co 5:14) For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;

(2Co 5:15) and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

(2Co 5:16) From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.

(2Co 5:17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

(2Co 5:18) All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

(2Co 5:19) that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

(2Co 5:20) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

(2Co 5:21) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.




2. THE NECESSITY OF THE NEW BIRTH

The necessity of the new birth is stated by Christ, “you must be born again”. Now the message is that unless you are born by the will of God you will die in your sins and enter eternal everlasting punishment. With out the new birth you will not care about God, and His ways. You will continue to live:


Without God
Without Redemption
Without Hope
Without Peace with God
Without Forgivness
Without Heaven



Since God does the work in new birth we can state that it is truly a mystery. Jesus shows that the new birth is a mystery that must happen before one can have a right relationship with God in salvation. This miracle worked by God brings men that do not think, care, or nevertheless seek after the Him to the point of thinking, caring and seeking Him.


The mystery lies in that we cannot fully understand it nor is it something we perform. It is God that performs it John 3:8 “ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” Now as we do not know where nor how the wind fully works nor comes from so is the work of the Holy Spirit. He moves in ones life orchestrating events and regenerating the will and heart so that at the time appointed those called hear the gospel message, believe in and embrace it because of the new birth (Eph. 2:8-10). The message is clear that one cannot be born into the family of God by their own will but by the power of God working when and where and how He wills changing the will through the mystery of divine rebirth.


3. THE PLEAD FOR MERCY

So when you are discussing this in your witness to men show them what they can do if God is calling them.

I strongly suggest leading them through the following. “What then can I do?” you may be asking. The answer is nothing. I would suggest however at this point say that if you are concerned and see that you are in need of this necessary, mysterious miracle then do the following:


A.. Fall Prostrate Before Him

Cry out to God
Call upon Him
Cast yourself upon Him

B. Acknowledge

Acknowledge you sinfulness
Acknowledge your need
Acknowledge your failure
Acknowledge your unbelief
Acknowledge you are beginning to understand some of who Christ is
Acknowledge what you understand of what Christ has done on the cross

C. Ask

Ask Him to be merciful
Ask Him for a miracle
Ask Him for a new birth
Ask Him to give you a new life

D. Remember a promise of God

Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

4. MAKING THE CALL PERSONAL

It is always appropriate to make a personal call to those whom you witness to. After all regeneration is worked in the personal will of a person by the Holy Spirit. Therefore make the call to repentance and faith personal. Personal call and discussion concerning salvation goes like this:

A Personal Call

Are you willing to change?

Are you wiling to make God’s will your greatest desire?

Have you repented?

Have you turned from your sin in godly sorrow?

Have you ask God to help you repent?

Remember : The kindness of God leads to repentance. (Romans 2:4)

It is important and necessary to stop and ask serious questions concerning the faith that they may or may not have. These questions go to the an understanding of God the Father, His revelation, Jesus Christ and His belief in His shed blood and finally mankind and his sinful. Depraved, and guilty state. Questions such as these:

a. Do you believe in the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible?

b. Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for sinners?

c. Do you believe that you are a sinner and guilty in the sight of God?

Note: If the person answers the above in the affirmative then there is no reason to doubt their faith in Christ. At this time they are responsible to worship God and be discipled in the faith and life of the people of God.
As we know saving faith contains three elements: knowledge, emotion, and volition. That is knowledge whereby the believer knows who, what, when, where, and why. The emotional element is the truth revealed gripping the person whereby they say this is a need that I have. This is what Christ did done for me. And it is an action whereby they run to the Jesus and the work He did on the cross and cry out for His mercy, resting in Him alone for salvation. It is this faith that is the conduit by which the believer receives all of salvations benefits. All the spiritual benefits of the death and resurrection of Christ is received through faith. Through real faith in Christ the believer receives:

Justification (Rom. 3:28)

Redemption (Rom. 3:23-25)

Reconcilation (Rom. 5:1)

Forgiveness (Lk. 7:48-50)

Eternal Life (Jn. 6:47)

Now once again the call to the one you are witnessing to is simple:

1. The questions:

Have you repented from sin and turned to the living God?· Are you prepared to take that step now?· Will you turn from sin, self, and the world and call on God’s mercy today?

2. The exhortation:

Repent and turn from sin.· Trust in him.· Commit you soul to Him.· Know now that all that truly turn for their sin and turn to Him, He will abundantly pardon. ( Isa.5:7; Jer. 29:13; Jn. 6:37; Jn. 6:47)

3. The Warning

God commands you to repent today (Acts 17; Ps. 27:1; Isa. 5:6;2 Cor. 6:2 ) If not you stand guilty before a holy God condemned to eternal torment.

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Psalms 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Much more can be said but I think you get the message. Don’t get hung up in the argumentation of whether or not there is a free offer of the gospel. Tell the message of reconcilation, ask questions that appeal to the person’s will and desire that help in understanding if the person has or is calling upon the name of the Lord in faith and repentance. After all the Holy Spirit renews the will of those that believe in order for them to call upon Him. And if the person has repentented, or right there repents and gives a statement of faith in the Lord then it is time for disciplship and worship! Pretty simple huh? Any questions?