Witnessing

RESPONSIBILITY OF WITNESSING

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost {Spirit] is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Who is responsible for the declaration of the Gospel — the good news of salvation — to the unbelieving world? Is the duty and privilege of witnessing reserved solely for ministers, missionaries and evangelists? Far from it! Personal evangelism is the responsibility of EVERY believer in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Before He returned to heaven, the Lord commissioned born-again believers to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. His command is repeated in several of the epistles; thus the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). An ambassador is a high-ranking minister of state, often a member of royalty or nobility, sent to another state to represent his sovereign on official business.

Ambassadorship exists in the spiritual as well as in the temporal realm. Like earthly ambassadors, we did not appoint ourselves but were appointed by our Savior to represent Him on earth as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords while He is at the right hand of the Father. As children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, we were born again into a high and noble position; we are not only citizens of this country, but also “fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19). As the heavenly King’s personal representatives on the earth, we are in full-time Christian service, regardless of our vocation or profession. We do not act in our own interest but in the interest of our Lord. Like earthly ambassadors, we receive our instructions in written form, and we must remain at our post of duty until the Lord recalls us. Every perfect provision is made for us by our Sovereign; yet our effectiveness as ambassadors depends upon our understanding of our mission. Like all functions in life, particularly spiritual functions, witnessing requires proper motivation, adequate

preparation and knowledge of pertinent doctrines.

Apart from the divine appointment of each individual believer as an ambassador, there exists the spiritual gift of evangelism (Eph. 4:11). Both functions coexist in God’s Plan, but because their simultaneous operation is not correctly taught, personal witnessing is frequently distorted into a merit system or is set aside entirely in favor of mass evangelism. As a result, there prevails today a non-biblical pattern: an evangelist is invited to some church to conduct a “revival,’ and members

of that church bring their friends to hear him. If a few people are saved in this “revival,” believers often think that their personal obligation to witness has been fulfilled. Consequently, the erroneous concept has developed that evangelism should be confined to a local church or public building.

Let me correct this misconception. First of all, in its true sense, a revival concerns believers, not unbelievers. Second, the primary function of the local church is the communication of Bible doctrine to believers so they might grow in grace and become spiritually self-sustaining, or mature. Third, most unbelievers will come to church only under some type of pressure or coercion. In the wrong frame of mind, they are resentful and scarcely give their full attention to the Gospel. Instead of

responding to the message, they may react to it and wait impatiently for the service to end.

But let us assume evangelism is carried out under more favorable conditions. Suppose that we had an evangelist at our church for a week, and fifty of those who attended responded to the Gospel. It is wonderful when even one person accepts Christ as Savior; but here are FIFTY who did! Isn’t that just great? Think again! In our hypothetical case, let’s say that we had exactly one thousand church members, and all of these one thousand believers began to witness to those unbelievers with whom they rub elbows every day. This might take place in the office, at the factory, in the shop — on their own time, not on the employers’ time, of course! It might occur on the campus or in the barracks — wherever they associate with unbelievers. Suppose that in a given week each of the church members led one person to Jesus Christ. Now here is a totally different picture: you have ONE THOUSAND converts in contrast to the FIFTY! The entire concept of biblical witnessing is that believers should go outside the local church in order to disseminate the Gospel. The cause of Christ would move forward rapidly if we but followed the principles of evangelism as they are set forth in Scripture. The point is that although not every believer is an evangelist, every believer is responsible for witnessing!

AGENCIES OF WITNESSING

The first declaration of the Gospel occurred in the Garden of Eden after the Fall, with the Lord Himself as the Evangelist and the first man and his wife as the recipients of the good news of salvation (Gen. 3:15-21). After the regeneration of Adam and Eve, the Gospel became their sacred trust, and witnessing operated on what I call the “family plan.” According to this system, the first parents set the precedent for all future parents in that they evangelized their own children.

It was not long before response and reaction to the Gospel divided the human race into two camps believers and unbelievers. For example, Abel responded to the offer of salvation and believed in the Son of God; Cain reacted against the offer and became the first to reject eternal life. The pattern was established. Then followed Cain’s murder of Abel (Gen. 4:8) and God’s restoration of the regenerate line through Seth, who responded positively to the Gospel (Gen. 4:25, 26). The history

and culture of the believing line of Seth and the unbelieving line of Cain are traced in Genesis 4 and 5.

The family concept of evangelization continued through Noah and his family until the time of the Flood (Gen. 7). After the Flood, God commanded that the posterity of Noah’s sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth, be divided into separate nations (Gen. 10). As these new nations developed and expanded, evangelism was generally contained within each national entity.

With the passing of time, mankind became increasingly preoccupied with the details of life — material possessions, friends, loved ones, pleasures and success; consequently, they turned a deaf ear to the Gospel. When people reject the grace of God in salvation, and when believers neglect Bible doctrine, decadence and apostasy invariably take over. This was the case at the time of the construction of the Tower of Babel: the need for evangelism was forgotten, and man substituted his own plans for those of God (Gen. 11:1-9). God had to break up the first “United Nations’ to assure that witnessing continue on a world-wide basis. The family system of witnessing was replaced with one specific missionary agency the nation Israel. God called out one believing Gentile, Abram, to become the father of the Jewish race (Gen. 12:1-3) and, over a period of four hundred years, formed this nation.

Israel was made God’s appointed custodian of divine truth and was given the responsibility of evangelizing the world (Rom. 3:1, 2). Instead of carrying out their assignment, the Israelites came to regard salvation as a Jewish monopoly and ultimately failed in their mission. A particularly apostate period in their history brought the Jews under severe divine discipline — the Babylonian captivity, following which God graciously promised His people an additional 490 years of missionary activity. This period was cut short seven years as a result of Israelis national rejection of their Messiah and the subsequent death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. The Jews still “owe” God seven years of witnessing; yet so great were Israelis failures that God set the nation aside temporarily in favor of a new agency — the Church.

When I say “Church,” I do not mean any specific local church; I refer to all individuals who have personally received Christ as Savior during the Church Age (from the day of Pentecost, A.D. 33 until the Rapture) — born-again believers from every nation on the face of the earth. So, if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are a member of the Church universal; you are responsible to God for the dissemination of the Gospel in your own nation. Because of the confusion about personal evangelism, we have missed a great opportunity to win souls to Christ in our generation. America is not a Christian nation; our citizens are as desperately in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the heathen in darkest Africa are! How can we hope to send out missionaries if we cannot witness effectively in our own backyard?

Following the removal of the Church from this earth at the Rapture (1 Thess. 4:13-18), there will occur a seven-year period known in the Bible as the “Great Tribulation’’ h (Matt 24:21; Rev. 7:14). Once again, the Jews will assume their role as the Lord’s witnesses, for this final period of the Jewish Age completes the 490 years God promised Israel for evangelism. In those seven terrible years, the testimony of angelic witnesses (Rev. 14:6, 7) and that of the resurrected Moses and Elijah

(Rev. 11:3-12) will spread the Gospel throughout the world. Grace always precedes judgment!

