KEY THINGS TO SHARING AND UNDERSTANDING THE GOSPEL

Our Goal
When presenting the Gospel, it is crucial to grasp the foundational truths about God's grace, human works, and the timeline of a believer's journey. This teaching focuses on these key areas to ensure that the message of the Gospel is both understood and effectively communicated.

1. The Gospel is the Message of God's Grace
The Gospel is fundamentally the message of God's grace toward sinners. Here are the essential points to grasp about grace:
- **Grace is the only way that God saves sinners.** Ephesians 2:5 reminds us, "Even when we were dead in our transgressions, God made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved."
- **Grace is the unmerited, undeserved gift of God.** It is a gift we do not and cannot earn through our efforts. Grace, by definition, is freely given.
- **Grace is exclusive of works.** Romans 11:6 clarifies, "And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." Salvation is not a result of anything we do but purely an act of God's generosity.

2. The Timing of Works
Understanding how works relate to salvation is critical.
- **Before Conversion:** Prior to coming to faith, our righteous acts are compared to "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6). We cannot earn salvation; instead, we must come to the cross empty-handed through faith in Jesus, relying solely on God's grace and not our own deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9).
- **After Conversion:** Once saved, believers are empowered by God to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). These works do not save us, but they are the fruit of a transformed life, bringing glory to God. They are prepared in advance for us to accomplish, signifying our new purpose in Christ.

3. The Believer's Timeline
The journey of a believer can be understood in distinct stages:
- **Before Conversion - Condemnation:**
Apart from Christ, we stand condemned because of our sin.
- **At the Cross - Justification:** At the moment of belief, we are justified by Christ's sacrifice, meaning our sins are forgiven, and we are declared righteous.
- **After the Cross - Sanctification:** Throughout our Christian life, we are sanctified, being made more like Christ.
- **At Death or the Rapture - Glorification:** In the future, we will be glorified, receiving perfect, resurrected bodies when Christ returns.

Key Points to Share When Presenting the Gospel

A. God's Perfection
God's perfect nature is a vital part of the Gospel message:
- **God is holy and cannot tolerate sin** (Exodus 15:11, Habakkuk 1:13).
His law demands perfect righteousness: "Be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy" (Leviticus 19:2).
- **God sees everything** (Hebrews 4:13). Nothing escapes His judgment, and we will all have to give an account of our lives.

B. Man's Problem
Every person has a sin problem that separates them from God: - **No one is righteous** (Romans 3:10). "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). - **Sin leads to death** (Romans 6:23). Without intervention, our sin condemns us to eternal separation from God.

C. God's Provision
God, in His love, has provided a way for salvation through Jesus Christ: - **Jesus took our place.** "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). - **Christ died, was buried, and rose again.** This is the core of the Gospel: Jesus' death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). - **Salvation is a gift.** "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

D. God's Offer - The Promise of Eternal Life
God offers eternal life to all who believe: - **John 3:16** - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
The Greek word for "believe" is the verb "pisteuo." The New Testament Greek Lexicon BDAG defines it as follows, "To consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one's trust, believe."
Webster's dictionary defines believe as "to accept something as true, genuine, or real. To credit upon the authority or testimony of another; to be persuaded of the truth of something upon the declaration of another, or upon evidence furnished by reasons, arguments, and deductions of the mind, or by other circumstances, than personal knowledge."
- **Jesus is the source of life.** He promised living water to those who believe (John 4:10-14) and assured Martha that He is "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).

E. Your Response
The Gospel requires a personal response: - **Belief in Jesus** is the one condition for salvation (John 6:47). "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life" (John 3:36). - **Saving faith** happens the moment you trust in Jesus alone for eternal life (1 John 5:13). It's a faith that takes God at His word, acknowledging Jesus' authority as the Son of God.

F. God's Promise of Eternal Security
Once saved, believers are secure in their salvation: - **Eternal life is received now, not in the future** (John 5:24). Believers pass from death to life the moment they trust in Christ. - **We are sealed with the Holy Spirit.** Ephesians 1:13-14 explains that believers are "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise," guaranteeing our inheritance. - **God never breaks His promises** (John 10:28-29). Believers can be assured of their salvation because no one can snatch them out of God's hand.

