The Strand Study Bible

Written From Corinth During Paul’s Third Missionary Journey

ROMANS

1846

How to Witness for Christ

1. Make sure your “motive” is right According to Revelation 2: 1- 4 , “why” we do what we do (be it witnessing, giving, praying, etc.) is everything when it comes to serving God. Our motive for witnessing should be based upon the love of the Master and His mission (Rom 8:38-39 and II Cor 5:14 -15), not the applause of men and their movements. Our job is to witness to people; God’s job is to win people (I Cor 3::5-9). As Christians, we should never witness for the sake of a man or his ministry, but for the Master and His message. As Christians, we need to stay focused on Who it is we are witnessing for. 2. Make sure your “priorities” are right Learn to live by faith (what God says), not feelings. Because the foolishness of preaching (I Cor 1:18) glorifies God (Jn 15:8) and God commands us to witness (Mt 4:19 & 28:18-20 and I Pet 3:15), we ought to learn to witness wherever we are (Mt 6:33, Acts 1:8 & 20:20). 3. Make sure you take the “right items” with you when you go : (1) a determination not to be deterred (if Jesus was determined to get to the cross, then we ought to be determined to preach it - Lk 9:51-53); (2) a small New Testament, tracts, and a pen (Rom 10:17 and I Pet 1:23); (3) a partner (Mk 6:7 & 11:1 & 14:13 and Eccl 4:9); (4) prayer (Lk 24:49); (5) a good knowledge of the Gospel (Rom 1:16); (6) dignity (those who represent God, the King, ought to look, smell, and act decent - II Cor 5:20); and (7) your testimony (Acts 22:6-11 & 26:12-18). How to present the Gospel 1. Start with your testimony 2. Then ask them if they are interested in knowing what you know 3. Begin with Romans 1:16 Understanding the Gospel (good news) is what saves a person. However, there is no such thing as good news unless it counters bad news. 4. Give them the bad news The bad news comes in three parts: * Romans 3:10 (No one is “good enough” to get to Heaven. Even our “righteousness” is as filthy rags to God – Isa 64:6) * Romans 3:23 (Everyone is in the “same boat” when it comes to sin. “All” come short of gaining Heaven) * Romans 6:23 (Because we are sinners, we will die twice – Lk 12:4-5 and Rev 20:14-15) 5. Give them the Good News The good news comes in three parts, countering the bad news: * Matthew 1:21-23 (God stepped out of eternity and stepped into time 2,000 years ago in order to become our sacrificial LAMB and die for our sins – I Cor 15:3 and Jn 1:29). * Matthew 27:57-60 (Jesus died for our sins by giving up certain aspects of His eternal authority with the other two Persons of the Trinity and was buried – I Cor 15:4 and Mt 27:46) * Matthew 28:6 (Jesus rose again the third day, proving He is, was and always will be God, and if God, then able to keep His promise to save us– I Cor 15:4 and Rom 10:9-13) 6. Ask them four questions to see if they understood the bad/good news * Do you believe you are a sinner? * Do you believe your sin is bad enough to send you to Hell? (This is why you need a Savior) * Do you believe Christ is God and that He came to this earth 2000 years ago to die for your sins, be buried, and rise again? * Now that you understand the Gospel, if you meant it in your heart and you asked Jesus to save you, do you think that He would? He said He would. 7. Lead them in the sinner’s prayer “Dear Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and condemned to Hell, but you loved me enough to step out of eternity and into time 2000 years ago just to die for my sins, be buried, and rise again. Save me Lord Jesus, Amen.”