Then follows the Millennium.” Although the personal reign of Jesus Christ begins with believers only, the birth of unbelievers during that period will make witnessing necessary. The responsibility of personal evangelism rests with individual believers living in that era of history. So great will be the saturation of the Gospel message that Isaiah 11:9 predicts that “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Thus, while the agencies for witnessing in each dispensation are slightly different, the means of salvation is always the same — faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ (Acts. 4:12)!

MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE FOR WITNESSING

It is a well-known fact that you cannot communicate what you do not know! If your knowledge of the good news of salvation is fuzzy, so will be your presentation. As a result, the person to whom you witness will have no clear understanding of the Gospel or the issue in salvation. Often, there is too much zeal in witnessing and too little knowledge. For example, zealous but ignorant Christians have a mistaken idea of what constitutes genuine conversion; usually, they want everyone to

give up his sins and change his wicked ways. Yet salvation is entirely-the work of God! Therefore, if you want to be effective in witnessing, it is imperative that you understand your subject. Note, I did not say that you must understand the whole realm of doctrine in order to tell others of God’s Plan of salvation; what I am saying is that you should at least know what that Plan is all about! Furthermore, you should be cognizant of where your part in witnessing ends and that of the Holy Spirit begins; you should master the prerequisites for successful personal evangelism. What, then, is the minimal knowledge standard for effective witnessing?

1. Witnessing is the responsibility of every believer. There are two areas in which you may witness your life (2 Cor. 3:3; 6:3) and your lips (2 Cor. 5:14-21; 6:2).

2. Witnessing involves knowledge of Bible doctrines pertinent to salvation, including Christology, Soteriology/Reconciliation, the Judgment of Human Good and the Last Judgment.

3. Clarity of witnessing demands your accurate understanding of the two deaths spiritual and physical of Jesus Christ on the Cross.

4. The challenge of witnessing comes from the Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement (1 John 2:2). Christ died for all mankind!

5. The dynamics of witnessing are determined by your mental attitude and are related to your spiritual growth or maturity.

6. The effectiveness of witnessing depends on the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.

7. Confidence in witnessing comes from your own assurance of eternal security.

8. The reward of witnessing is a part of your blessings in time and in eternity.

With these prerequisites in mind, let us examine their practical aspect in your fulfillment of the divine commission — communication of the Gospel to an unbeliever on a personal basis. The dynamics of witnessing by life and lips are stated in 1 Thessalonians 1:4,5:

Knowing, brethren, beloved by God, His choice of you as members of His Royal Family. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power; even the power, even the Holy Spirit and full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we became among you for your sake (expanded trans.).

Before you open your mouth in a verbal presentation of the Gospel, you should be keenly aware that God has chosen you, a member of His Royal Family (believers in the Church Age), to be His ambassador. Your life has a very definite meaning and purpose, for your Lord has committed to you the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18, 19). At one time you, too, were the enemy of God (Rom. 5:10); yet that enmity was removed by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Now you are a child of God and beloved by Him; you have something really worthwhile to communicate to others. But how do you go about it? Your initial step is to learn Bible doctrines pertinent to salvation. First of all, there is the Doctrine of Reconciliation.

Reconciliation is the removal of the antagonism between God and man, the first work of God from which man benefits eternally. Until Jesus Christ reconciled man to God, God and man were separated by an impassable Barrier. The Barrier consisted of sin, the penalty of sin, the problem of physical birth, the problem of the character of God, the relative righteousness of man, and man’s position in Adam, in contrast to the eternal life and absolute righteousness of God. No matter how good or religious man might be, he does not have the ability to penetrate this Barrier. If you are to clearly present salvation, you must understand the, mechanics of the removal of the Barrier — the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. Jesus Christ died for the sins of the entire world and thereby redeemed mankind; He paid the penalty for sin; He made possible our new birth regeneration; He propitiated (satisfied) the Father’s righteous demands; He credited His own perfect righteousness to all who will believe in-Him and vindicated them in God’s sight. Finally, He placed us in His own family — in short, Christ totally and completely removed the Barrier. There is nothing to keep man from God except his own attitude toward Jesus Christ. If you can communicate the Doctrine of Reconciliation, you will eliminate all fuzzy thinking and all false issues; you will leave behind the information needed upon which an individual can make his decision — for or against the Savior.

I have dealt with many unbelievers who were hostile to the message of grace. They had attended a number of evangelistic meetings where the evangelists had failed to clearly present the Gospel. Instead, they had made an issue of sins. Even if everyone in the world stopped sinning today, none of them would be any closer to heaven! Sin is simply not the issue; Christ is the issue. The objective in witnessing is not to get people to stop sinning — that would be a hopeless task; the emphasis is on the work of Christ as the SOLUTION to sin!

Many a person has come away from an evangelistic meeting with the impression that in order to be saved, he had to (1) give up his bad habits; (2) stand up in front of everyone present and so make a fool of himself; (3) weep great tears of repentance at the mourner’s bench or at the altar down front; or (4) have an ecstatic experience. No wonder he bristles with antagonism at the sound of the Gospel!

There are always those who want to help God by adding to salvation — by walking down the aisle, by feeling sorry for sins, by being baptized. God does not need any help! He provided salvation all by Himself! Often people are saved IN SPITE of the emphasis on false issues; yet salvation is always by-FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! NOTHING MORE — NOTHING LESS! The only way to make the issue clear to the unbeliever is to be sure that you have declared, once and for all, that the Lord Jesus Christ did ALL the work (Eph. 2:8, 9; Tit. 3:5). There is nothing man can do for salvation but BELIEVE in Him (John 1:12; Acts 16:31). This is where the Gospel comes in!

The word “Gospel” means “good news.” While it is true that we are all sinners, this is not part of the Gospel. The indictment that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23) is bad news; so is the verdict: “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). The good news begins with the fact that Christ died for our sins. He took our place so that we might be saved. The good news is that “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). We need to give the world this good news of salvation! In the process of witnessing, you will often encounter this question: “What about the heathen who have never heard the Gospel?” While this question has a biblical answer, it must first of all be regarded for what it generally is — the unbeliever’s attempt to take the pressure off himself by changing the subject. Just remember that your duty is to present and clarify the Gospel, not to apologize for it! However, there are four approaches to the subject of heathenism.

1. Definition of heathenism. Heathen are heathen not because they have never heard the Gospel, but because they have heard it and rejected the truth (Rom. 1:18-32).

