Evangelism
Introduction
Evangelism, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the winning or revival of personal commitments to Christ. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, defines it as, “Zealous preaching and dissemination of the Gospel, as through missionary work.” Is evangelism just for preachers and evangelists or are all believers responsible for spreading the Gospel? This blog post is about what is expected of believers concerning evangelism, the good news, and essentials of the Gospel. Fears and hindrances of evangelism and strategy.
But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; - 1 Peter 3:15
Is There Bad News with the Gospel?
What is the definition of Gospel? The message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation; Good News.
There are times when there is good news there is bad news. So, what is the bad news about the gospel message? The bad news started after Adam and Eve were created in the fall of man when sin and disobedience came to being.
In Genesis 2:16-17, God commanded Adam that they could eat from any tree in the garden, except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for in that day that you eat from it you will surely die. Genesis 3 details the fall of man when the serpent approached Eve and told her that, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve did take a bite and Adam took a bite as well. Their eyes were opened and knew they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and heard God calling them in the garden. They hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God. The first sin and disobedience came when Eve disobeyed by taking from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam did not take responsibility, but pointed his finger to Eve. God was not happy, so He cursed them and kicked them out of the garden, where they originally lived in paradise with God.
God is holy and righteous, you must be clean and holy to be in His presence. Remember, you find that Moses could not look at God when speaking with God in the burning bush. God told him to remove his sandals, because he was standing on holy ground.
There are other examples where God has punished those who lived in sin, unrighteousness, and disobedience. God told Noah to build a boat because He was about to flood the earth because of the unrighteousness. He found favor in Noah and his family. Noah built the boat, but it was God who gave him the instructions and built the boat. It was God that closed the door of the boat. It was God who saved Noah and his family.
When God brought His people out of Egypt, God was giving the commandments to Moses, while at the same time, His people were idolizing a golden calf and worshipping a different god. He punished those as Moses threw the tablets at the graven image and those that chose not to follow the Lord God died.
God hates unrighteousness and sin. He will punish those in sin. We all know John 3:16, but if you study the verses directly after that, 3:17-21, we find that there is a punishment for unbelief. Matthew 7:13-14 speaks of the narrow and wide gates. The wide gate is broad and many follow and enter that gate that leads to destruction. The narrow gate leads to life. The path of destruction leads to Hades where there is gnashing of teeth and everlasting fire burning (Revelation 20:11-15).
We need evangelism because the Lord wants us to spread the gospel so those going through the wide gate changes direction. Without this bad news, the good news is meaningless.
God’s character is shown in creation, inspired Scriptures, the church, and most clearly in Jesus Christ.
Fears to Evangelism
A couple of questions for you (Answer them on your own, write them down and pray for help in dealing with these fears:
The Call to Evangelism is a Command
When the Lord spoke with the apostles before He returned to glory with God the Father, He gave them, as we call it, the Great Commission. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 15:16).” He does not say, “You should go to the world…” or “Try going out to the world…” He tells it as a command. We all have the responsibility to spread the gospel to all the world.
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gives us the aspects of the Great Commission. We are to go make disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them all that He commanded them.
Jesus told us in Luke 24:46-47 that repentance of forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all nations. We know that we must repent, but it is our responsibility to proclaim that to all people. We know because someone told us.
Our lives should proclaim the life of Jesus Christ. We should be a witness for Him to men of what we have seen and heard. This is what Paul was told by Jesus through Ananias (Acts 22:15).
The Gospel is a Sacred Trust
In 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Paul exhorts them without error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines are hearts. Entrusted means to commit or assign to a person or place for a definite purpose with trust and confidence. So, God gave us the gospel and He entrusted it to us. During this time with the Thessalonians, there were false teachers trying to discredit Paul and the gospel. He is exhorting them that God entrusted him with
Hindrances to Witnessing/Evangelizing
We are to glorify God while we are on this earth. The best way to glorify Him would be to witness and spread the gospel. We were given that task by God. If we have our divine orders (Great Commission), why do we hesitate to spread the gospel?
The Good News of Evangelism: The Gospel
According to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul preached three elements of the gospel.
The word gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word which meant "the story concerning God." In the New Testament the Greek word euaggelion, means "good news." It proclaims tidings of deliverance. The word sometimes stands for the record of the life of our Lord (Mark 1:1), embracing all His teachings, as in Acts 20:24. But the word "gospel" now has a peculiar use and describes primarily the message which Christianity announces. It means a gift from God. It is the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins and sonship with God restored through Christ. It means remission of sins and reconciliation with God. The gospel is not only a message of salvation but also the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works (Romans 1:16). (https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-gospel-the-good-news-of-the-new-testament.html)
Paul says in Romans 1:16 that we should not be ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to whoever believes, to the Jew first and to the Greek.