G. Conclusion
The Gospel message is a message of grace, addressing our sin problem and offering salvation through faith in Christ alone. God's provision in Jesus is sufficient to cover all our sins, and His promise of eternal life is secure for those who believe. When sharing the Gospel, focus on God's perfection, man's problem, God's provision, and the need for a personal response of faith. Finally, assure those who believe of their eternal security, rooted in the unchanging promises of God.

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FOUR SIMPLE QUESTIONS TO LEAD A PERSON TO CHRIST

A VERY STRONG TRANSITIONAL QUESTION
1. "Do you believe in heaven and hell, or a hereafter of any kind?" "Where would you like to go when you die?"
2. If you could know for sure, in 2 to 3 minutes, that you will go to heaven, when you die, would you want to know?"
This question is designed to stir a person's thinking and to arouse their curiosity.

A suggested transition into the 4 main evangelistic questions:
I am not going to preach anything to you, but I will just ask you 4 simple questions. You will positively know that you can go to heaven. By the way you will contradict yourself in 2 to 3 minutes.
(This always raises their curiosity. This is actually fun!) (The contradiction is that they are trusting in their own efforts to get into heaven, but they know that Jesus paid their way into heaven.)

FOUR SIMPLE QUESTIONS TO LEAD A PERSON TO CHRIST

Question 1:
"If God was to ask you, when you die, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?' What would you tell Him?"
(Write down the answer if you are able. You do this so that they cannot deny that they said it.) (Never answer these questions for them!)

Question 2:
"What is the one thing that would keep us out of heaven?" The answer is sin.
(Hint, but do not give the answer! You want all answers to come from the person you are sharing with.)
"It's a three-letter word, beginning with 'S'... ends with 'N'... Rhymes with 'Tin.'"
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)

Question 3:
"Do you remember what God said the penalty for sin is?" What will happen if you die unforgiven?
The answer is death (hell and then the lake of fire)
The Bible states, "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 3:23a) and "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).

COURTROOM ILLUSTRATION
You have a traffic violation. You go to court where the judge says, 'You have a $500.00 fine.' You say, 'Gee, Judge, I'm sorry, but I don't have $500.00, but I have these pots and pans. Will you accept them instead?' What will the judge say? "No" because it doesn't pay the fine.In that same courtroom, a good Samaritan steps up and pays the fine for you. The judge accepts it and says, 'You are free to go.'

Question 4:
"Why did Jesus come into the world?"
The answer is "to die for our sins." If Jesus came to pay our way into heaven, God will not accept our 'pots and pans' (good works) as payment for our fine.
The Bible states, "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,..." (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

The Invitation
"Is there anything that hinders you from placing your full trust in Jesus and Him alone as your personal Lord and Savior to receive His free gift offer of eternal life?"
If you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that He died on the cross for your sins and rose from the grave, then call on Him and tell Him this and thank Him for His free gift of eternal life.
Here is a suggested prayer
"Dear Lord Jesus, I believe that You are the Son of God and that You died on the cross for all of my sins. Then three days later you rose from the dead. I recognize that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. So I now place my complete faith and trust in You and You alone for the free gift of eternal life. Thank You for coming into my life as my Lord and Savior and forgiving me of my sins. Help me to now obey You and to live my life in a way that brings glory and honor to you. Amen.

What Now?
1. Prayer: Talking to God and listening to God.
2. Read the Bible (start with the Gospel of John).
3. Go to a church where they love God, teach the Bible as the authoritative Word of God and love others.
4. Tell others about Jesus Christ (this is called witnessing).
5. Obey the Lord's command to be baptized.

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COMMON OBJECTIONS AND WAYS TO ANSWER

Objection: I believe Jesus was just a prophet or a good man, but not God.
Answer: Jesus didn't leave this option open, because He claimed to be God. This would make Him either a liar, lunatic or Lord. There are no other possibilities.

Objection: I'm a good person and live a good life.
Answer: Trying to be good to enter heaven won't even help since God's standard is perfection (Matt 5:48).
"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23)."

