How To Bring Someone To The Knowledge Of Salvation

The devil claimed me but Jesus saved me. This is the basic truth for millions of Christians around the world and for most of them, it started with someone who cared enough to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What has God done for you? Healed your body? Delivered you from an addiction or bondage? Freed you from a life of pain, disappointment, or depression? Taken you from selfishness to selflessness and given you purpose? Even if you don’t think that you have much of a story to tell, one thing is for sure. He saved you from an eternity in hell, made you a royal priest, gave you joy, peace, hope, power, authority, a mandate, and above all, eternal life through Christ Jesus, and that’s something to talk about!

As Christians we have been freely given the most precious gift a human can receive in this life and it is our call and duty to share that gift with others, but how? We all know that we are suppose to witness to others, every single one of us is called by God to save souls. He literally expects us to do that. He said “freely you have received, now freely give“. So how do we go about it? Do we memorize some catch all rehearsed plan of salvation presentation? Do we have to be well versed in the bible or have years of training, experience, or be sent out by some ministerial superior or staff? No, it’s simple, the gospel is simple. All you have to do is witness, and you can start doing it as soon as you are saved. So what does “witness” mean? It means that you tell of what you have seen and experienced. It’s that easy.

All you have to do is ask God to show you those that are ready to hear the good news, then when He points someone out to you, go tell them the good news. The news that though we are all born into sin and damnation, God loves them, and Jesus died to set them free from the bondages of the pointless and painful cycles of this carnal life. Then tell them what you have witnessed, what you’ve seen Him do in your life and the lives of those around you.

Now you’ve got them listening and somewhat interested. You want to take it to scripture, though honestly, most times that’s not necessary. In my experience, a little loving kindness, an open ear, an available shoulder, and open mouth baring witness, and a prayer is enough to turn the tide. However, even if you don’t end up giving out bible verses on the plan of salvation it is good to know them for your own understanding and the Holy Spirit will bring them to your heart and mind when needed while witnessing. So let’s look at the plan of salvation in scripture.

Creating alignment and destroying their excuses: Many times the devil binds people up in their sin with chains of guilt and shame. He convinces them that they are unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness. To these people I say, “You’re right! But neither was I, or anyone for that matter!” Then I tell them about Paul. How he made a living hunting down, imprisoning and slaughtering Christians. How he even had the blood of the very first mortar for Christ on his hands. Yet God called him, saved him, sent him out, and used him to preach His gospel, write most of the New Testament, and bring more souls to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ then any other human in the history of the world!… Checkmate devil! Chains of the lie that they are too wicked for God to forgive and use them, broken by a witness of Paul’s life.

“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” – Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭22-26‬

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” – 1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬

The requirement of salvation through Jesus and the penalty of unrepentant sin:

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Romans‬ ‭6‬:‭23‬

“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

Breaking Pride: Now for those on the other end of the spectrum from the ones who think they are too wicked are the ones that believe they are already good. Some people need to be informed that being a good person or doing good things isn’t enough. Salvation from damnation comes only through faith in the blood of Jesus.

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:” – Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭20-22‬

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;” – Titus‬ ‭3‬:‭5-6‬

The provision of salvation through Jesus Christ:

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” – Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭4-8‬

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” – John‬ ‭3‬:‭16-17‬

“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

What is required to receive this salvation?

Repent: (choose to turn away from sin, leave it behind you, and don’t go back to it)

“And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” – Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭2-5

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew‬ ‭4‬:‭17‬

“And they went out, and preached that men should repent.” – Mark‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬

“But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God…” – Acts‬ ‭26‬:‭20‬

“And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” – Luke‬ ‭5‬:‭31-32‬

Confess: (acknowledge to God, not man, (for no man can save but God only) that you have sinned and need Him to come and wash you clean with the blood of the lamb that was slain, Jesus Christ. Confess with your mouth that you believe Christ is the son of God, He died for your sins, was raised from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of God)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” – 1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9-10‬

“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.” Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9-10‬

Believe: (don’t just say it, mean it)

“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” – Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭30-31‬

Don’t Delay: Once a person believes in God and knows they need His salvation, the last tactic of satan is to convince them there is always tomorrow and cause them to put it off until it’s too late. There’s no time to waste, today is the day, we are not promised tomorrow. Tell them that if God saw fit to cause you to minister salvation to them, then there is a reason and they need to heed it while they still can. This is a serious matter. Thousands upon thousands of people die every day and everyone of them had plans for the morrow, don’t let salvation be one of those plans. Today is the day, now is the time. There may never be an other chance.

“For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” – 2 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭2‬

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭15‬