Biblical Evangelism

“Have you ever thought, “There must be a key to reaching the lost”? There is—and it’s rusty through lack of use. The Bible does actually call it “the key,” and its purpose is to bring us to Christ, to unlock the Door of the Savior (John 10:9). Not only is it biblical, but it was used throughout church history to unlock the doors of revival. Much of the church today doesn’t even know it exists. The problem is that it was lost around the turn of the twentieth century. Keys have a way of getting lost. Before reading further, listen to these two incredible teachings, Hell’s Best Kept Secret and True & False Conversion. They will set the stage and reinforce the need for this key and you may even pick up what it is that is missing from a lot today’s evangelism. Here is a hint, Jesus used it in His evangelism (Mark 10:17-27).

Why do 80–90% of those making a decision for Christ fall away from the faith? What is the biblical principle that Spurgeon, Wesley, Whitefield, etc., used to reach the lost? Why has the Church neglected it? Don’t let anything stop you from listening to this incredible teaching by Founder and CEO of Living Waters, Ray Comfort. Ray is a New Zealand-born American Christian evangelist, author, and television host who has preached open air for over 50 years.

Hell’s Best Kept Secret

Click here for the Spanish version (El Secreto Mejor Guardado del Infierno (Hell’s Best Kept Secret))

True and False Conversion

This teaching, by Ray Comfort, is foundational, and goes hand in hand with Hell’s Best Kept Secret. It is very important that you understand it, as it will have great bearing on how you spend your time, and how you share the principles of God’s Word. If you have ever wondered why so much of the Church looks and acts just like the world, this teaching will help it make sense and therefore your approach to evangelism will change because of it.

Click here for the Spanish version (Verdadera y Falsa Conversión (True & False Conversion))

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Did you figure out what the key is to biblical evangelism? Jesus used it. So did Paul (Romans 3:19,20) and James (James 2:10). Stephen used it when he preached (Acts 7:53). Peter found that it had been used to open the door to release 3,000 imprisoned souls on the Day of Pentecost. Jesus said that the lawyers had “taken away” the key, and had even refused to use it to let people enter into the kingdom of God (Luke 11:52). The Pharisees didn’t take it away; instead, they bent it out of shape so that it wouldn’t do its work (Mark 7:8). Jesus returned it to its true shape, just as the Scriptures prophesied that He would do (Isaiah 42:21). Satan has tried to prejudice the modern church against the key. He has maligned it, misused it, twisted it, and, of course, hidden it—he hates it because of what it does. Perhaps you are wondering what this key is. I will tell you. All I ask is that you set aside your traditions and prejudices and look at what God’s Word says on the subject.

In Acts 28:23 the Bible tells us that Paul sought to persuade his hearers “concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets.” Here are two effective means of persuading the unsaved “concerning Jesus.”

Let’s first look at how the prophets can help persuade sinners concerning Jesus. Fulfilled prophecy proves the inspiration of Scripture. The predictions of the prophets present a powerful case for the inspiration of the Bible. Any skeptic who reads the prophetic words of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, etc., or the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 cannot help but be challenged that this is no ordinary book.

The other means by which Paul persuaded sinners concerning Jesus was “out of the law of Moses.” The Bible tells us that the Law of Moses is good if it is used lawfully (1 Timothy 1:8). For what purpose was God’s Law designed? The following verses tell us: “The Law is not made for a righteous person, but…for sinners” (1 Timothy 1:9,10). It even lists the sinners for us: the disobedient, the ungodly, murderers, fornicators, homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, etc. The Law was designed primarily as an evangelistic tool. Paul wrote that he “had not known sin, but by the law” (Romans 7:7). The Law of God (the Ten Commandments) is evidently the “key of knowledge” that Jesus mentioned in Luke 11:52. He was speaking to lawyers—those who should have been teaching God’s Law so that sinners would receive the “knowledge of sin,” and thus recognize their need of the Savior.

Prophecy speaks to the intellect of the sinner, while the Law speaks to the conscience. One produces faith in the Word of God; the other brings knowledge of sin in the heart of the sinner. The Law is the God-given “key” to unlock the Door of salvation.

The Bible says in Psalm 19:7, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul.” Scripture makes it very clear that it is the Law that actually converts the soul. To illustrate the function of God’s Law, let’s look for a moment at civil law. Imagine if I said to you, “I’ve got some good news for you: someone has just paid a $25,000 speeding fine on your behalf.” You’d probably react by saying, “What are you talking about? That’s not good news—it doesn’t make sense. I don’t have a $25,000 speeding fine.” My good news wouldn’t be good news to you; it would seem foolishness. But more than that, it would be offensive to you, because I’m insinuating you’ve broken the law when you don’t think you have.

