Series: Two Ways to Live
Category: Core Seminars, Faith, Perseverance of the Saints, Repentance, The Gospel, Evangelism
Detail:
PRAYER
Welcome to the SIXTH and FINAL class in the Two Ways to Live Core Seminar .
The goal of this class, once again , is to:
SOLIDIFY the content of the gospel in our own minds , so thatit would help us better share it with others.
I hope this class has been encouraging
Let's be intentional prayerful opportunities
Review
Over the last FIVE WEEKS we’ve learned how to present GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ, which was the goal So let’s review, one last time, what we have covered in our time over the last 6 weeks.
Cell 1
Summary:
- God created EVERYTHING
- is the LOVING RULER
- He made us in His image
o to be rulers of the world, under
Verse: Revelation 4:11 –
“You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power ,
for you created ALL things and by your will they existed and were created.”
Picture:
Cell 2
Summary:
- Man sinned by rebelling against God,
- and we try to run life….our OWN way and NOT
- By doing so, we live in misery and have made a mess of everything.
Verse:
Romans 3:10-12 –
“None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside;
Picture:
Cell 3
Summary:
- God won’t let us rebel forever
- and will punish us through death and judgment for eternity.
Verse: Hebrews 9:27 –
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment ”
Picture:
Cell 4:
Summary: God chose to SAVE man from sin through Jesus Christ, the Son of God . Jesus came into the world, took on human flesh, lived the sinless life we couldn’t, and died the death that we deserved.
Verse: 1 Peter 3:18 -
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…”
Picture:
Cell 5:
Summary: Jesus didn’t stay dead, but he rose again to life and ascended to heaven where he sits at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus has conquered death, gives new life, and will return to judge.
Verse: 1 Peter 1:3 -
“In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
Picture:
III. Two Ways to Live
Well…knowing the GOSPEL is ONE THING , but KNOWING HOW TO PRESENT it FAITHFULLY , is another.
- You see, any gospel presentation will FALL SHORT CALL TO RESPOND .
The TRUTH share isn’t MERELY INFORMATIONAL purposes.
- A “call to respond ” is important because it APPLIES these truths, to the LIVES TELLING the gospel to personally
- The gospel calls for a RESPONSE in the HEARER .
So, where lead
- It leads us to call PEOPLE CHOICE of only …Two Ways to Live !
We say “two ways to live” because there are only:
- two options,
- two paths,
- two ways…that we see in God’s word , after one hears the truths of GOSPEL
In Cell 6 , the VERSE we want to commit to memory is:
John 3:36 , which says:
“ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life ,
but whoever REJECTS the Son will NOT see life,
for God’s wrath remains on him.”
We’re either accepting or rejecting Jesus.
We’re either FOR
We’re either believers or unbelievers .
We’re either saved or condemned .
There are only two choices we can make, only two ways in responding to the gospel.
We can demonstrate this, as shown in Cell 6 , with the following picture:
So, what does a CALL TO RESPOND look like?
>>> Well, in part, you’re ASKING the person you shared the gospel with, what they THINK
- Is this NEW
- Is there anything that they had questions about?
- What do they think
But what’s even MORE believe
A proper response to the gospel, and what we must call people to do, can be summed up in two important words: “repent” and “believe.”
A Christian is someone who has repented believed repent believe
In Mark 1:15 we see Jesus CALLING “repent and believe the good news !”
We see elsewhere PROPER RESPONSE to becoming a Christian, and a follower of Jesus Christ.
In Acts 17:30 , after revealing the TRUTH of God at the Areopagus in Athens, Paul says that God now “ commands all people everywhere to repent .”
And in John 5:24 , Jesus says, “I tell you the truth , whoever hears my word and believes in Him who SENT me, has eternal life and will not be condemned ; he has crossed over from death to life .”
As the Puritan Thomas Watson said: “If ever a soul is to get to heaven, the two wings that get him there are repentance and faith.”
There’s a lot packed into these two words
- so we’re going to look at each separately and explore a little more thoroughly
So, let’s talk a bit more about: Belief
What do you think we mean when we TELL someone that they must believe ?
Trust
While belief means agreeing TRUE , it also means MORE than that.