Objection: I believe in another religion.
Answer: No religion can save you, only faith in the person of Jesus Christ can as God and Savior can save you. All religion teaches that man earns his way to heaven by his good works. That's not Christianity! Christianity is God reconciling and connecting man to Himself by His work on the cross. Salvation is a free gift not by works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Faith in Jesus is the only way to heaven.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

Objection: That is your truth but not mine. All truth is relative and there are no absolutes.
Answer: Two opposing truth claims cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense (the law of non-contradiction). Example: The Bible says Jesus is God while the Koran claims that Jesus is not God but is only a prophet. Both statements cannot be true. If one is true the other is necessarily false. If he insists that there are no absolutes then ask him if he is absolutely sure that there are no absolutes. He may see the contradiction in his own reasoning.

Objection: I don't believe in heaven or hell. If I cannot see them, I won't believe in them.
Answer: Your belief doesn't determine reality or truth. Jesus spoke of both the reality of an eternal heaven as well as warning of an eternal hell. A person may not believe in electricity or gravity because he cannot see it, but it doesn't change the reality of its existence.

Objection: I believe in Evolution not in Creation.
Answer: Evolution depends on random chance to produce order. Many will tell you that the universe and life was produced by chance. Help them to understand the error in their claim. Chance is only a mathematical probability. (Ex.) flipping a coin- the probability of heads or tails is 50/50. But chance has no power to produce anything on its own. The law of cause and effect reveals that whenever something comes into existence that it has to have a cause outside of itself. Since science reveals that the universe (all time, space and matter) had a beginning, the first cause of the universe must be eternal (without a beginning), spaceless, and matterless (immaterial).
The first cause must be the uncaused cause that didn't have a cause for itself.
Something never develops out of nothing.
Science proves the law of cause and effect.
Wherever there is an effect there is a cause.
Wherever there is a creation there is a creator.
Wherever there is design there is a designer.
Wherever there is a moral law (an absolute standard of right and wrong) there is a moral lawgiver (ex. A piece of legislation requires a legislator).
Therefore, the first cause would have to an eternally existing all-powerful Being (to create the entire universe out of nothing), an infinitely intelligent Being (to design the incredible specified complexity observed in the universe) and a perfectly moral Being (Who wrote this moral law on everyone's conscious).

The Second Law of Thermodynamics- everything in the universe is running down. The finite available amount of energy is being depleted as the usable energy is gradually being converted to non-usable energy (Ex.) a flashlight or a car battery that is running down. If the universe were eternal than it would have run out of energy sometime in eternity past. It is still running therefore the universe must have had a beginning.
The Law of Entropy states that everything is breaking down and going from order to disorder. You never observe order coming from disorder. An explosion never creates intricate design (specified complexity).
Question: Do you believe that a tornado could hit a scrap metal junk yard and create a 747 jet airplane by chance? Of course not, that aircraft always requires an intelligent mind as the source of it's design and incredible complexity.
The theory of evolution violates this law of science and physics.

Natural formation vs. intelligent design (ex.) Grand Canyon vs. Mt. Rushmore

There is no fossil evidence of macro-evolution of one species changing into another. (Ex.) a fish changing into a bird.

Nature would destroy any not yet developed species such as a fish with no fins or a bird with no wings.

If Darwin's creature had only a partially developed eye such as 90% developed then that creature would have zero sight. If there is zero sight then there is no survival.

The Bible answers this evolutionary dilemma;
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1).
"So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:21).
"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Gen. 1:26, 27).

Objection: I believe that all religions are equally true and offer their own way to God.
- Ask them "Do you believe that opposite truth claims can all be true at the same time and in the same sense?"
If yes, share with them that Christianity, Islam and Judaism all claim that there is only one true God. Yet, Hinduism and Mormonism claim that there are millions of God. At the same time, Atheism and some forms of Buddhism claim that there is no God.
Question: Do you believe that there can be only one God, many Gods, and no God at the same time and in the same sense?
Answer: Of course not, if it is true that there is only one God then it is necessarily false that there are many Gods and no God. They can't all be true since that idea violates the undeniable Law of Non-Contradiction which states that "opposite truth claims cannot be true at the same time and in the same sense."
What you should do is examine each particular truth claim to try to determine which, if any of these truth claims lines up with the evidence that is available.

Objection: I don't believe the Bible is reliable or the Word of God. It's just a book of manmade ideas.
Answer: The evidence for the Bible being the true Word of God is overwhelming. All aspects of evidence such as historical, manuscriptal, archaeological, and prophetical show us that the Bible is 100% unique and inspired of God.

