SOUL-WINNING:
The Message
Text: John 3:14-18.
Devotional Reading: Subject: “Except Ye Repent,” Luke 13:3, 5.
Aim: To outline plan of salvation and point up effective Scriptures for soul-winning.
Home Readings:
Monday: Must Hear the Word, Romans 10:13-17
Tuesday: Salvation Not of Works, Titus 3:3-7.
Wednesday: All Are Sinners, Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Romans 3:10,23.
Thursday: Christ Died for Sinners, Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24.
Friday: Death-or Eternal Life? Romans 5:12;6:23.
Saturday: Grace and Faith and Blood, Ephesians 2:8,9; Revelation 1:5.
Sunday; Believe and Receive, John 1:11-13; 1 John 5:12.
1. The Gospel.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16). Technically, the Gospel is the Good News about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as taught in Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The preaching of that Gospel is desperately needed today.
The social gospel, which tries to change the world by healing the ills of society, is not the power of God unto salvation. The good-work gospel is not the power of God unto salvation. The right Gospel is the only message God blesses to save the lost; therefore those who would be soul-winners must use that Gospel message or have a perverted, anathematized gospel. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8). Education, wisdom, human reasoning, philosophy, and religion cannot save a single soul. Only God can do that, and the message He honors is the Gospel of Christ.
In a general sense Gospel preaching is the presentation of the Bible plan of salvation and other truth. In the parable of the sower “ the seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). “Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” (Luke 8:12). Moreover, the personal worker must use the Work of God, present the plan of salvation, and stress the Gospel of Christ. The passages used in this lesson would be suitable to present these truths to the lost.
2. The Need.
All are lost. A person must know this, or he will never know he needs to be saved. Perhaps no word pictures a condition so hopeless or helpless as the term “lost.” “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” ( Ephesians 2:12).
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 2:23). By nature, practice, and choice every descendant of Adam is a sinner. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12).
All are divinely condemned. “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).
All are placed under sin. “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” (Galatians 3:22). All are in the state of sin or under the power of sin. That is the divine classification of the lost (Romans 3:9).
3. The Inability.
The lost sinner cannot save himself, because he is spiritually dead. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” (Ephesians 2:1). A spiritual corpse cannot save himself. He has no spiritual ability.
The lost sinner cannot save himself, because the righteous acts of the lost are unacceptable in the sight of God. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6).
The lost sinner cannot save himself, because salvation is by the grace of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). “By grace,” “through faith,” and “the gift of God” indicate God is the One Who saves. “Not of yourselves” and “not of works” indicate man’s inability to save himself. Therefore, he has no reason to boast of his ability spiritually. Since salvation is by the grace of God, man’s works cannot contribute anything toward his salvation. “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6).
The lost sinner cannot save himself, because salvation is by the mercy of God (Titus 3:5).
4. The Savior.
Jesus Christ is the only Remedy for the spiritual needs of the lost. He is the only Savior. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
He is the only Savior, because His blood is the only atonement for sin. “…and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).
He is the only Savior, because spiritual life for the sinner in only in Him. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:11)
He is the only Savior, because the righteousness of God for the lost is only in Him. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
He is the only Savior, because He is the only Door to God’s grace. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9).
He is the only Savior, because He is the only Access to God’s mercy to remove condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1). There is no other choice. There could be no greater choice. Christ is the only Savior (Acts 4:12).
5. The Availability.
Salvation is available to all. It is a gift of God offers to all mankind. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). It is God’s mercy offered to every unbeliever. “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” (Romans 11:32). He is the Savior for all, but He saves only those who believe. “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10).
Repentance and faith are two conditions on which God provides salvation to the lost. They are inseparable. One who truly repents is one who truly believes. Repentance is turning from sin, Satan, and the world. Faith is turning to the Lord. “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15). “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21).
The person who truly repents of his sin and believes on Christ receives Christ as personal Savior. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12). It is a matter of following a series of steps. It is a simple matter of truly trusting Christ to do what sinner is helpless to do.
The Message
Text: John 3:14-18.