2. God-consciousness. Sooner or later, all normal members of the human race reach the point of God-consciousness. At that time, man will be either positive or negative toward God. Should he desire relationship with God, he will receive information upon which to make a decision (John 7:17). If he is negative, then God is not responsible for providing information. (Any member of the human race who dies before he reaches God-consciousness, or the age of accountability, is saved by grace. Individuals such as morons, idiots and mongoloids are saved because they lack the mental faculties to

reach God-consciousness and cannot be held accountable for their decisions. All others are without excuse (Rom. 1:19, 20)!)

3. The application of divine essence. From the standpoint of divine essence, heathenism has never presented a problem. As the ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN of the universe, God possesses absolute volition. “The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish’ (2 Pet. 3:9). Since it is God’s will that no one perish. He desires that every human being be saved (1 Tim. 2:4). God has not only provided the solution to man’s sin problem through the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, but He

has also seen to it that pertinent information is disseminated. God has made every necessary provision so that ALL members of the human race have the opportunity to be saved. What keeps God’s sovereign will from being fulfilled in the matter of salvation? The coexistence of human volition with divine volition, expressed in human rejection of the grace provision of the Savior. God will never violate human volition. He offers salvation freely; whether or not you accept it is entirely up to

you!

God is PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUSTICE.

Therefore, He is absolutely fair in all His dealings with mankind — in His indictment and condemnation of the human race (Rom. 3:23; 6:23a) as well as in His provision of the Plan of grace (Rom. 6:23b). God is LOVE. His love for man is manifested in every phase of His Plan, from the matchless gift of His Son (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8) to the point of salvation; from total provision in time to endless blessings in eternity! Now, when God’s love is spurned, God’s righteousness and justice

must be accepted as the alternative!

Because God is ETERNAL LIFE, His every characteristic is perpetuated forever. Furthermore, He is willing to share His kind of life with all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who reject eternal happiness choose eternal condemnation (John 3:18; Acts 13:46).

God’s OMNISCIENCE, OMNIPRESENCE and OMNIPOTENCE extend His gracious offer to every member of the human race regardless of his geographical location, isolation, circumstances or linguistic barrier. He knows exactly who is and who is not desirous of salvation; He knows how and where they can be reached with the Gospel; He is able to save to the uttermost all who will be saved.

Then there is God’s IMMUTABILITY, which guarantees that God’s Plan of salvation will never change and that His offer will never be withdrawn as long as man lives on the earth. The VERACITY of God guarantees His Word and promises. Since He obligates Himself to save WHOSOEVER wishes to be saved, He will not welsh on His word. He means what He says, be it the gracious offer of salvation on the one hand, or the warning of condemnation on the other! From century to century, God’s Plan of salvation includes EVERY HUMAN BEING from frozen Lapland to darkest Africa! If man is not saved, it is his own fault not God’s!

4. The Doctrine of Unlimited Atonement Jesus Christ is the Savior of all men in the sense that He died on the Cross for ALL MANKIND. 1 John 2:2 states that “ .. . he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” Thus, the solution to man’s problem is universal in nature: all are SAVABLE; yet not all will be saved!

Minimal knowledge for witnessing further includes two judgments: the judgment of human good and the Last Judgment. Both will occur simultaneously at the end of time. You see, when Jesus Christ died on the Cross, He was judged for the sins of the entire world. Once the sin problem was solved, sin ceased to be an issue in salvation. At the same time, Christ rejected human good man’s effort to gain God’s approval by his own good works. The issue in salvation, therefore, is the work of Christ versus human good. All who rely on their own good deeds to get them into heaven are in for a big disappointment, for there is no place for man’s efforts in the Plan of God (Tit. 3:5)! Many people ask questions about the Last Judgment. Are you prepared to answer them?

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them (Rev. 20:11).

Visualize our Lord seated on his throne (John 5:22). Before Him all the unbelievers of the human race will be gathered. There will be no believers at the Last Judgment, because “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. . .” (Rom. 8:1). If you have received Christ as your Savior, you are spared from the Last Judgment.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works (Rev. 20:12).

There are two sets of books kept for the Last Judgment. First of all, there is the Book of Life which records the names of all who have personally received Christ as Savior and are notable by their absence. The interesting thing about the Book of Life is that originally all members of the human race were listed in it. But when a person dies without accepting Jesus Christ, his name is BLOTTED OUT of the Book of Life (Rev. 3:5; 1 John 5:5). Secondly, there are the Books of Works. These books contain the names of all unbelievers, as well as every good deed they have done. You see, when a person rejects Christ as Savior, he is saying, in effect, “I can stand on my own good works; I have no need for Christ!''''' WORKS versus WORKS! Energy-of-the-flesh works versus the work of Christ salvation by good deeds versus salvation by grace!

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their work (Rev. 20:13).

At the Last Judgment, every person who stands at the judgment bar is there because of unbelief. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). Sin is NOT the basis of the Last Judgment — in fact, sin will not even be mentioned! I repeat, the people who stand there have rejected Christ as Savior, and the basis for their indictment will be their works. No matter how many good works they have performed, these all add up to MINUS-R. Man’s minus-righteousness cannot have fellowship with God’s plus-righteousness. The ONLY way to get PLUS-R is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

A perfect example of attempted salvation by works is found in Romans 9. This is the great indictment against the Old Testament Jews who failed to recognize the true purpose of the Law.

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith (Rom. 9:30).

Many hundreds of thousands of Gentiles were saved in Old Testament times without any exposure to Israel or knowledge of the Mosaic Law.

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness (Rom. 9:31).

What tripped up the Jews was their effort to be saved by their good deeds — and their good deeds condemned them! They pursued after a righteousness based on the Law.

Every member of the human race ultimately makes a choice, either to accept the work of Jesus Christ on his behalf, or to reject it. Christ died for the sins of the world, so SIN IS NOT THE ISSUE! The issue is “What will you do with Christ?” If you reject Him, you will stand on your own good deeds, just as did the unbelieving Jews of the Old Testament

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock

of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (Rom. 9:32, 33).

That is a brief description of why certain Jews who had the Old Testament Scriptures and knew the Mosaic Law missed the boat. They chose their own good deeds rather than the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That takes us back to Revelation 20.

And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14, 15).

Since Jesus Christ died for the sins of the entire world, God cannot hold the personal sins of the human race against them!! Therefore, the only basis for indicting any member of the human race is his rejection of God’s solution the Lord Jesus Christ! If you understand this particular point, then, in your own words, your own personality, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, you are in a perfect position to witness for Christ and to make known the Good News.

PRINCIPLES OF WITNESSING

Effective witnessing demands a thorough understanding of a number of principles. Because too many Christians fail to learn these principles or the doctrines which undergird them, they think that greatness in the believer’s life is measured by the number of people to whom he witnesses in a day or a week. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Witnessing is not soap salesmanship; witnessing is the fulfillment of a divine command in which the believer plays a minor role and the Holy Spirit has the major role. This brings us to our first principle.