The Essentials to Evangelism
What are the essentials to evangelism? Do you need to know everything in God’s Word to be saved? Of course not. A person just needs to know these:
At a minimum, they must see themselves as sinful before a holy God, understand that they need a Savior to save them from their sin, and understand that God, through the sacrifice of Christ, is the only means of salvation.
Key Verses in sharing the gospel message.
The Rich Young Ruler
In Mark 10:17-27, a rich young ruler ran up to Jesus and asked Him what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded that he should follow the commandments. The ruler said that he has kept these things from his youth. Jesus, with a love for the ruler, told him that he lacked one thing: go sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.
But, with these words the ruler was saddened and he went away. He owned much property. Jesus made a statement about how hard it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! He said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. For reference, the eye of the needle is a small gate on a larger gate leading into Jerusalem.
The apostles being astonished at these words, asked Jesus who can be saved. Jesus tells that that with man it is impossible, but with God that all things are possible. Man cannot save himself, only God can.
God is holy and hates sin
The writer of Psalm 5:4-5 that God takes no pleasure in wickedness and that God hates iniquity (sin). No wickedness dwells with God. If you are arrogant, you shall not stand before God.
Jesus Christ is God
In Colossians 2:9, Paul tells us that in Jesus all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. Jesus is God!
Christ’s death on the cross was for our sins
Christ’s death on the cross was not for anything the He did. He lived a perfect, sinless life. His death on the cross was for our sins. He took on the punishment of His Father that we deserved. God’s wrath fell on Jesus. He loved us so much that He obeyed His Father up to His death, even on the cross. His death brought us to God, death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.
Christ offers heaven as a free gift of God
Due to our sin, our punishment should be death. With Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, we get a free gift from God…eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Strategy for Evangelism
Your Life
Your life is a reflection of who you are. It shows the world who you are. The outcome of salvation is dependent on God, but we must live our lives in a way to display God’s light in our lives (Matthew 5:14-16). Philippians 2:14-15 tells us we should be blameless and above reproach. If we don’t live in this manner, we would look like hypocrites. To the unbeliever this could be one of worst things about a believer.
We are looked at every day by everyone. Our lives should be a witness for Christ, ALL THE TIME! Do you reflect godliness, bringing glory to God? Or, if people knew you were a Christian, would you dishonor Christ?
According to Matthew 5:16, good works does not lead us to salvation or heaven. When we accept Christ’s call for salvation and live a righteous life, good works should be the result of our justification and sanctification. We are to glorify God with our good works.
Pray
We should be praying for the salvation of everyone. We should be praying for the salvation of our leaders, as well. It won’t matter much if we pray for them to change their policies, if they lose their soul to hell. Remember, Christ’s primary concern is saving the lost. 1 Timothy 2:1-8 goes in detail in praying for everyone in that it is “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
As Paul prayed for others, their salvation was on his heart (Romans 10:1). We should have that same heart as he had. Paul requested prayer from the Colossians (Colossians 4:3-4) that God would open up a door for the word, so that he may speak forth the mystery of Christ…that he may make it clear in the way he ought to speak. Ask other believers to pray for you that the Holy Spirit would help you give you confidence (Acts 4:29) to speak the gospel to others.
Use God’s Word
God’s Word is a powerful weapon. Do not rely on your own strength or knowledge. It is the only offensive weapon in our armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17). It is God’s Word that is able to pierce the soul, to judge man’s thoughts. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to convict a person of his sin and need for a Savior. It is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
According to 2 Timothy 3:15, the Scriptures give you wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion
Evangelism is what our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded. He seeks the one lost sheep and leaves the ninety-nine behind. He has the heart for the lost, as we should as well. This lesson covered many aspects of evangelism of spreading the gospel (good and bad news), evangelism as a command from the Lord, the essentials, and the strategy of evangelism.
Evangelism, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, is the winning or revival of personal commitments to Christ. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, defines it as, “Zealous preaching and dissemination of the Gospel, as through missionary work.” Is evangelism just for preachers and evangelists or are all believers responsible for spreading the Gospel? This blog post is about what is expected of believers concerning evangelism, the good news, and essentials of the Gospel. Fears and hindrances of evangelism and strategy.
But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; - 1 Peter 3:15
Is There Bad News with the Gospel?
What is the definition of Gospel? The message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation; Good News.
There are times when there is good news there is bad news. So, what is the bad news about the gospel message? The bad news started after Adam and Eve were created in the fall of man when sin and disobedience came to being.
In Genesis 2:16-17, God commanded Adam that they could eat from any tree in the garden, except for the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for in that day that you eat from it you will surely die. Genesis 3 details the fall of man when the serpent approached Eve and told her that, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve did take a bite and Adam took a bite as well. Their eyes were opened and knew they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and heard God calling them in the garden. They hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God. The first sin and disobedience came when Eve disobeyed by taking from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam did not take responsibility, but pointed his finger to Eve. God was not happy, so He cursed them and kicked them out of the garden, where they originally lived in paradise with God.
