We will look at two biblical evangelism examples where Peter and Jesus tell the good news to Gentiles, resulting in them becoming children of God.
Biblical evangelism presents the gospel to people so that the hearer will become a believer.
It takes wisdom to win souls, so you better get some wisdom before you go out witnessing and it greatly helps it you are operating in words of knowledge
1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
Verse 12 I am not saying that Jesus in not a individual person, you will see Him, and He may come to visit you here on earth. But when He poured out His Spirit on the day of Pentecost, He universalized His Spirit.
As the physical body has many members, SO ALSO IS CHRIST. You are a member of the body of Christ on the earth, His Ambassador of heaven, where your citizenship exists, You are as representative of him on the earth, and are to share the reason for your hope, when people see that you are different but no religious. Religious people turn people away from God Do not be one of them.
Biblical evangelism presents the gospel to people so that the hearer will become a believer.
We need to discern how we share the gospel or part of our testimony that will benefit the hearer to relate to our message.
Therefore, we need to present the message so the hearer can respond to a loving Father who desires a meaningful relationship.
There are two forms of evangelism.
1-Public speaking to a group of people like in an evangelism service, or large crusades.
Public speaking is where we make a bold declaration of who God is, a good and loving Father who desires to have a meaningful relationship with his sons and daughters.
In our crusades or church meetings, we will always be looking for opportunities to display the power of God through miracles and healings.
2 Sharing our own personal journey and experiences with someone. And this is where we share our testimony and how Jesus has changed our lives, which then provides a way to tell the good news of Jesus in a more natural progression.
What is the Central Theme of Biblical Evangelism?
It is critically important that we focus on God’s desires for a loving relationship with us in sharing the good news.
HOW TO PRESENT THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL
I went to a bible school in 1988 called New life Bible School. Norvel hayes taught me how to cast out devils, heal the sick, and win souls.
First, learn how to love people. Find someone to love, go to the worst part of the city and find some run-down house, knock on the door, and ask them if they need food. Don’t tell them about Jesus, just love them develop a relationship. Then when they see that you love them and believe for them, the door will open and then tell them about Jesus.
A friend would tell me how his pastor use to drive him around the city praying and the Lord would say that one! So, they would get out of the car and talk to them, and they would get born again.
We have to first of all have to understand the love and nature of our heavenly Father, before we can effectively witness to someone.
Entrance into the kingdom of God and having eternal life is not based on good works. Nor is it feeling guilty about being a sinner.
God’s original intention was to have sons and daughters and that He would do this through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection.
Your spirit pre-existed in heaven, if you don’t believe this do not concern yourself with it, it will not affect your eternal salvation.
The reason we were chosen in heaven (and there are many spirits in heaven that want to come to earth) is to be sent to earth and be born a human being so that the seed of God could be conceived in our spirit which is the DNA of God, so that you could be a son and daughter of God by being born from above and be of the same god-line-a new creation- https://glorytogodministries.site/blog/42nd-generation/
This teaching on biblically based evangelism gives people a correct understanding of God.
We may not have seen other Christians evangelize this way. They may promote a conviction of sin to produce fear of an angry God wanting to punish them if they do not repent. For example:
They proclaim that they need to repent of their sins’ and show godly sorrow, as evidence of repentance.
They focus on the point that Jesus died on the cross for their sins.
Others teach that to bring conviction to the sinner, we need to show how they have broken God’s laws and commandments.
They teach salvation is through the cross, rather than the giving of a new heart and a New Covenant
They teach that man is evil, rather than Jesus’ righteousness will replace their sins.
They focus on Jesus as their savior, rather than His Lordship of a kingdom.
They have the person recite the ‘sinner’s prayer’ and they say now you are saved. Getting saved and being born again are two different things which I will teach in another message.
When a person gets born again the Holy Spirit overshadows them and commands light to shine in their spirit resulting in the quicking of their spirit, the implanting of the seed of God in their spirit, you can see a change in their countenance, you can see it in their eyes.
Do not have a person pray the sinners pray tell them to be sorry for their sins and then have them to ask God to forgive them and invite Jesus in their heart and then tell them they are born again. You don’t know that!