1. The Holy Spirit is the Sovereign Executive of witnessing.

And he (Holy Spirit), when he comes, will convince the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment. Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me (expanded trans., John 16:8, 9).

In these words, Jesus prophesied the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), as well as His convicting ministry to the world concerning “sin, righteousness and judgment.” I have on occasion been subjected to sermons on this topic in which the minister or evangelist vociferously harangued his audience about five or six overt sins which were obviously objectionable and shocking to him. Invariably, the conclusion was that these were precisely the types of sins of

which the Holy Spirit convicted mankind! To ascribe the convicting ministry of the Spirit to various and sundry sins is, of course, way off base and shallow! Notice that Jesus Christ spoke of SIN in the singular. When the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, it is of only ONE SIN: “OF SIN, BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE NOT ON ME.” In dealing with the unbeliever, the Holy Spirit emphasizes one sin only the UNPARDONABLE SIN rejection of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Why is it necessary that God the Holy Spirit have a part of witnessing for Christ? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 2:14:

But the soulish man (unbeliever) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him. And he is not able to obtain knowledge of the gospel because they are discerned from the source of the human spirit (expanded trans.).

The soul of the unbeliever differs from the soul of the believer. Every human being born into this world possesses a soul, a body, and in the body, an old sin nature. However, man is born without a human spirit. (The human spirit is acquired only at the moment of salvation.)

Now, 1 Corinthians 2:14 states that spiritual phenomena cannot be understood without a human spirit. How, then, can the Gospel spiritual phenomena enter the soulish mind of the "natural'''' man? This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who ACTS in place of the missing human spirit to make the Gospel real and understandable to the unbeliever. This is precisely why the Holy Spirit must be the Sovereign Executive in witnessing. Once a person accepts Christ as Savior, he receives his own human spirit, as well as the indwelling Holy Spirit He is then capable of assimilating the details of the Gospel as well as additional doctrinal information.

2. Pertinent Bible doctrine is the weapon of witnessing. For I am not ashamed of the gospel: because it is the power of God with reference to salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile (expanded trans., Rom. 1:16).

For the word of the Cross is to them who are perishing foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God (expanded trans., 1 Cor .l:18).

The Gospel is the powerful weapon of witnessing. This does not mean that you are limited to the use of Scripture portions; you may present Gospel information as you have categorized it in your soul. But by all means, use what Gospel verses you know, for the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to penetrate the mind of the unbeliever. Pertinent Scripture breaks through when nothing else will do the job!

Anyone who witnesses must believe that the Word of God is powerful enough to reach the unbeliever.

For the word of God is quick {alive], and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb. 4:12).

Furthermore, you have God’s guarantee that His Word will never return void, but rather that it will prosper and accomplish God’s will (Isa. 55:11). However, do not get into an argument or controversy as to whether or not the Bible is indeed the Word of God!

If I confront an attacker with a revolver in my hand, I don’t say, “This is a .357 magnum. Smith & Wesson, four-inch barrel . . .” I don’t need to convince the assailant of my weapon’s power; I simply aim the gun and shoot! You see, the whole point is that you use the Bible regardless of what the unbeliever may think about it. Remember that to the unbeliever’s soulish mind, the Bible cannot be the Word of God. The objective is that YOU understand its ballistic potency and use it! The Bible is your offensive weapon in witnessing; it launches your missiles and activates “the power of God unto salvation” (Rom. 1:16). Your fearless and confident use of the Word of God will assure effective witnessing for Jesus Christ!

3. The believer is the agent of witnessing.

One of the reasons we remain on this earth after salvation is to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. This principle is stated in both the Old and the New Testaments: Proverbs 11:30: “He that winneth souls is wise.” Acts 1:8: “Ye shall receive power . . . ye shall be witnesses. . .” 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We are ambassadors for Christ.” Whether your witnessing is accomplished by the impact of your lifestyle on unbelievers in your periphery or by the opportunity to verbalize the Gospel, your motivation for witnessing is of utmost importance. Does it match that of Paul in the Book of Romans?

I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:14, 15,16a).

I AM A DEBTOR! As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we owe a debt to the entire human race — the Gospel. We have something fantastic: eternal life, forgiveness of sin, a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, plus every spiritual blessing that accrues as a result of salvation. How can others have these things unless you tell them (Rom. 10:14, 15), unless you discharge your debt?

I AM READY! Your readiness is your preparation: your mastery of the minimal knowledge standards in witnessing; your ability to communicate pertinent information; and, most important, your being filled with the Spirit through the use of 1 John 1:9 when necessary. If the above conditions are met, you can say, “I AM READY!”

I AM NOT ASHAMED! It is the height of stupidity to be ashamed of Someone who has saved you for all eternity; but it happens all the time — people ARE ashamed of mentioning the Lord or of proclaiming the Gospel! Often, being ashamed is nothing more than fear of failure due to ignorance of doctrine or to disorientation in the Christian life. When we get our priorities mixed up, we lose our perspective regarding the Gospel and its importance to us and to others!

Many Christians cannot endure the pressures that result from witnessing. They become intimidated and say no more about the way of salvation. Pressures never stopped the Apostle Paul. Thessalonica was a large city in the ancient world, and thousands of its citizens were open to the Gospel. Paul was then on his second missionary journey. He had traveled along the Egnatian Way —one of the famous highways of antiquity — and had crossed Asia Minor (the area of present Turkey). Upon the apostle’s arrival at Philippi, the devil attempted to keep Paul from continuing on his mission by subjecting him to adverse circumstances and personal suffering. Paul was not to be deterred. He left Philippi and made his way to Thessalonica, where the Lord gave him a tremendous harvest of souls (Acts 17:1-4; 1, 2 Thess.). Paul’s activities in personal and mass evangelism give us an excellent biblical pattern for witnessing (1 Thess. 2).

4. Effective contact is necessary for witnessing.

For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain (1 Thess. 2:1).

The word “know” (OIDA in the Greek) indicates knowledge which has been transferred from the perceptive lobe — comprehension — to the right lobe of the soul’s mentality the area from which knowledge is applied. “Our entrance” represents contact.

Our Lord Himself cited the perfect analogy to witnessing when He said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matt. 4:19). What did He mean by that? Note, first of all, that fishermen must have a desire to fish motivation. Second, fishermen must be equipped to fish — preparation and readiness. Third, fishermen must go where the fish are. So, you see, it takes some effort to make contact with the fish; you cannot just sit at home and expect them to drop in on you! Arriving at the place where you plan to do your fishing may involve seasickness or a strenuous hike through poison ivy. As a “fisher of men,” Paul stressed these very principles; properly motivated and prepared, he overcame hardships and pressures to reach those who were positive toward the Gospel.

