Question:
Dear Pastor, I wrote you about a month ago asking how to regain the closeness to the Lord. I am so thankful to report that since that time, I am having regular quiet times in the Word, and even more importantly, am aware of God’s presence in my life at every moment. Thank you so much for your encouragement during that very “dry season” of my faith. I have a question for you. I am now having such a burden to share Jesus with my friends and co-workers. I’ve been praying for opportunities and have been seeing them open up. After listening to you for several months, I am also aware of how easily we add things to the plan of salvation. I remember you saying once that repentance is not a pre-requisite to salvation, nor is salvation dependent upon ‘giving your life to the Lord’. This is opposite to what I had heard growing up. I want to share Jesus, but I want to make sure I am sharing what is Biblically sound. I don’t want anyone led astray or worse, believing that they are Christians only to find out (too late) that they were not. I know that I am a Christian, in that I know that it’s only by Jesus’s death and resurrection that I am able to go to heaven. He did it all, I did nothing, except accept His offer of salvation. I need your help, though, in explaining this to my friends/colleagues. Can you identify the scriptures you use when leading someone to Christ, as well as a sample prayer? Is it wrong to have people pray for Jesus to be the Savior and Lord of their life? Does asking Him to be Lord add to the invitation of salvation? Thank you so much!!!
Answer:
CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH 4811 GEORGE ROAD TAMPA, FL 33634 PHONE 813-884-4328 DR HANK LINDSTROM, PASTOR EFFECTIVE PERSONAL WORKER I. QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE PERSONAL WORKER A. Genuine love for the Lord and for the lost (I Corinthians 13:1-13) B. Paul’s formula for soul-winning (I Thessalonians 2) 1. BOLDNESS vs.2 2. TESTIMONY vs. 3 3. RESPONSIBILITY vs. 4 4. SINCERITY vs. 4 5. HONESTY vs. 5 6. SOUGHT NO GLORY vs. 6 7. GENTLENESS vs. 7 8. LOVE vs. 8 9. LABOR AND TRAVAIL vs. 9 10. A GODLY EXAMPLE vs. 10 11. A WALK WORTHY OF GOD vs. 12 C. Clearness of the message (I Thessalonians 2:4; II Corinthians 3:12; I Corinthians 14:8.) II. STEPS IN LEADING A SOUL TO CHRIST A. Establish the fact that all men are sinners. (Romans 3:10; 3:23; Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9; James 2:10) B. Establish the fact that the penalty of sin is death. (Romans 6:23; Ezekiel 18:20) C. Establish the fact that you must be perfect to enter heaven. (Revelation 21:27; Habakkuk 1:13; Psalm 5:4) D. Establish the fact that a man can do nothing of himself to obtain this perfection. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 2:16; Romans 4:5) E. Show how God provided a sin-bearer and imputes to man His righteousness. (II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9; Isaiah 53:6; I Peter 3:18) F. Establish the fact that man needs only belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior for salvation. (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10; John 1:12; Acts 16:31) G. Establish the fact that man cam be certain of his salvation now, and that his salvation cannot be lost because eternal life is eternal. (John 6:37-39; 10:28; I Peter 1:5; Hebrews 10:10-14; I John 5:13) III. REMARKS: Of course, there are no set steps in leading a person to Christ. This is a general plan that has proven very successful in actual practice, the emphasis being shifted from one point to another, depending upon the need of the particular individual. Repentance is not left out of the above steps, but is included with different wording. One of the counterfeits Satan is using today is the misuse of the word “repent.” To insist upon repentance that in any sense includes a demand for a change of conduct either toward God or man is to add an element of works or human effort to faith. Penance is payment for sin. Penitence is sorrow for sin. Works and something of self is turning from sin. But repent (metanoeo) means a change of mind. Repentance in salvation means a change of mind from any idea of religion that man might have and accepting God’s way of salvation. Man’s great need is to understand God’s way of salvation and to accept His sacrifice. Nowhere does the Scripture use the phrase “repent of sin” to be saved. Scripture says in Acts 20:21; “repentance toward God.” (change of mind), and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.