The father -Holy Spirit will draw them, convict them of sin and will reveal Jesus to them. You cannot win souls that way! But you can co-labor with God at His leading and see results.
A DIFFERENT WAY TO PRESENT THE GOSPEL
However, we find a completely different way of presenting the gospel in reading the scriptures.
This message is of supreme importance, please pay attention!
To help us share the good news, we will look at Peter’s first significant evangelism of a group of Gentiles.
Apostle Peter’s Biblical Evangelism of a Gentile’s Household
The first time we discover a truth in the Bible, we need to pay particular attention to its meaning. The first reference to the fact is called the Law of First Mention.
Acts 10 is the first complete explanation of a gentile household’s biblical evangelism.
The story of Cornelius is the first message to non-Jewish families since the birth of the church. God shows Peter in a vision that the Gentiles are not unclean.
ACTS 10:9-15 THE NEXT DAY, AS THEY WENT ON THEIR JOURNEY AND DREW NEAR THE CITY, PETER WENT UP ON THE HOUSETOP TO PRAY, ABOUT THE SIXTH HOUR. THEN HE BECAME VERY HUNGRY AND WANTED TO EAT; BUT WHILE THEY MADE READY, HE FELL INTO A TRANCE AND SAW HEAVEN OPENED AND AN OBJECT LIKE A GREAT SHEET BOUND AT THE FOUR CORNERS, DESCENDING TO HIM AND LET DOWN TO THE EARTH. IN IT WERE ALL KINDS OF FOUR-FOOTED ANIMALS OF THE EARTH, WILD BEASTS, CREEPING THINGS, AND BIRDS OF THE AIR. AND A VOICE CAME TO HIM, “RISE, PETER; KILL AND EAT.” BUT PETER SAID, “NOT SO, LORD! FOR I HAVE NEVER EATEN ANYTHING COMMON OR UNCLEAN.” AND A VOICE SPOKE TO HIM AGAIN THE SECOND TIME, “WHAT GOD HAS CLEANSED YOU MUST NOT CALL COMMON.” THIS WAS DONE THREE TIMES. AND THE OBJECT WAS TAKEN UP INTO HEAVEN AGAIN.
God does not see Cornelius as a Sinner !
ACTS 10:1-2 THERE WAS A CERTAIN MAN IN CAESAREA CALLED CORNELIUS, A CENTURION OF WHAT WAS CALLED THE ITALIAN REGIMENT, A DEVOUT MAN AND ONE WHO FEARED GOD WITH ALL HIS HOUSEHOLD, WHO GAVE ALMS GENEROUSLY TO THE PEOPLE, AND PRAYED TO GOD ALWAYS.
The first component of Peter’s message to Cornelius and his household was the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
ACTS 10:36 …—HE IS LORD OF ALL— Previous generations focused on Jesus being our savior, saving us from our sins.
However, it is better to focus on His Lordship.
Biblical evangelism refers to Jesus’ Lordship rather than salvation from sins.
Jesus and the apostle’s focus is on the gospel of the kingdom, not on Jesus “saving us from our sins”.
We see the same principle in the well-known scripture regarding people being born again.
ROMANS 10:9 THAT IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD HAS RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED.
There is no reference to “accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior” as part of the “sinner’s prayer“.
It is about confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
This confession is what declares His mastery and kingship over your life.
Then, after His Lordship, we find that Peter refers to a testimony about the power of Jesus to release the captives.
ACTS:10:38 HOW GOD ANOINTED JESUS OF NAZARETH WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND WITH POWER, WHO WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD AND HEALING ALL WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY THE DEVIL,
The testimony of what Jesus did in your life is compelling.
Your testimony is powerful because when you testify about what Jesus did for you, the same anointing that set you free becomes available to the listener if they mix it with faith.
As well as this, Revelation 19 teaches us that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
So, when we tell of what Jesus has done in our lives, we are giving the testimony of Jesus.
REVELATION 19:10 … WORSHIP GOD! FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS IS THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY.”
Jesus Died, but No Explanation of what Happened on the Cross
Most leaders will tell you that you must explain WHY Jesus died on the cross in your evangelism. Yet we don’t see this in Peter’s biblical evangelism of Cornelius’ household.
