(This article also includes a podcast discussion. Click the play button below, or subscribe and listen on your Apple or Google podcast app.)
Telling others about Christ is a daunting, terrifying task. What do we say? What verses do we use? What if we say the wrong thing and send them to Hell for eternity? There’s no single right way to share Christ, but this article will discuss one way that, at the very least, can move us in a good direction.
What’s the goal?
When we tell others of our marvelous Savior, we need to be purposeful in our approach. As we see in the world, it’s very easy for people to get a false idea of who Jesus is and why we need Him. So before we discuss some valuable questions to ask, where are we trying to lead their heart and mind with those questions?
- A person needs to realize the depth of their sinfulness
- That sin isn’t just wrong, but has broken God’s perfect law
- Because God is good, He must punish evil
- No amount of good we do can outweigh all the wrong, making us unable to save ourselves
- We need someone to pay our enormous debt, and the only one who can do that is Jesus Christ
We don’t want to tell them Jesus will make their lives better. They don’t need to hear that they are bad people need to clean up their act and behave better. Simply put, our goal is to give them the gospel, no more or less than showing how wicked we are and how desperately we all need Christ.
Pick your approach
All of us share the gospel differently. Some enjoy street preaching, approaching strangers 1-on-1, or developing a relationship first. Whatever approach suits us best, it’s important to be focused and purposeful. These questions will work in almost any discussion because of their straightforwardness, so adapt them as necessary.
The questions
Just as our approach is sharing the gospel varies, the way we use these questions is likewise open to change. What I’m presenting is a guide that is meant to be flexible while always pursuing a single goal, pointing out:
- sin
- our inability to save ourselves from what we deserve
- our need for Jesus Christ
The simplest way to point out sin is to ask them if they’ve ever done it. Of course, “sin” has a lot of assumptions attached to it. After all, most people haven’t murdered, cheated on their spouse, or robbed a bank, so most people would say they aren’t that bad. Instead of telling them they’re a sinner, we want to show them what that means. Here’s how our first series of questions might go:
—
Have you ever killed anybody?
No, of course not.
Have you ever been angry with someone? Maybe even yelled at them?
Well, yeah I guess.
Well Christ tells us that even being angry with someone is committing murder in our hearts.
(This question references Matthew 5:21-23 and immediately digs at something that our society calls normal. Everyone gets mad, yet few consider that the same heart that could yell at our kids is the same heart required to take a life. The results may be different, but the hearts are indistinguishable.)
Okay, what about stealing?
No, I’d never do that.
Well, what about downloading something you didn’t pay for? Stealing from your mom’s purse when you were younger? Eating a sibling’s candy when they didn’t know it?
(We all like to excuse our sin. We find ways to justify or minimize it, making us “not as bad as someone else.” But theft is theft, and asking them about things that they may not have felt guilt about can be very revealing.)
Have you ever lied?
Well sure, everyone has!
(Little needs to be said about this one and Exodus 20:16.)
What about adultery? You know, cheating on your spouse.
No, I’m pretty faithful.
What about checking someone out, maybe thinking sexual thoughts about them?
Yeah…
That’s called lust. Christ says that to even lust after someone is to commit adultery in our hearts.
(Another sin everyone sees as normal, and another heart issue that Christ addressed in Matthew 5:27-28. The heart that would lust in the mind is the exact same heart that’s willing to act on that lust. Just like anger, the “major sin” can’t happen without the “smaller sin” existing first.)
You say you’ve been angry, which God calls murder. What would you call someone who murders?
A murderer.
And someone who steals?
A thief.
What about a person who tells lies?
They’re a liar.
And someone who commits adultery?
I guess you’d call them an adulterer.
(Now that we’ve established that they have certainly sinned, we can further cement it in their minds by letting them label themselves. Most importantly, we aren’t accusing or judging them because they’ve fully admitted to all these things.)
So you’ve admitted that you’re a murderous, thieving, lying adulterer. Here’s the problem. God is a judge of all people, and those things have all broken His law. If someone is a good judge, what are they supposed to do to people who break the law in such a bad way?
Well, punish them. But I’m not that bad! I think God would look at all the good I’ve done and be able to forgive me.
(This is the most common defense you’ll hear. Even when we realize we’ve done wrong, we want to justify ourselves. We insist that we aren’t that bad, despite being thieves and murderers.)
But God is a good judge. If someone came and murdered you and your whole family, then stood up in court and said “Look judge, I know I did wrong. But even though a butchered that family, I think you should look at all those times I donated blood and volunteered at the homeless shelter. Doesn’t all that good outweigh my bad?” Now if this is a good judge, how should he respond to the person who killed you and your family?
He should still sentence them to jail.
But what about all that good he did? Shouldn’t the judge forgive such a big crime since the criminal also did good things?
(At this point, they will probably have questions. Maybe they’ll turn it back around on us, either accusing us of being self-righteous or also saying we’re guilty. Whatever happens, the conversation will likely center around how hopeless their situation is. And they’re right!)
So if I can’t do anything to be forgiven, what’s the point?
Exactly. We can’t do anything. That’s why God sent His son, Jesus Christ, into the world. He died on the cross to take our punishment for sin. It’s like God was just about to give us the death penalty, but Christ burst into the courtroom and yelled “I’ll do it! I’ll pay for their crimes!”
So then I’m okay?
Not yet. Christ says that whoever calls on His name will be saved. It’s a free gift, but one that not everyone will have when they stand before the judge. We will only get it by realizing that we’ve broken God’s law and can’t do anything to save ourselves. We have to believe that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, and we need to ask Him to save us and make us blameless before God. When we do that and mean it, our sin is paid for. God has no more judgment left for us because He punished Christ in our place.
—
And that’s one way to ask unbelievers questions. It may seem complicated, but all it requires is that we understand sin, guilt, and salvation. Those same things we understood on our day of salvation are all we need to know to show others the beauty of our savior.
If that was a lot to take in, just remember these four things:
- Ask questions about how they’ve broken God’s law
- Ask what they’d call someone who does those specific things
- Ask what a good judge should do with a criminal like that
- Tell them of the salvation offered through Christ
Obviously, having Bible verses in mind is ideal here. But if you find yourself frazzled and blanking, don’t back down. The basics of the gospel are still true, even if you can’t quote exact verses. If the person wants to humble themselves before God then and there, then the Holy Spirit has moved in spite of our poor memory. If they want to discuss things further, then we can come prepared the next time we see them, using God’s perfect word to walk them through the truth of the gospel and showing them why Jesus Christ is the only path to forgiveness before the Almighty Judge.
And of course, it’s entirely possible they walk away and we will never know what happens to them. In that case, remember Paul’s encouragement that the seed we plant may still grow through someone else’s guidance because, ultimately, it’s God who reveals the truth to them.
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6)
I hope this has given some encouragement at how easy it can be to present the gospel. We don’t need to be biblical scholars or persuasive speakers. All we need is to be faithful with the truth God has revealed to us, sharing with others the wonderfully good news that Christ saves sinners, no matter how long their criminal record may be.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20a)
(If you’d like to see this method in action, check out Ray Comfort’s YouTube channel where you can see him apply these questions to real people)
