How long has it been since you took someone by the hand, looked him in the eye, and said, “You need to be saved. We’re going to Heaven. If you don’t come with us, the alternative is awful. And on the way, we’ll do you good. It will be good for you to travel with us. I know you feel more comfortable in the world, but we need you in the Kingdom. Would you pray with me right now?”
Maybe you’ve invited your unsaved brother-in-law or your nephew to church five Christmases in a row, only to have them decline every time. But do you fully comprehend that they are going to hell unless they understand that God has prepared a mansion for them, that God places great value upon them, that they can be helpful to the believing community, that we’ll be good to them? We can’t let go. We can’t give up. We can’t stop. The stakes are too high.
One writer said, “If Heaven and hell are true, nothing else matters. If Heaven and hell aren’t true, then nothing matters at all.”
I have found that the most effective way to bring people to Jesus is not by discussing doctrine endlessly, debating evolution passionately, or even inviting them to church repeatedly. It is to share with them the way of salvation clearly and to pray with them immediately. I begin by opening my Bible and showing them Romans 3:23 . . .
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
“You and I and everyone have fallen short of the glory, the standard, the requirement of God,” I say. Then I turn a few pages to Romans 5:6 . . .
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
“When we were pulled down, wiped out, done in by sin, Christ died for us,” I say. “It was when we were hopelessly lost that Christ died for you and me.” Then I turn the page and show them Romans 6:23 . . .
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
“The wages of sin is certain death,” I say. “You’ll be dead in your heart internally. Your marriage will fall short of what it was supposed to be. Your family will be dead relationally. And most importantly, sin brings death eternally. But the gift of God is eternal life, which begins now and lasts through eternity.” From there, I take them to Romans 8:1 . . .
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
“Once we change direction and follow Jesus,” I explain, “we experience a resurrection of relationships and emotions as the sentence of death is removed from our lives.” Finally, we turn to Romans 10:8–10 . . .
The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
“If you confess that Jesus is Lord, you’ll be saved,” I tell them. “And you’ll never regret it.”
Known as the “Romans Road,” I have found this to be a most effective way to share the gospel.
“What if they don’t believe the Bible is God’s Word?” you ask. “Don’t you have to convince them?”
Not necessarily. When asked how to defend the Bible, C. H. Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” answered, “Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself.”
The greatest blessing on earth is to lead someone into eternal life. The Bible says that when one soul is saved, all of Heaven breaks out in a cosmic celebration (Luke 15:10). And the same thing will happen in your heart. The issues, problems, and concerns facing you will suddenly matter no longer when you’ve seen someone take their first step toward Heaven.
Pastor Jon Courson |
