Do you sometimes wonder what to tell people about how to be saved? In a nutshell, the Christian message of Good News is a message about 4 things: (1) God, (2) Sin, (3) Jesus Christ, (4) Repenting and believing.
Here are some key points to think about covering:
1. Share the news about God…
- that He’s our creator (Acts 17:24) – and so we owe our very existence to him
- that He’s all-knowing; all-powerful and, of course, we find ourselves totally in his hands
- that he’s revealed His perfect standards for us in the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:1-17)
- the He’s a gracious and loving being who will by no means leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:6,7)
2. Share the news about sin…
- that it’s more than mere shortcomings as judged by our own, or society’s, best standards
- that it’s more than merely something we have a conscience about
- rather, true conviction of sin is an awareness:
- of our specific sins (Ps 51:1-4)
- of our inherent sinfulness (Ps 51:5,6)
- of our wrong relationship with God (Ps 51:7-10)
- in short, it is seeing ourselves as God sees us; totally corrupted; exposed to his wrath; and needing to be created anew
3. Share the news about Jesus Christ…
- as one now living
- having once come from God into humanity to die for us
- his crucifixion actually being his work of salvation as predicted in the Bible
- that we are to ‘believe in the Lord Jesus’ (Acts 16:31) – to receive the blessings his death has secured
4. Share the news about repenting and believing…
- that repenting is more than regret about our past
- that believing is more than optimism for our future
- that repenting is a far-reaching change of heart and mind leading to a true disciple spirit (Luke 9:23)
- that believing is entrusting ourselves to, and resting fully on, the promises of God’s grace (John 3:16)
The Christian Gospel demands a response – so remember to leave the challenge, “What is your response?”
Encourage them to acknowledge to themselves and to God:
- that they have sinned (Rom 3:23)
- that they can do nothing to make themselves acceptable to God (Eph 2:8,9)?
- That Jesus Christ, God’s Son, did what they couldn’t do – He paid the price of their forgiveness before a holy God by His death on the cross (1 Cor 15:3)
- Their readiness to repent and receive by faith Jesus Christ as their personal saviour (Acts 20:21).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)