God is holy and righteous, you must be clean and holy to be in His presence. Remember, you find that Moses could not look at God when speaking with God in the burning bush. God told him to remove his sandals, because he was standing on holy ground.
There are other examples where God has punished those who lived in sin, unrighteousness, and disobedience. God told Noah to build a boat because He was about to flood the earth because of the unrighteousness. He found favor in Noah and his family. Noah built the boat, but it was God who gave him the instructions and built the boat. It was God that closed the door of the boat. It was God who saved Noah and his family.
When God brought His people out of Egypt, God was giving the commandments to Moses, while at the same time, His people were idolizing a golden calf and worshipping a different god. He punished those as Moses threw the tablets at the graven image and those that chose not to follow the Lord God died.
God hates unrighteousness and sin. He will punish those in sin. We all know John 3:16, but if you study the verses directly after that, 3:17-21, we find that there is a punishment for unbelief. Matthew 7:13-14 speaks of the narrow and wide gates. The wide gate is broad and many follow and enter that gate that leads to destruction. The narrow gate leads to life. The path of destruction leads to Hades where there is gnashing of teeth and everlasting fire burning (Revelation 20:11-15).
We need evangelism because the Lord wants us to spread the gospel so those going through the wide gate changes direction. Without this bad news, the good news is meaningless.
God’s character is shown in creation, inspired Scriptures, the church, and most clearly in Jesus Christ.
| For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20 |
Fears to Evangelism
A couple of questions for you (Answer them on your own, write them down and pray for help in dealing with these fears:
- What are some fears of evangelism?
- How can I overcome these fears?
The Call to Evangelism is a Command
When the Lord spoke with the apostles before He returned to glory with God the Father, He gave them, as we call it, the Great Commission. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation (Mark 15:16).” He does not say, “You should go to the world…” or “Try going out to the world…” He tells it as a command. We all have the responsibility to spread the gospel to all the world.
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gives us the aspects of the Great Commission. We are to go make disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them all that He commanded them.
Jesus told us in Luke 24:46-47 that repentance of forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all nations. We know that we must repent, but it is our responsibility to proclaim that to all people. We know because someone told us.
Our lives should proclaim the life of Jesus Christ. We should be a witness for Him to men of what we have seen and heard. This is what Paul was told by Jesus through Ananias (Acts 22:15).
The Gospel is a Sacred Trust
In 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Paul exhorts them without error or impurity or by way of deceit; but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines are hearts. Entrusted means to commit or assign to a person or place for a definite purpose with trust and confidence. So, God gave us the gospel and He entrusted it to us. During this time with the Thessalonians, there were false teachers trying to discredit Paul and the gospel. He is exhorting them that God entrusted him with
Hindrances to Witnessing/Evangelizing
We are to glorify God while we are on this earth. The best way to glorify Him would be to witness and spread the gospel. We were given that task by God. If we have our divine orders (Great Commission), why do we hesitate to spread the gospel?
- Intimidation; afraid of failing
- The gospel is powerful – Romans 1:16. It’s God’s words through His Spirit that are powerful, not man’s.
- Pray for boldness to speak with confidence (Acts 4:29)
- Peer pressure; afraid of not being accepted; being called religious
- Ignorance of the gospel message
The Good News of Evangelism: The Gospel
According to 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul preached three elements of the gospel.
- Jesus Christ died for our sins
- He was buried
- He was raised on the third day
The word gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word which meant "the story concerning God." In the New Testament the Greek word euaggelion, means "good news." It proclaims tidings of deliverance. The word sometimes stands for the record of the life of our Lord (Mark 1:1), embracing all His teachings, as in Acts 20:24. But the word "gospel" now has a peculiar use and describes primarily the message which Christianity announces. It means a gift from God. It is the proclamation of the forgiveness of sins and sonship with God restored through Christ. It means remission of sins and reconciliation with God. The gospel is not only a message of salvation but also the instrument through which the Holy Spirit works (Romans 1:16). (https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-gospel-the-good-news-of-the-new-testament.html)
Paul says in Romans 1:16 that we should not be ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to whoever believes, to the Jew first and to the Greek.
The Essentials to Evangelism
What are the essentials to evangelism? Do you need to know everything in God’s Word to be saved? Of course not. A person just needs to know these:
- John 1:1 – Jesus is God
- John 14:6 – Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, the only way to God
- Acts 4:12 – Jesus is the only way to salvation
At a minimum, they must see themselves as sinful before a holy God, understand that they need a Savior to save them from their sin, and understand that God, through the sacrifice of Christ, is the only means of salvation.
Key Verses in sharing the gospel message.