Once Paul reached his destination, he made certain that his contact would not be “in vain.” “In vain” means hollow, empty, fruitless or ineffective. He knew that fishermen must use the right bait His bait was the Gospel, its content clearly defined. Confident of his message, he witnessed in the power of the Spirit and never made an issue of himself. His job done, he stayed out of the Holy Spirit’s way to await the results. Thus, he fulfilled two other analogies to witnessing: fishermen must keep out of sight and be patient Even as fishermen will be rewarded for their efforts, so fishers of men can anticipate the fruits of their labor: the joy of seeing souls saved in time, to the everlasting glory of Jesus Christ throughout eternity.

Paul followed this pattern in detail and stated:

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake (1 Thess. 1:5).

Not only by word of mouth did Paul and his traveling companion, Silas, proclaim the Gospel,

but also by witness of life. “What manner of men” they were was well-known — ambassadors of Christ, above reproach. Consequently, their message received a favorable hearing. The old cliché that our actions often speak louder than our words is only too true when it comes to personal evangelism. The unbeliever says, “Show me; then I’ll listen to what you have to say!” (Jas. 2:14-16). If your lifestyle does not match your high calling in Christ, is it any wonder that he turns away and thinks: “If this is a sample of Christianity, I want no part of it”? To his detriment, he judges a wonderful relationship and way of life by a poor representation. So watch your modus operandi as well as your contact with the unbelieving world; remember, you are the Lord’s representative. His personal ambassador on the earth!

5. The Gospel must be clearly presented. But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention in the face of much opposition] (1 Thess. 2:2).

Even in the face of strong opposition, the Gospel must be presented with bold clarity. During their stay at Philippi, Paul and Silas were severely persecuted because of their stand for Jesus Christ. They had been dragged into the market place (open court), where they were beaten with Roman rods and cast into prison (Acts 16:16-24). Although they had suffered greatly, they “were bold to speak” the Gospel; fear of additional punishment did not stop them. There’s a principle for us in this: your witness today will determine your effectiveness in witnessing for Christ on an even greater scale tomorrow or the next day.

One of the tragic results of failure to understand evangelism correctly is that so many people have been sent to the mission field who had no business there. A large percentage of Christians who depart starry-eyed for foreign fields refuse to go back for another term after their first furlough. The casualty rate is tremendous! It is erroneous to presume that by crossing a mountain range or an ocean, a believer somehow becomes a missionary. When you find a Christian who will not cross the street to speak to a neighbor about Christ, you can be sure that he will do no better in a foreign land. The best test for a missionary includes these questions: (1) Does he know and clearly communicate the Gospel and pertinent doctrines? (2) Does he witness regularly at home? (3) Does he master the language of the natives whom he seeks to reach for Christ? (4) Does he manifest maturity and stability in his spiritual life and show concern for lost souls? If you, for instance, are reticent about witnessing in your own bailiwick, you would soon wither under the fires of opposition elsewhere!

6. The Gospel must never be compromised or watered down.

For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile (1 Thess. 2:3). The word “exhortation” means “persuasive conversation” and describes the declaration of the Gospel. All of you have been actively or passively involved in persuasive conversations.

If you are married, no doubt you have been either the recipient or the initiator of persuasive conversation! If you own insurance, an automobile, a house — in fact, if you have purchased almost anything — persuasive conversation was involved. Life is filled with persuasive conversations, and if this is normal in life, why not in the realm of the Gospel?

Next in this verse, we find three negatives: “not of deceit”; “nor of uncleanness”; “nor in guile.” “Not of deceit” is literally, “not in error.” Witnessing demands that the content of the Gospel be absolutely correct. Whether Paul wrote or verbalized the Gospel, he always made it clear that Christ solved the sin problem, that there is no longer a Barrier between God and man. He did not add to the Gospel of grace, nor did he dilute it by throwing in false issues!

“Nor of uncleanness” certifies Paul’s use of 1 John 1:9. He made sure that he had kept current on rebound” before he witnessed for his Lord, and so should you. Only in the power of the Holy Spirit can you score a profound impact on the life of the unbeliever; only when He communicates through you can you be sure that your witnessing is truly service for the Lord instead of merely human good.

“Nor in guile” presents the principle that the Gospel must never be watered down. The Greek word for “guile” (DOLOS) means “huckster.” It was originally used for a tavern keeper in the ancient world who diluted his alcoholic beverages with water. When his customers first arrived, they were served good wine. After a few rounds of drinks, when the guests had become a little high, the tavern keeper began to water down the drinks. Although the wine was thinned down more and more, the price

remained the same. This, then, is the word Paul chose to define what should never be the case in the presentation of the Gospel — huckstering. Under no circumstances must the Gospel be diluted with social reform, economic panaceas, brotherhood, do-goodism, legalising or philosophy!

7. The Gospel is capital in witnessing.

But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts (1 Thess. 2:4).

The Greek word for “allowed” is the verb DOKIMAZO, which means “to test” someone or something for the purpose of approval. The original intent of the translator in using the word “allowed” has been lost to us because of three hundred years of changes in the English language. This is a perfect illustration of an anachronism in Scripture: the ability of Paul was never in question; his approval through the test was! Paul realized that God had allowed every adversity, trial, frustration and heartache in his life so that the importance of the Gospel might be emphasized. Upon God’s approval, Paul has been entrusted with the Gospel.

One word in the Greek, “to be put in trust” (PISTEUO) denotes a deposit. In the ancient world there were no banks as we know them today. Instead, banks were located in the heathen temples, which were chosen as depositories because the gods were thought to guard them; certainly, no mortal would dare incur the anger of the gods, and thus, the money would be safe. The customer brought his wealth, deposited it with a temple priest and received a note in the amount deposited. The money could be withdrawn at any time upon payment of a specified percentage charged for safekeeping.

The word was also used in the sense of making an investment. If a person had money to invest, he could deposit it with a successful merchant. A contract was drawn up, and if the business venture prospered, the investor received interest on his deposit. Eventually, “to be put in trust” came to mean to deposit or to invest capital with the intent of making a profit. Capital invested is synonymous with free enterprise, that wonderful system which made America the most advanced and

prosperous nation on earth! How I love that word “capital”!

The Gospel, too, is capital. God has deposited the Gospel in each believer in order that it might bear interest and pay dividends (2 Cor. 4:7). Therefore, the importance of our personal responsibility in declaring the Gospel cannot be overemphasized!

We should also note that PISTEUO is in the aorist tense. When was this deposit made? In a point of time, divorced from time and perpetuated forever. We translate the point-of-time aorist “once and for all.” God has once and for all made a deposit in you and in me, and He expects compound interest. We neither earned nor deserved this deposit; we received it in grace. Thus, the deposit of the Gospel bestows quite an honor on us. Now we have the privilege of passing the message on to

others; and a privilege-it is indeed, for it’s always nice to be able to give someone good news. What are the dividends God has every right to expect? People who receive Christ as a result of your witness to them!