Devotional Reading: Subject: “Except Ye Repent,” Luke 13:3, 5.
Aim: To outline plan of salvation and point up effective Scriptures for soul-winning.Home Readings:
Monday: Must Hear the Word, Romans 10:13-17
Tuesday: Salvation Not of Works, Titus 3:3-7.
Wednesday: All Are Sinners, Psalm 51:5; 58:3; Romans 3:10,23.
Thursday: Christ Died for Sinners, Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 2:24.
Friday: Death-or Eternal Life? Romans 5:12;6:23.
Saturday: Grace and Faith and Blood, Ephesians 2:8,9; Revelation 1:5.
Sunday; Believe and Receive, John 1:11-13; 1 John 5:12.
1. The Gospel.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16). Technically, the Gospel is the Good News about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as taught in Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The preaching of that Gospel is desperately needed today.
The social gospel, which tries to change the world by healing the ills of society, is not the power of God unto salvation. The good-work gospel is not the power of God unto salvation. The right Gospel is the only message God blesses to save the lost; therefore those who would be soul-winners must use that Gospel message or have a perverted, anathematized gospel. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8). Education, wisdom, human reasoning, philosophy, and religion cannot save a single soul. Only God can do that, and the message He honors is the Gospel of Christ.
In a general sense Gospel preaching is the presentation of the Bible plan of salvation and other truth. In the parable of the sower “ the seed is the word of God” (Luke 8:11). “Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” (Luke 8:12). Moreover, the personal worker must use the Work of God, present the plan of salvation, and stress the Gospel of Christ. The passages used in this lesson would be suitable to present these truths to the lost.
2. The Need.
All are lost. A person must know this, or he will never know he needs to be saved. Perhaps no word pictures a condition so hopeless or helpless as the term “lost.” “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:” ( Ephesians 2:12).
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 2:23). By nature, practice, and choice every descendant of Adam is a sinner. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12).
All are divinely condemned. “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).All are placed under sin. “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” (Galatians 3:22). All are in the state of sin or under the power of sin. That is the divine classification of the lost (Romans 3:9).
3. The Inability.
The lost sinner cannot save himself, because he is spiritually dead. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” (Ephesians 2:1). A spiritual corpse cannot save himself. He has no spiritual ability.
The lost sinner cannot save himself, because the righteous acts of the lost are unacceptable in the sight of God. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6).
The lost sinner cannot save himself, because salvation is by the grace of God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). “By grace,” “through faith,” and “the gift of God” indicate God is the One Who saves. “Not of yourselves” and “not of works” indicate man’s inability to save himself. Therefore, he has no reason to boast of his ability spiritually. Since salvation is by the grace of God, man’s works cannot contribute anything toward his salvation. “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6).The lost sinner cannot save himself, because salvation is by the mercy of God (Titus 3:5).
4. The Savior.
Jesus Christ is the only Remedy for the spiritual needs of the lost. He is the only Savior. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
He is the only Savior, because His blood is the only atonement for sin. “…and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7).
He is the only Savior, because spiritual life for the sinner in only in Him. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:11)
He is the only Savior, because the righteousness of God for the lost is only in Him. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
He is the only Savior, because He is the only Door to God’s grace. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9).
He is the only Savior, because He is the only Access to God’s mercy to remove condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1). There is no other choice. There could be no greater choice. Christ is the only Savior (Acts 4:12).
5. The Availability.
Salvation is available to all. It is a gift of God offers to all mankind. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). It is God’s mercy offered to every unbeliever. “For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.” (Romans 11:32). He is the Savior for all, but He saves only those who believe. “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10). Repentance and faith are two conditions on which God provides salvation to the lost. They are inseparable. One who truly repents is one who truly believes. Repentance is turning from sin, Satan, and the world. Faith is turning to the Lord. “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15). “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:21).The person who truly repents of his sin and believes on Christ receives Christ as personal Savior. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:12). It is a matter of following a series of steps. It is a simple matter of truly trusting Christ to do what sinner is helpless to do.