James makes this point vividly when he says that even DEMONS believe that there is ONE God (James 2:19).
- Yet, this doesn’t make demons Christians.
- In fact, James says that they “shudder” over this truth.
So, belief is not merely It means personal RELIANCE on those facts.
- Belief is trusting , or having FAITH that God DID create the world and RULES over it.
- It agrees with His statement rebelled deserve punishment .
- It has faith His promise that Jesus Christ died for our sin and was raised to life for our justification .
Such a belief will TRANSFORM think and the way we LIVE .
Our ACTIONS will line up with the GOSPEL and God’s Word .
- We’ll begin to trust promise of salvation.
- We’ll begin offering prayers in faith to an unseen God.
- We’ll begin changing area of our lives –
o where we spend our money ,
o what we do with our time,
o who we date , who we marry
o where we focus our energy
- We’ll begin reading his Word because we TRUST that what God says is true ,
- and we’ll start OBEYING
- We’ll begin HOPING new heaven and the new earth ,
- and we’ll even begin telling others the gospel
FURTHERMORE, REMEMBER to EMPHASIZE, as we EXPLAIN that BELIEVING is TRUSTING : is to POINT to the OBJECT of our TRUST.
It’s NOT belief that matters, but also WHAT believing in.
- There is an OBJECT
- and that object says EVERYTHING FIRMLY
A Christian is not someone who “just believes .”
- A Christian is someone who believes in Jesus Christ and his gospel, because “salvation is found nowhere else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given to men by which we must be saved ” (Acts 4:10-12).
John 3:16 says, “ 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.”
Notice it’s not “believe him ” but “believe in .”
TRUSTING IN GOD also REQUIRES: Continual Belief
The last thing we want to mention about BELIEF one-and-done
In John 3:36 , Jesus says, “Whoever believes
- It’s not “whoever believed ” (past tense), but “whoever BELIEVES
A Christian is one that continues
Just because someone prayed a prayer once asking Jesus into their heart or walked down the aisle, it doesn’t mean that they’re a Christian.
Belief in scripture is understood CONTINUAL TRUST momentary assent .
Repentance
The second word that we want to look at is “repentance .”
And like with “belief,” we want to explore what the Bible says this word means.
Turning from Sin
Repentance is primarily turning from thought word deed
Peter tells the people in Acts 3:19 to “Repent…and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.”
If we’re on a road , SIN is what we’re doing when we drive on that road AWAY from God.
Repentance then would be SLAMMING on our brakes and making a U-turn .
- Repentance is a heart adjustment.
When we repent , we’re showing that we’re NO LONGER following that which is opposed to God.
- We stop sinning, and we begin to take God’s side against our sin.
- We don’t indulge our sinful NATURES and DESIRES , and we STOP DEFENDING our evil actions.
To put it more strongly , repentance means HATING our sin and RESISTING it.
We’ve taken up ARMS and have begun FIGHTING with it, for the sole purpose of putting it to DEATH because we LOVE our God.
Repenting DOESN’T NEVER
- As long as we’re living continue
The difference , though, between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the Christian will STRUGGLE with their SIN and MAKE WAR against it.
Godly Sorrow
Repentance isn’t just feeling sorry sinned . It’s not merely emotions.
We can’t say we’ve repented because we FEEL BAD about our sin.
- There are unfortunate consequences to sin.
o If I lie to my boss and get fired , I’m going to wish I DIDN'T lie and feel bad
- But while everyone feels consequence bad choice ,
- a Christian’s sorrow will show the FRUIT of repentance
They will RENOUNCE their sin, commit to forsaking it, and walk in obedience
Paul says that, “ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret , but worldly sorrow brings death ” (2 Cor. 7:10).
Belief is NOT without action.
There was a REASON repent and believe the good news.
Belief and repentance are not MUTUALLY
- They’re two sides of the same coin .
- If we TURN repentance , we TURN
“Conversion is a single action of TURNING from sin in repentance and turning to Christ in faith .”
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So to summarize what we just covered, the biblical formula for responding to the gospel is repentance and belief .
- This is all that is required .
- There’s NO magic words to say,
o it’s not about raising your hand to accept Christ as your Savior,
o and it’s not about walking down an aisle.
