Part 1: Problems with the Current Gospel Presentations & How to Fix it.
By Agur Israel Thomas
01-07-2020
I need to tell you the biggest problem I see in Evangelism today. I know that the gospel is preached and an invitation is given, and yet the gospel being given is disturbingly short, making it superficial. If we’re to preach the Gospel we need to preach it well.
All that is said are four very basic statements, at the end of every message, and over and over again:
- “God loves/cares for you”
- “The bible says you’re a Sinner”
- “He died for your sins”
- “All you have to do is believe and repent”
Every one of those points are true but preaching those points superficially can only produce superficial converts (Luke 7:47). In clubs for example, you hear that message over and over again, and it gets boring. Not that they should spend another hour in preaching the gospel, but it feels like they’re preaching to you
A hard heart be made soft by a feather unless it is plowed; only then seed of the Gospel can be embedded and taken root (Matthew 13:3-9).
These are the 8 Points I want to share with you. Due to the length of this article you can simply read the words in Bold. If you already understand why I’m but if you don’t know why I’m arguing for it, please… please… read through it.
1st – They need to know the Character of God.
Why is God so loathed sin and severe on sinners is because He is naturally and eternally, good (Psalms 136:1 & Malachi 3:6). And because He is good He is Holy and Just.
When God created man, it was not solely for relationship. Certainly we were made for that purpose but it is not for the reason of loneliness. He does not need us (Acts 17:24-25); He created us for His glory (Isaiah 43:7).
But we’ve become the very opposite of Him, of what He intended us to be.
2nd – They need to know what they are before this God
It is not enough to tell them that they’re sinners, it needs to be explained thoroughly.
And it is not just the fact that we’ve broken a few of God’s “Thou Shalt Not” commandments (which in itself is true… you are what you do); we are sinners by nature…(Genesis 8:21). We have a rebellious hatred for God and His law (Ibid 8:7).
That is why we break God’s laws in the first place and hellbound irreversibly (Exodus 34:6-7, Psalms 5:4-5 & 1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
3rd – What is Truly Expected of them to go to Heaven.
Not only that, they’re condemned not just but failed to meet God’s standard of righteousness. This is why in Romans 3:23 it says “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God…”
He requires them to be morally perfect by proactively obeying the commandment of God: by the letter and conscience (Deuteronomy 18:18, 27:26, Matthew 5:20, Romans 2:6-10, 14-16, 17-25, & James 4:17).
4th – His Justice must be Satisfied
For that reason they’re on their way to eternal damnation because in His holiness He cannot allow sin into His presence (Psalm 5:4-5) and in His Justice demands payment (Exodus 34:6-7); neither could He hear their prayers except by His grace (Habakkuk 1:13).
Sin is eternally evil to Him which therefore requires an eternal sentence.
Once the sin is done; it cannot be undone.
Worst of all, in James 2:10 it says that whoever keeps the whole law and commits one sin violated all of the commandments. And there are over 613 Commandments.
Imagine sinning 5x a day, multiplied that by 7 days, then by 5 weeks, and 12 months. Now times that number by 613 and sum total is 1,287,300 commandments broken in a single year.
Multiply the sum by 100 years and Jesus said we will not get out until they’ve paid the very last cent (Luke 12:58-59).
Someone might ask “Why can’t He just forgive us?” A good judge simply cannot pardon one who committed a crime and to do the opposite is an act of abomination to Him (Proverbs 17:15). In Paul Washer’s words: “If God is just, He cannot forgive you”.
5th – The Penal Substitutionary Sacrifice of Christ
However, in His goodness He is also merciful and loving in that He gave His only Son, the 2nd person of the Trinity.
God became fully man (John 1:14) and despite His many temptations kept perfectly the Law w/out sinning (Hebrews 4:15).
Despite His innocency He was condemned as guilty (Deuteronomy 21:22-23). Why? It is because on the cross, He became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).
As a consequence Jesus didn’t just took the scougings, the beatings, the bearing of the cross, and the crucifixion, but on the cross He drank in full, God’s wrath (Matthew 26:39, Deuteronomy 27:15-26, Psalms 75:7-8, Isaiah 53:5-6, 10, John 19:30, & Romans 3:24).
Afterward, the resurrection is equally important because without it, the word of God is proved false for the many messianic prophecies made about Jesus.
If Jesus did not rise again then He is a liar and we’ll be condemned (Proverbs 12:19-21, Isaiah 9:6, John 2:19-21, & 1 Corinthians 15:12-19).
Since He had He is now “…the Just, and the Justifier of those who believe” (Romans 3:26). He can legally dismiss our case (Ibid 8:1-2).
6th – How are they Saved
Given all that are said here, the key to salvation is by Grace (undeserved kindness) through Faith Alone. What does it mean to have faith? What is belief? Faith (Pistis) means to have hope (Hebrews 11:1) & to believe is to trust.
Salvation is not accomplished by us, or in cooperation with God, but given solely by God (Romans 8:29-31 & ).
Salvation is also a process also not by us, but by God (Philippians 1:6 & Jude 1:24)
We are saved immediately when we believe, past tense (John 5:24); we are being saved, present tense (Galatians 2:20), and we will be saved, future tense (Romans 8:11, 26).
Only the saved will be changed and bear fruit (See: 8th – “Doctrine of Assurance”)
For Part 2 please click here: https://disraelthomas.com/2020/08/11/eight-things-christians-must-know-to-properly-share-the-gospel-part-2/
Recommended Sites
WWUTT is a biblical answers to the questions and issues facing the church today)
When We Understand the Text 13 Sept. 2013 http://www.wwutt.com/
Ryan Reeves (Church history in how we’ve arrived to the doctrines, creeds, confessions, traditions and ecclesiastical movements we have today)
30 Nov. 2011 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrI5U0R293u9uveijefKyAA
Blimey Cow (Humorous, satirical, and apolitical focus on issues facing the youths of today and common sense and logical approach to solving them)
Blimey Cow 27 June 2006 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0jIctUPBK6lHw4AYnGHvCA
Got Questions Ministries covers major theological issues: https://www.gotquestions.org/
Hell’s Best Kept Secret, a method of evangelism virtually forgotten by the contemporary church titled, “The Way of the Master” https://www.livingwaters.com/hells-best-kept-secret/
OneMillionTracts is an online store where you can buy tracts and other resources that uses the “Way of the Master” method.
http://onemilliontracts-com.3dcartstores.com/
SermonIndex (A channel where one can listen to current and classical preachers in Evangelical history): https://www.youtube.com/user/sermonindex/featured
Christian Apologetics Research Ministry is an all around apologetics ministry to equip Christians in their effort to defend and reach the lost. To me, this is one of the best Apologetics site as it tackles issues from heretical doctrine to alleged bible contradictions https://carm.org/
Acts17Apologetics is a Youtube channel that biblical defense against Islam https://www.youtube.com/user/Acts17Apologetics
ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry is one that reaches out to the chosen people of God – the Jewish people. It includes apologetics, and testimonial outreach to the Jewish People): https://www.oneforisrael.org/
Agur's Observations 