- Romans 3:23 – All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
- Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord
- Romans 5:8 – God demonstrates His own love toward us, in while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
- 1 Peter 2:24 – He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you are healed.
- Romans 10:9 – If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
- John 1:12 – As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
| Most people do not understand these truths: | |
| Man cannot save himself | Mark 10:26-27 |
| God is holy and righteous, and He hates sin | Psalm 5:4-5 |
| Jesus Christ is God | Colossians 2:9 |
| Christs death on the cross was for our sins | 1 Peter 3:18 |
| Christ offers heaven as a free gift of God | Romans 6:23 |
We must help people understand these truths, it speaks the truth about evangelism. Read and study these verses! | |
The Rich Young Ruler
In Mark 10:17-27, a rich young ruler ran up to Jesus and asked Him what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responded that he should follow the commandments. The ruler said that he has kept these things from his youth. Jesus, with a love for the ruler, told him that he lacked one thing: go sell all his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him.
But, with these words the ruler was saddened and he went away. He owned much property. Jesus made a statement about how hard it is for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! He said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. For reference, the eye of the needle is a small gate on a larger gate leading into Jerusalem.
The apostles being astonished at these words, asked Jesus who can be saved. Jesus tells that that with man it is impossible, but with God that all things are possible. Man cannot save himself, only God can.
God is holy and hates sin
The writer of Psalm 5:4-5 that God takes no pleasure in wickedness and that God hates iniquity (sin). No wickedness dwells with God. If you are arrogant, you shall not stand before God.
Jesus Christ is God
In Colossians 2:9, Paul tells us that in Jesus all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form. Jesus is God!
Christ’s death on the cross was for our sins
Christ’s death on the cross was not for anything the He did. He lived a perfect, sinless life. His death on the cross was for our sins. He took on the punishment of His Father that we deserved. God’s wrath fell on Jesus. He loved us so much that He obeyed His Father up to His death, even on the cross. His death brought us to God, death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.
Christ offers heaven as a free gift of God
Due to our sin, our punishment should be death. With Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, we get a free gift from God…eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Strategy for Evangelism
| I love the story Moody used to tell. He said he was visiting a Chicago art gallery, and he stood before a painting entitled what Ruth has played for us tonight, “Rock of Ages.” The picture showed a person with both hands clinging to a cross that was embedded in a rock. While a stormy sea smashed against the rock, he hung to the cross. Moody said, “I thought it was the most beautiful picture that I had ever seen. Years later,” he said, “I saw a similar picture. This one showed a person in a storm holding a cross, but with one hand while he was reaching to a drowning man with the other.” Moody said, “That was lovelier yet.” We’re rich at Grace Church. I hope we’re not forgetful of those that desperately need what we possess. John MacArthur Sermon – Fishing of Men |
Your Life
Your life is a reflection of who you are. It shows the world who you are. The outcome of salvation is dependent on God, but we must live our lives in a way to display God’s light in our lives (Matthew 5:14-16). Philippians 2:14-15 tells us we should be blameless and above reproach. If we don’t live in this manner, we would look like hypocrites. To the unbeliever this could be one of worst things about a believer.
We are looked at every day by everyone. Our lives should be a witness for Christ, ALL THE TIME! Do you reflect godliness, bringing glory to God? Or, if people knew you were a Christian, would you dishonor Christ?
According to Matthew 5:16, good works does not lead us to salvation or heaven. When we accept Christ’s call for salvation and live a righteous life, good works should be the result of our justification and sanctification. We are to glorify God with our good works.
Pray
We should be praying for the salvation of everyone. We should be praying for the salvation of our leaders, as well. It won’t matter much if we pray for them to change their policies, if they lose their soul to hell. Remember, Christ’s primary concern is saving the lost. 1 Timothy 2:1-8 goes in detail in praying for everyone in that it is “good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
As Paul prayed for others, their salvation was on his heart (Romans 10:1). We should have that same heart as he had. Paul requested prayer from the Colossians (Colossians 4:3-4) that God would open up a door for the word, so that he may speak forth the mystery of Christ…that he may make it clear in the way he ought to speak. Ask other believers to pray for you that the Holy Spirit would help you give you confidence (Acts 4:29) to speak the gospel to others.
Use God’s Word
God’s Word is a powerful weapon. Do not rely on your own strength or knowledge. It is the only offensive weapon in our armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17). It is God’s Word that is able to pierce the soul, to judge man’s thoughts. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to convict a person of his sin and need for a Savior. It is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
According to 2 Timothy 3:15, the Scriptures give you wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion
Evangelism is what our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded. He seeks the one lost sheep and leaves the ninety-nine behind. He has the heart for the lost, as we should as well. This lesson covered many aspects of evangelism of spreading the gospel (good and bad news), evangelism as a command from the Lord, the essentials, and the strategy of evangelism.
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