- It’s about living day-in and day-out in repentance and belief .
Our church’s statement of faith has a wonderful summary of these two words we’ve just been discussing:
“We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God; whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy; at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all sufficient Savior.”
What questions do you have on what we have covered so far?
Five Scenarios
So when you call someone to respond to the gospel, you’re likely to get a range of reactions.
So, let’s walk through different likely SCENARIOS to think best help your friend you’ve just shared the gospel with.
THE FIRST RESPONSE YOU MAY GET IS: “No” – Outright Rejection
The most extreme negative response is an answer of, “No, I don’t believe this gospel.” This may just be a simple turning down the offer of the gospel, or it may be more hostile than that.
What do we do with such an BLUNT rejection of the gospel?
How should we respond
The REASONS rejecting the gospel may be many.
- Perhaps the person is a practicing Muslim
o and doesn’t want to be ostracized by their family and friends.
- Or…the person could be a STAUNCH atheist
o Maybe they don’t believe in miracles . They’re naturalists or evolutionists .
- Maybe the person had a BAD experience
o and want NOTHING
While the reasons given for rejecting the gospel can be many, the answer the Bible attributes to REJECTING God’s gospel is man’s love for sin .
The apostle Paul says, “ The sinful mind is hostile to God ” (Rom. 8:7).
While there is tremendous joy in telling others the gospel, there also can be sadness felt when they give a negative response
- We can often feel ATTACKED ourselves or rejected , as though they are disapproving
- and in some sense, they are.
>>>But REMEMBER , it’s not US finally Lord Jesus himself .
- This is what makes the response SAD .
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Rejection of the ONLY WAY to salvation is DEVASTATING
- Instead of choosing GRACE and MERCY in Jesus, they are saying, “I’ll REAP the CONSEQUENCES MY OWN LIFE and ACTIONS !
Ultimately, what WILL SIN GUILT
Jesus says in John 3:18 , “ Whoever believes in [me] is NOT condemned , but whoever DOES NOT believe is condemned already , because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
How should we address an outright rejection of the gospel?
- We should WARN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES for rejecting him.
- It goes back to what we learned about in Cells 2 and 3 about man’s rebellion against God and consequent judgment .
- Although the person might FEEL FREE when they choose to rule their own lives, they’re actually ENSLAVED .
In John 8 when Jesus told the Jews that the TRUTH would set them free, they responded by saying, “ We have never been slaves to anyone .”
- But Jesus replies, “everyone who sins is a SLAVE to sin ” (John 8:32-34 ).
We should also love and pray for them, as well as live in way that is distinct and above reproach. The Lord may use our witness at work or in our community to draw the person back into conversation with us. Paul instructs in Titus 2:7-8 - “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”
THE SECOND RESPONSE YOU MAY GET IS A: “Maybe”
This type of response is an indecisive rejection.
Why does a person respond
It’s polite to be TOLERANT towards what someone believes .
- People don’t want to offend so they may give excuses so that they can get out of the conversation.
- They don’t want to agree wholeheartedly ,
>>>>At the same time, some people are genuinely unsure gospel .
- The gospel may very well be NEW to them,
o and they may want to research it a bit more before deciding.
Our evangelistic outreaches to friends, family, or coworkers may take weeks, or months, or even years.
So, what should indecisive
Well, we probably need to begin by asking WHY hesitant ?
- If they TRULY research the gospel some more,
- Then we should make ourselves available to read through part of the bible with them,
such as the Gospel of Mark (we have a great core seminar class Christianity Explained
- Many people may have doubts about Christianity , but they have NEVER OPENED the BIBLE !
On the other hand, if they’re NOT wanting to pursue the gospel further,
- THEN once again, we need to WARN DANGEROUS
- We need to URGE them to investigate the claims of Jesus, particularly when such matters are of the UTMOST importance in life.
- It’s really a matter of life and death
We should also WARN them that a state of indecisiveness is actually rejecting the gospel.
- There is no MIDDLE ground when it comes to God.
- Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me”
A THIRD TYPE OF RESPONSE MAY BE: “Later” – Passive Rejection
The person doesn’t really DEAL gospel now.