Witnessing is not a matter of “pleasing men.” If you live your life trying to please people, you’ve had it! This is especially true in the spiritual realm. If any part of your Christian life is lived to gain attention or approval from others, then you have missed the boat entirely. You may be lauded as the hardest worker in your congregation, yet you are merely spinning your wheels, for anything you do for the approbation of men stems from false motivation. The issue in the Christian life is not WHAT you do but WHY you do it! If you witness simply to please others, only an old army term can adequately describe the mess — SNAFU (situation normal — all fouled up)! This is not the way God intends for us to work. EITHER DO IT AS UNTO THE LORD OR DON’T DO IT AT ALL!

8. The Gospel is not for sale!

For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others (1 Thess. 2:5, 6a).

High pressure salesmen may resort to flattery in order to sell a product, but this must never be done in witnessing. If you declare Christ by using flattery, you are doing a right thing in the wrong way. The Gospel will stand on its own; it does not need selling gimmicks! Paul never witnessed to satisfy approbation lust, nor did he use the Gospel to raise money. This is what is meant by the phrase “nor a cloke of covetousness.” From this statement emerges an important principle: never knowingly accept money from unbelievers for the Lord’s work! The only issue to an unbeliever is the work of Christ on his behalf. To use the Gospel to raise money only introduces the false issue of buying salvation. Salvation is a GIFT of God!

In the past, various Christian service organizations have asked me for the names of wealthy men in this city. When I asked why they wanted these names, I was told that they wished to lead those persons to the Lord. Again, I questioned, “Why just the names of wealthy people? Aren’t you contacting ALL unsaved persons in this area?” The answer was invariably the same: “W-e-l-l , we want to win these people to the Lord, for we believe that they will want to support our work.” That is using the Gospel as “a cloke of covetousness,’ as is the taking of an offering at evangelistic meetings!

9. Genuine concern motivates consideration in witnessing. . . . when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children (1 Thess. 2:6b, 7).

As a model witness, Paul compares his method of operation among the Thessalonians to that of a nursing mother. Everyone knows what constitutes a mother’s loving care for her newborn child: she gives him warmth, nourishment and comfort. Even an infant responds to a mother’s gentleness and love; how much more should the Thessalonians respond to Paul and Silas! So Paul wrote, “In witnessing for Christ we were as tender with you as a nursing mother is with a baby.”

So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us (1 Thess. 2:8):

“Being affectionately desirous” is one word in the Greek (HIMEIROMAI), used especially of parents who had lost a child and now grieved or longed for him. The word denotes the strongest kind of love that can be experienced for an absent loved one and indicates an habitual attitude of mind.

In relating the real concept of this verb to witnessing, we learn that there should always be a certain ache in our souls for the unbeliever. This affectionate longing depicts a genuine desire to see unbelievers come to know Christ as Savior. Because Paul experienced this ache for the people of Thessalonica, he was motivated to share the Gospel with them. More than that, his concern for the lost manifested itself in courteous consideration.

For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God (1 Thess. 2:9).

“Keep on remembering” is an order (MNEMONEUO; present tense, imperative mood). The epistle is addressed to a group of persons who had responded to the Gospel and were now “brethren” — members of the Royal Family of God. They were to consider in retrospect the great sacrifice Paul and Silas had made. The two men had labored at Paul’s trade of tent-making to supply their daily needs rather than become a financial burden to the Thessalonians. Although they had worked to the point of exhaustion, they kept on announcing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Consequently, their witness of life and lips bore dividends for God.

10. Follow-up must supplement witnessing.

Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe (1 Thess. 2:10).

When a person accepts Christ as Savior, he immediately becomes a newborn child of God. Now you just do not dump a baby into the street and expect him to look after himself! The same principle applies to the newly born-again Christian; witnessing must be supplemented by follow-up. If this is not done correctly, the new believer may become a casualty in the Christian life. Let me illustrate: a person has received Christ in some church which requires all new Christians to come forward. One second after the benediction, some well-meaning saint congratulates him as he says: “Now, Brother, if your life is really going to count for God, you must stop doing thus and so.” This is like taking a baby in his cradle and saying, “Now, son, beware of red-headed women!”

Babies need food — not advice! They need love and comfort; they don’t need nit-picking and static. You have to remember also that you don’t feed an infant T-bone steak; you start him on a liquid formula and then put him on foods that are easily assimilated. The same applies to baby believers: you don’t feed them doctrines and principles designed for the mature believer. You feed them basic concepts of the “sincere milk of the word” (1 Pet 2:2) by which they may grow! Even the Lord Jesus Christ is said to have taught His audience “as they were able to hear it” (Mark 4:33)! Paul was like a father to the Thessalonian believers; he treated them as he would his own children. Now he reminded them of this fact:

As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children (1 Thess. 2:11).

Notice the perfection of Paul’s threefold follow-up:- (1) “We exhorted”; (2) “we comforted”; (3) we “charged.” “To exhort” means to call someone to your side; therefore, “to aid.” When Paul called his converts to his side, he provided comfort, consolation or cheer. “To charge” means “to teach”; Paul taught the new Christians doctrine in a simple, conversational manner. Thus, they received nourishment as well as aid and cheer.

11. The purpose of follow-up is doctrinal, personal and collective. Note that follow-up still has a threefold purpose: first, doctrinal; the new believer must be taught Bible doctrine. No believer can advance spiritually on his own. Were it true that all a Christian need do in order to grow in grace and in the knowledge of his Savior is read a chapter or two of the Bible daily, the Lord would not have found it necessary to give certain men the gift of pastor-teacher (Eph. 4:11)! It is the duty of the pastor-teacher to feed the flock of God, to edify and equip the saints (Eph. 4:12). God designed the local church to be the believer’s classroom.

The second reason for follow-up is personal: fellowship and encouragement of the new believer. During the period of adjustment and orientation to Phase Two (God’s plan for the believer in time), the immature Christian often needs encouragement. He has not yet developed sufficient inner resources of soul with which to recognize the importance of Bible doctrine to every facet of life. Until he straightens out his priorities and gets with doctrine on a regular basis, the floundering believer is in danger of falling by the wayside. Be prepared to give encouragement during this initial growing period.

The third purpose of follow-up is collective: finding for the new believer a Bible-teaching, Christ-centered church. If that is not possible in your locale, point him in the right direction, toward Bible doctrine taught in taped or written form. It is God’s intention for every saved person to “walk worthy” and to become spiritually self-sustaining — that is, to be able to handle his problems before the Lord.

That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory (1 Thess. 2:12).

