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Writing an article about witnessing is always convicting. Sharing Jesus with others is like praying. We talk a lot about the need but don’t do enough of it. I always feel woefully inadequate to urge others to be a witness. I am going to do it anyway.
My last full-blown presentation of the gospel was about three weeks ago. I have been using the same accountant for a number of years. I have shared a word of witness, a gospel tract and other small testimonies all through this time. I had never gotten him one-on-one to inquire about his relationship with Jesus.
I invited him to a steak lunch at a nice restaurant. We were in a relaxed atmosphere. Starting with small talk I moved the conversation toward spiritual matters. He expressed some involvement with religion but did not have a clear answer about his relationship with Jesus. I shared with him the story of Nicodemus from John, chapter three.
You see it is my firm conviction that salvation is a conscious decision to place one’s life under the Lordship of Jesus (repentance) and to trust Jesus’ blood for the payment of sin (faith). These two volitional inward acts unleash the power of God in our lives. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 confessional statement says repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace. I believe the new birth is essential to knowing Christ and having eternal life.
There is a movement away from decisional salvation. Usually we soft sell the gospel by failing to confront people intentionally with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Lingering in some minds are the caricatures of evangelists pulling folks down the aisle. Evangelism is not singing “Just As I Am” through 10 times in order to get someone to come forward in a public invitation. Some preachers have used emotional appeals while providing little Biblical content to get “decisions.” All of these abuses may be true, but it doesn’t negate the fact that people need to be confronted about making a conscious decision to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.
I wish I could tell you that my friend prayed to receive Christ. He didn’t. He maintained that he had some type of encounter with God that didn’t ring true with the Scriptures. I prayed with him. I pray for him every day. The salvation ball is in his court now. I have done what God commissioned me to do.
I confess that I don’t witness every time I should. I wish I did. But I do make an effort to share about our Savior. Jesus said if we followed Him, He would make us fishers of men.
Events like the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Evangelism Conference are a time when all of us can be encouraged to be soul-conscious. This is about the work of Jesus. When pastors become soul-winners, they provide leadership by example. Pastors, staff members, laypersons, let God bring a personal Great Commission Resurgence in your life. We all can do our part to see His Name glorified.