However, if I put it this way, it may make more sense: “While you were out today, the law clocked you going 55 miles an hour through an area set aside for a blind children’s convention. There were ten clear warning signs stating that fifteen miles an hour was the maximum speed, but you went straight through at 55 miles an hour. What you did was extremely dangerous; there’s a $25,000 fine. The law was about to take its course, when someone you don’t even know stepped in and paid the fine for you. You are very fortunate.”

Can you see that telling you precisely what you’ve done wrong first actually enables the good news to make sense? If I don’t clearly bring understanding that you’ve violated the law, then the good news will seem foolishness and offensive. But once you understand that you’ve broken the law, then that good news will become good news indeed.

In the same way, if I approach an impenitent sinner and say, “Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins,” it will be foolishness and offensive to him. It will be foolishness because it won’t make sense. The Bible says that “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:18). And it will be offensive because I’m insinuating he’s a sinner when he doesn’t think he is. As far as he’s concerned, there are a lot of people far worse than him. But if I take the time to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, it may make more sense. If I open up the divine Law, the Ten Commandments, and show the sinner precisely what he’s done wrong—that he has offended God by violating His Law—then when he becomes “convinced of the law as a transgressor” (James 2:9), the good news of the fine being paid will not be foolishness. It will not be offensive. It will be “the power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16).

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the functions of God’s Law for humanity. Romans 3:19 says, “Now we know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.” So one function of God’s Law is to stop the mouth, to keep sinners from justifying themselves by saying, “There are plenty of people worse than me. I’m not a bad person, really.” No, the law stops the mouth of justification and leaves not just the Jews, but the whole world guilty before God.

In Romans 3:20 we read, “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.” So God’s Law tells us what sin is. 1John 3:4 says, “Sin is transgression of the law.” In Galatians 3:24 we learn that God’s Law acts as a schoolmaster to bring us to Jesus Christ that we might be justified through faith in His blood. The Law doesn’t help us; it just leaves us helpless. It doesn’t justify us; it just leaves us guilty before the judgment bar of a holy God.

Charles Spurgeon, called the Prince of Preachers, stated, “I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law. The Law is the needle, and you cannot draw the silken thread of the gospel through a man’s heart unless you first send the needle of the Law to make way for it.””

Charles Spurgeon did not just talk the talk, he used the law to bring thousands to Christ. So many, it filled volumes of books with testimonies. “Thirty large volumes: That’s how many pages it took to contain the testimonies of those applying for membership during the ministry of Charles Spurgeon. Fifteen thousand handwritten entries in all — over 70 percent of which were from new converts. The elders at the Metropolitan Tabernacle were anxious to know that a work of God had occurred in the soul before admitting one into membership, so at least one pastor would conduct an interview and record the applicant’s testimony before he or she sat down with Spurgeon directly.

One common experience shared in these testimonies — one less characteristic of converts today — is the misery most felt prior to conversion. Many were “cut to the heart” and were driven to ask, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). A crushing burden was on their backs. They needed a Savior.

And these souls identified a consistent culprit behind their anguish: Spurgeon’s preaching. His sermons ruined their day. Conviction sent countless sinners away disturbed. Testimony after testimony speaks of dejection, fear, and alarm caused by his heralding. The compilers summarize, “The majority of these conversion experiences are not instant, but start with a few weeks or even months of painful conviction and sorrow before trusting alone in Christ and finding full joy and assurance” (Wonders of Grace, 13). Night came before morning.

Such testimonies may surprise us, especially if we too often stress the good news and shrink the bad, offer the sweet and withhold the bitter, press the inspiring and hurry past the unpleasant. It seems to me that many do not till the heart before planting gospel seed and see less fruit because of it. I believe we do not see more souls saved because we do not make more souls feel lost. I believe we are not happier in our salvation because we have not been made unhappier in sin. I believe we do not hear more testimonies of God’s grace because we do not emphasize God’s testimony against man’s sin.” – Preach the Bad News Too: A Surprising Lesson from Spurgeon’s Converts by Greg Morse

Excerpt taken from Living Water’s Biblical Evangelism course. Find the full course here: School of Biblical Evangelism

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Here is what using the Law in evangelism looks like and how it takes a proud person from being self righteous in that they believe they are a “good person” to a full understanding of their depravity or sinfulness. This is how Jesus evangelized the rich young ruler in Mark 8 and this is how the great Evangelist throughout church history, to include C.H. Spurgeon, presented the Gospel. Law first, then Grace.

For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

2 Corinthians 7:10

To learn how to evangelize this way, just as Jesus, Peter, Stephen, Paul, Wesley, Whitfield, Spurgeon, Moody, Billy Graham and so many others have done throughout Church history, click here: The School of Biblical Evangelism

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More to come…