Dr. Simon Greenleaf famous Royall Professor of Harvard who established the rules of evidence in a court of Law and one of the greatest legal minds concluded that the resurrection of Christ was one of the best supported events in history, according to the laws of evidence administered in a court of justice.

Professor of mathematical science Peter Stoner at Westmont College did a statistical analysis of various Bible prophecies that have been fulfilled. There are over 300 prophecies regarding Jesus Christ from the Old Testament that have been fulfilled with 100% accuracy. He concluded that the probability of only 8 specific prophecies that he studied of coming true by chance would be 1 in 10 to the 17th power. To illustrate; Cover the entire state of Texas 2 feet deep in silver dollars, mark one with an X, stir them all up an one silver dollar anywhere State that he wished. He would have the same chance of picking up the coin marked with the X as only 8 Bible prophecies coming true by chance.

He then concluded that the chance of 48 prophecies happening by chance is one in 10 to the 147th power. Remember, there are over 300 messianic prophecies fulfilled in Christ alone not to mention hundreds of others that have been fulfilled.

Objection: You Christians are just too narrow-minded claiming to have the truth.
Answer: Truth claims are always narrow. 4+4= 8 is narrow because it won't allow any other number but 8 as an answer. The statement that "all truth is relative" is just as narrow and exclusive since it won't allow the opposite of its own view as being true. Relativism excludes the exclusivist. Relativism makes an absolute truth claim that relativism is absolutely true while at the same time denying that there is any absolute truth.
Problem: if relativism is true, then no one is ever wrong and everyone is always right.
Examples -
It is both true that the Holocaust is a moral good for the Nazis and a moral evil for the Jews.
It is both true that the act of rape is a moral good for the rapist and a moral evil for the victim.
It is both true that Adrian Rogers is right when he says "God exists" and Richard Dawkins is right when he says "God does not exist."
But opposite truth claims cannot both be true at the same time and in the same sense.
A world of relativism=A world of confusion.

Objection: What about people that have never heard about Jesus, do they go to hell?
Answer: Every person has some "light" that God exists. There is the light of creation on the outside;
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse" (Rom. 1:20).

There is also the light of the conscious on the inside;
"They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Rom. 2:15).

If a person responds to the light that he has, God will give him more light. God will send a missionary, an angel, give him a dream or a vision or whatever it takes to reach that person.
"He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

Objection: How can a good God who is all loving send anyone to an eternal hell?
Answer:
1. We must first understand that God's nature is both perfect justice and perfect love. Both of these attributes are equally true and neither of them can be compromised. God's justice demands that He must punish sin (man's breaking of His perfect moral law) as it is an offense against His perfect character. The penalty or wages of sin is death. The problem is that none of us measures up or deserves heaven but instead deserve hell.
2. God's perfect love and mercy desires reconciliation and mercy. Neither of these two attributes can be compromised. Since God desires that all men be saved, this presents a real dilemma and needs a solution.
3. The solution is the person of Jesus Christ. At the cross, both God's wrath upon sin and His love for people find a meeting place. Jesus endured hell for us in our place and paid the penalty for our sin so that we would not endure it or pay for it ourselves.
4. To benefit we must place our faith in the person of Jesus Christ alone for His promise of eternal life. When we reject Jesus Christ, we are rejecting God's offer of salvation and mercy. We then fall back on the side of His justice. Consequently, in this sense, God doesn't send anyone to hell but instead we send ourselves. To reject Christ's sacrifice for our sins is to reject God's offer of heaven and to choose hell.
5. Human freedom requires a hell to exist. God does not force people to believe and be saved because a "forced love is no love at all." This freedom of choice that God gave to man is part of the his being made in the image of God. God will not rob man of his dignity by forcing him to spend eternity with God.
6. Without an eternal separation, there could be no heaven. Heaven would no longer be a holy place if sin were allowed to enter in and run rampant.
In the end of the last days, God will separate the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:32) and the wheat from the tares (Matt. 13:24-43.)

C.S. Lewis: There are only two classifications of people: "Those who say to God, 'Thy Will be done' and those who God says to them, 'Thy will be done.'"

Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the will of God, that you believe in the one he has sent" (John 6:29).

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