A person may not want to engage with the gospel because they don’t want to make any changes in their lives.
- Maybe they're having LOTS
- or perhaps things are too difficult or hard and they just don’t have time —
- they are just TOO BUSY …
So what should we say to a person who gives this kind response ?
Well, once again, we are dealing with someone who is still REJECTING the gospel, even if they didn’t explicitly say so.
And once again, we need to WARN them that NO ONE is promised another day in this world.
- Just because we’re not experiencing God’s WRATH now, it doesn’t mean that it WON’T be coming.
Jesus tells us to KEEP WATCH and BE READY for when He returns, because NO ONE will know that day or hour (Matt. 25:1-13 ).
For all of the last three responses reject the gospel in one way or another,
- we need to make sure that we’ve made the gospel CLEAR stress the URGENCY decision .
- In addition, we need to CONTINUE pray for them, as opportunity arises.
If you’re a Christian, then you know that even rebellion and rejection , God loved you.
So, remember , you CAN’T make someone accept the gospel – that’s God’s work (1 Cor. 3:6)—
- so continue to faithfully, prayerfully, witness CHRIST and share THE GOSPEL!
As for evangelizing , you’ve been SUCCESSFUL response .
- We cannot and should not badger
- our job is to treat them with respect
- because You never know when God will convict someone of their NEED for Him.
What questions or comments do you have?
“Yes” – Acceptance
A fourth type of RESPONSE to the gospel is an affirmative
- This person believes WANTS
So, what do you tell someone who tells you that they WANT
You call them to repent and believe as we talked about earlier. You explain to them that their only hope of being saved is by acknowledging God’s rightful rule of their life, asking for forgiveness for the sins they’ve committed, and expressing trust and reliance on Christ’s death and resurrection.
And while we don’t want to argue anyone out of accepting Christ, we do want to be clear with them about the cost. Following Christ means renouncing our sin, and potentially friends and family. As Jesus said in Luke 14:33 “any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” Our goal is not to rush anyone into making a decision they don’t fully believe or understand.
As evangelists , we’re not here to SEAL THE DEAL and give our personal affirmation that someone is a Christian.
- Rather, we should POINT promises of forgiveness for those who repent and believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.
- Our assurance is ultimately Christ and His SAVING WORK on the cross.
“I’m Already a Christian”
The fifth and final response that we might get gospel is that they tell you that “they’re already a Christian.”
So how do we respond to this person?
In this day in age, being a Christian LOT of things to a lot of people
- so it’s good to be CLEAR whether or not they believe the gospel message .
One simple place to start is to ask them why they think they are a Christian. If their answer is anything other than because they have placed their faith in Christ to be saved from their sins, then they don’t understand the gospel we’ve talked about during the 6 weeks of this class. They may think because they were baptized, or attend church, or try to do good things that they are a Christian. This then gives us a great opportunity to jump into the gospel and help correct their misunderstandings and point them to Christ.
There are other things we can ask them and observe in their life. We should look for FRUIT For example we can ask them:
if they are members of a gospel preaching church?
- How has God been growing them spiritually ?
- In what areas do they struggle with sin?
Asking these questions can help us discern whether this person is demonstrating a life of obedience to Christ or just has a misunderstanding of what a Christian is.
VI. Conclusion
Let's conclude.
In the first class, we defined what evangelism is.
We said that evangelism is presenting SPECIFIC message (the Gospel of Jesus Christ)
- to a specific people (lost men and women),
- in the power of the Holy Spirit ,
- with a specific purpose (the aim that they would repent and believe).
Over the last 6 weeks we have covered a different aspect of the gospel as we have walked through this Two Ways to Live tract. We were reminded that:
God is the good ruler and creator of the world and us
We have rebelled against God, violating his law
God is just and will punish us for our sin
God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to live the life we couldn’t and die the death we deserved
Jesus didn’t stay dead but rose again conquering death and sin, and
we must call people to respond in repentance and faith
Graham and I hope you have been equipped to better explain the gospel to the non-Christians in your life through this core seminar. And we hope that you personally have been stirred up by the reminder of the salvation we have received by God’s grace.
Let’s pray.