A “worthy walk” depicts the function of the individual member of the Royal Family of God his modus vivendi in the power of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 states “ .. . walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

The Thessalonians’ response to Paul’s follow-up was tremendous. Whereas many people are hostile or indifferent to the Word of God because they have been subjected to legalism prior to the time of Gospel hearing, the Thessalonians readily accepted the message of grace. This acceptance effectively worked in them, and they became actively operational. Their witness and service for the Lord was a reality and elicited thanksgiving in Paul and Silas.

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe (1 Thess. 2:13).

12. The result of effective witnessing is stability in suffering.

For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost (1 Thess. 2:14-16).

Soon after the Thessalonians accepted Christ and organized as a church, they began to experience pressure. Opposition came from the Roman Empire, the Jews ad the heathen fraternities in their vicinity. They suffered intense persecution from these groups; however, because the Thessalonians were properly indoctrinated, they stabilized and received blessing in their suffering.

While it is true that the Christian life is a life of fantastic privileges and blessings, the Lord warned us that sooner or later we would face pressures from the world (John 16:33). Yet He also promised us victory and ultimate triumph. If the follow-up to effective witnessing is done according to the principles delineated in the Bible, then the result in our own lives will be stability in every circumstance of life.

PITFALLS IN WITNESSING

While there are no set rules for effective witnessing, there are a number of pitfalls or postulates in witnessing; these should be examined and avoided.

1. Do not argue! You may win the argument but not the soul of the unbeliever. Your responsibility is to provide in- formation, not to win a debate. Present the Gospel, but never dispute its validity. Leave the rest with the Holy Spirit, whose function it is to make the Gospel a reality.

2. Do not allow yourself to be sidetracked by false issues! Stick to the subject! Don’t be drawn into a debate concerning the authenticity of the Word of God, heathenism, living a good life or social problems.

3. Do not get into a rut! Different approaches to the subject of the Gospel are necessary to reach different people. Be flexible! What may be effective with one person may be a total failure with another. Your own IQ or that of your listener is not an issue, nor is it vital that you understand Judaism to witness to a Jew or physics to speak to a scientist about Christ. Knowledge of Bible doctrine is the answer, for your flexibility comes with spiritual maturity.

4. Do not embarrass people! Deal with the individual alone whenever possible. Witnessing to one person in public often produces embarrassment, loss of prestige, annoyance. If this is the case, the people you seek to reach for Christ may turn you off completely, and you may never have another opportunity to reach them. Remember that personal evangelism is exactly that — PERSONAL!

5. Do not set quotas! It is not mandatory that you speak to a specific number of persons every day about Jesus Christ. This is a false standard for spirituality sponsored by many Bible institutes. Witnessing is not indicative of spirituality; it is a result of Bible doctrine in the soul. The quota concept requires a vow that you witness to a certain number of people daily. Should you fail to meet your quota, you consider yourself a flop. This, in turn, leads to a guilt complex, which is a mental attitude sin. Never permit yourself to be inveigled into taking a vow such as, “Before God, I will speak to ten souls every day.” If God insisted on quotas and vows, this would be declared in His Word! Simply witness whenever the Lord provides the opening.

6. Do not measure your spiritual life by your witnessing! A person is not spiritual because he speaks to ten or twenty persons every day. Even an ignorant or a carnal believer who uses the Scripture can be effective (although in the latter’s case there will be no reward for his witnessing). The effectiveness resides in the Word of God, which states that “ .. . it shall not return unto me [God] void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isa. 55:11).

7. Do not judge other believers for their apparent failure to witness! Whether or not they witness is between them and the Lord; you are accountable for your own life, not for the lives of others! Such judging only brings divine discipline upon you. If you judge or malign others, YOU are out of line. Besides, you have no way of really knowing whether they are witnessing for Christ unless they brag about it; then THEY are out of line.

8. Do not brag about your experiences in witnessing! Testimonies about personal witnessing efforts often reflect pride and constitute occupational hazards in the Christian’s life. Avoid “bragamonies”; the Lord knows what you are doing, and that is all that is necessary! He will reward you accordingly!

9. Do not be confused in your prayer life! Don’t be bound by such epigrams as “Talk to God about the unbeliever before you talk to the unbeliever about God.” Since God supplies your contacts, and since He is omniscient, just fire away with Gospel information and forget the clichés! Prayer does have a bona fide part in witnessing, however. Paul expressed his concern for the unsaved Jews of his era in writing and in prayer: “ .. . my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1). Since the sovereignty of God and the free will of man coexist, how do you pray intelligently for the salvation of the unbeliever?

Pray that God will bring about such circumstances as would be most advantageous for the Gospel to be presented. Pray that unbelievers whom you have been unable to reach may be contacted by mature believers who know how to present the true issue of salvation clearly and graciously. Pray in accordance with 1 Timothy 2:1-4 for the salvation of all unsaved persons in governmental office, that the Gospel may have free course in our nation. Pray that our leaders may begin to recognize their own inadequacy to solve the problems of the world (Psa. 9:20), that they might look beyond themselves and see their need of the Savior. Your own prayers on behalf of missionaries allow you to enter into their ministry and help pave the way before them. Therefore, never underestimate the power of prayer in witnessing!

REWARDS OF WITNESSING

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory {boastl of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing [witnessing] willingly, I have a reward. . . (1 Cor. 9:16, 17).

Witnessing is no more and no less than our responsibility, one of the reasons why God left us here on earth. Paul’s statement implies that there is discipline for failure to witness at the opportune moment, even as there is reward related to witnessing in the power of the Spirit The rewards of witnessing are both eternal and temporal in nature. Eternal reward centers around the word “willingly.” Bible doctrine in the believer’s soul is what motivates him to witness. It is this doctrine — the Mind of Christ resident in our minds — that is the perfect divine work which brings us rewards in heaven. Witnessing is a natural result of spiritual growth and is therefore an integral part of the overall rewards picture. Our rewards in time are twofold: the joy of Christian fellowship and the blessing of inner happiness.

1. Joy of Christian fellowship.

But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire (1 Thess. 2:17).

When I first accepted Christ as my Savior, I wondered whether there were any other Christians in the school I attended. I began to witness and. had the privilege of seeing several students believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This led to some of the most wonderful fellowship I have ever known. Since then, I have had other opportunities to lead people to the Lord, always with the same enjoyable results. The principle is that some of the greatest and most marvelous contacts you will ever have are in Christian fellowship. These associations are particularly rewarding when they are based on your personal witnessing for Christ; furthermore, they leave behind fragrant memories.

Paul, too, experienced the joy of Christian fellowship. Although he had to leave Thessalonica, he was most eager to return there. Why? Because he -had had such a fantastic time with those people who had responded to the Gospel. Even when Satan hindered Paul’s visit to his Christian friends at Thessalonica, he could never deprive the apostle of his fond memories, nor of the decorations he would receive at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

2. The blessing of inner happiness.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy (1 Thess. 2:19, 20).

In the anticipation of his “crown of rejoicing,” Paul expressed the blessing of inner happiness. Though he might never see the Thessalonians again on this earth, he was perfectly content in spite of the separation. Paul knew that he would meet

them all in the presence of the Lord, and that is why he referred to them as his “glory and joy.” What was true of Paul is true of every believer: the privilege and joy of witnessing for our Lord is a source of inner happiness.

What a tremendous responsibility rests on each one of us who have trusted in Christ — that of representing our Lord in the devil’s world! Certainly, we can expect opposition; Satan is as intent on obscuring the Gospel as God is on revealing it (2 Cor. 4:3, 4)! But God has given us the means whereby we may be instrumental in breaking through the darkness of unbelief the Gospel — (2 Cor. 4:6, 7). Therefore, it is more than our wonderful privilege, it is our rightful obligation to tell others of the Savior. Motivated by His love (2 Cor. 5:14), we are to make known Him who loved us and gave Himself for us (Gal. 2:20). Will you take up this challenge to follow the Lord as a fisher of men, or will you allow the challenger of grace to silence you?

The production of the righteous (spiritually mature believer) is a tree of life; and he who is wise wins souls (expanded trans., Prov. 11:30).

APPENDIX

SUMMARY OF THE DOCTRINE OF WITNESSING

1. Definition.

a. Witnessing is the communication of the Gospel to the unbeliever on a personal basis; i.e., personal evangelism.

b. Witnessing is the responsibility of every believer.

c. Witnessing functions apart from mass evangelism, church evangelism, or the preaching of the believer who has the gift of evangelism.

2. The threefold character of witnessing is found in 1 Thessalonians 1:4,5.

a. Witness of life (2 Cor. 3:3; 6:3).

b. Witness of lips (2 Cor. 5:14-21; 6:2).

c. Witness of Holy Spirit

3. The Holy Spirit is the sovereign Executive of Witnessing.

a. The unbeliever has no human spirit; therefore, he lacks the necessary frame of reference for the Gospel (1 Cor. 2:14).

b. Hence, the Holy Spirit acts in place of the human spirit to make the Gospel comprehensible (John 16:8-11).

4. Pertinent Bible doctrine is the weapon of witnessing.

a. The Gospel is the power of God to salvation (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18).

b. The Bible is the absolute norm for the truth (2 Pet 1:19-21).

c. The Bible is the source f the Gospel (Luke 16:28-31; 1 Cor. 15:3,4).

d. The Bible is the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16).

e. The Bible is divine power (Heb. 4:12).

f. The Bible never returns void (Isa. 55:11).

g. The Bible endures forever (Luke 21:33; 1 Pet 1:25).

5. The believer is the agent of witnessing.

a. Witnessing is the responsibility of every member of the Royal Family of God (believers in the Church Age; Acts 1:8; Eph. 6:15, 20; 2 Tim. 4:5).

b. Knowledge of pertinent doctrine is necessary for effective witnessing: Christology and soteriology (the Person and

saving work of Christ) particularly, redemption (our ransom from the slave market of sin); reconciliation (the manward side of salvation); propitiation (the Godward side of salvation); imputation (the crediting of God’s righteousness to the account of the new believer, and the basis of his justification); positional sanctification (the believer set apart unto God at the point of salvation), as well as the Last Judgment

c. Ability to witness depends on the following conditions:

(1) Proper emphasis on the Gospel, especially reconciliation (Eph. 2:14-17).

(2) Correct and accurate information from Bible doctrine (1 Cor. 1:18; Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12).

(3) Filling of the Spirit (Acts 1:8).

(4) Assurance of eternal security and resultant stability (Rom. 8:38, 39; 1 Pet 1:4, 5).

6. Witnessing is the extension of the believer’s ambassadorship.

a. The believer is given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18).

b. He receives as a divine deposit the doctrine of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:19).

c. He is given the message of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:20).

7. The issue must be clearly presented (John 3:18, 36).

a. Give the unbeliever pertinent information regarding salvation. Christ is the issue; attitude toward Him, the

determining factor in salvation.

b. Never put the cart before the horse! A person cannot live the Christian way of life until he is born again.

c. Note the boundaries of the Gospel: 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4, and remember that the Gospel is good news. It is bad news

that man is a sinner; the good news is that Christ did something about sin on the Cross. Declare the Gospel clearly so that the person witnessed to is in a position to make a decision for Christ

d. Do not add to the Gospel of grace. Nothing is accomplished toward salvation by persuading the unbeliever to give up or

feel sorry for his sins, improve his personality and behavior pattern, join a church, be baptized or give money. Salvation

is ours by grace, not by works (Eph. 2:8, 9).

e. Never try to force a decision for Christ; this is the ministry

of the Holy Spirit in common and efficacious grace.

f. Remember that the first divine institution (principles set up by God) is FREE WILL, which includes both freedom and

privacy of decision. Provide Gospel information but leave the results with the Lord. The Gospel is designed to persuade, not to compel the unbeliever to accept Christ

g. Avoid gimmicks! Emotional begging, public invitations to raise hands or walk aisles constitute jumping through

psychological hoops and have no bona fide part in witnessing.

8. Effectiveness of witnessing depends on the ministry of God the Holy Spirit

a. Directed toward the believer spirituality (control of the believer’s soul; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 3:3).

b. Directed toward the unbeliever conviction (John 16:8- II; 1 Cor. 2:14).

9. Clarity of witnessing is contingent upon the believer’s understanding of the judgment of human good.

a. Human good was rejected at the Cross; only sin was judged.

b. Human good will be judged in the believer at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:11-16).

c. Human good will be judged in the unbeliever, and it becomes the basis of his indictment at the Last Judgment (Rev. 20:12-15).

10. The biblical pattern for witnessing is found in 1 Thessalonians 2.

11. Observe the postulates or pitfalls in witnessing.

a. Avoid argumentation!

b. Do not be sidetracked by false issues!

c. Be flexible in your approach to the Gospel!

d. Deal with the individual alone where possible!

e. Do not set quotas!

f. Never measure your spiritual life by your witnessing!

g. Do not judge others by their apparent failure to witness!

h. Never brag about your experiences in witnessing!

i. Avoid false motivation in witnessing!

12. The analogy to witnessing is found in Matthew 4:19: “fishers of men.”

a. Fishermen must have a desire to fish.

b. Fishermen must be equipped to fish.

c. Fishermen must go where the fish are.

d. Fishermen must use the right bait

e. Fishermen must keep out of sight

f. Fishermen must be patient

g. Fishermen will ‘be rewarded.

13. The principle of prayer in witnessing is stated in Romans 10:1.

14. Effective witnessing belongs to the spiritually mature believer (Prov. 11:30); it is rewarded both in time and in eternity.