ACTS 10:39 AND WE ARE WITNESSES OF ALL THINGS WHICH HE DID BOTH IN THE LAND OF THE JEWS AND IN JERUSALEM, WHOM THEY KILLED BY HANGING ON A TREE.
Peter talks about the cross, but he finds no need to explain why Jesus died on the cross. Nor do we have to explain WHY Jesus died every time we evangelize.
It may seem that I am laboring the point, but because famous evangelists have used this in the past, we do not need to keep doing it today.
Next, Peter shares about the resurrection:
ACTS 10:40 HIM GOD RAISED UP ON THE THIRD DAY, AND SHOWED HIM OPENLY, NOT TO ALL THE PEOPLE, BUT TO WITNESSES CHOSEN BEFORE BY GOD, EVEN TO US WHO ATE AND DRANK WITH HIM AFTER HE AROSE FROM THE DEAD.
Elsewhere, the apostles focused more on the resurrection than the cross in their preaching.
ACTS 4:33 AND WITH GREAT POWER THE APOSTLES GAVE WITNESS TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS. AND GREAT GRACE WAS UPON THEM ALL.
Focusing on the resurrection is correct biblical truth because Jesus reconciles us to God through Jesus’ death and saves us through His resurrection.
ROMANS 5:10 FOR IF WHEN WE WERE ENEMIES WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON, MUCH MORE, HAVING BEEN RECONCILED, WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE.
Salvation is Jesus delivering us when we need rescuing.
Salvation is not a particularly good term to describe the new birth or adoption as sons and daughters.
Although being born again definitely saves us, salvation starts as soon as anybody calls on the name of Jesus Christ and continues through the Christian’s life on earth.
Jesus will Judge the Living and the Dead
ACTS 10:42 AND HE COMMANDED US TO PREACH TO THE PEOPLE, AND TO TESTIFY THAT IT IS HE WHO WAS ORDAINED BY GOD TO BE JUDGE OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD.
Peter’s message included the fact that Jesus will judge the living (sons and daughters of God) and the dead (those who do not believe in Jesus).
Faith in Jesus Alone is what Brings us into the Family of God.
ACTS 10:43 TO HIM ALL THE PROPHETS WITNESS THAT, THROUGH HIS NAME, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS.”
Let’s see what Peter leaves out, yet it is common in today’s gospel message.
Godly sorrow is not a necessary component – it was due to sexual immorality in a particular CHURCH which they needed to show godly sorrow for.
Law is not mentioned – why would he? Cornelius is not a Jew.
Repentance is not mentioned, just faith in Jesus alone!
Emphasizing the message of the cross and that He died for your sins, is not part of the Biblical message of the good news – you can talk to the person about that later.
Sinner’s prayer is not used. We say a totally different prayer; based out of the New Covenant and new birth.
“Confess Jesus as your saviour”, is not mentioned.
Fear-based “rapture” or “anti-Christ” message – yes people will come to belief in Jesus, but if their initial view of God is catastrophic and angry, they will not see Him as a loving Father.
Reference to what the Prophets Spoke
Again, looking at verse 43, Peter refers to the prophets. Cornelius had some understanding of Old Testament scripture because he was God-fearing, devout and gave alms – a Jewish custom. Different prophets (Jeremiah, Hosea, Ezekiel) wrote about a coming New Covenant.
Peter refers to the prophets because they prophesied that there would be the cancellation of sins as part of the New Covenant that was to come.
That covenant did not say, repent from your sins; it simply stated that there was remission of sins, which means He takes our sins away.
Thus, the book of Hebrews summarizes the New Covenant:
HEBREWS 8:8-10 I WILL PUT MY LAWS IN THEIR MIND AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. NONE OF THEM SHALL TEACH HIS NEIGHBOR, AND NONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST OF THEM TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”
God forgets their sin when people believe that Jesus is the son of God and declare that He is Lord of their life.
Signs and Wonders Confirm the Word of God.
Confirming that Peter’s sharing the gospel was anointed, The Holy Spirit fell on all who were present.
ACTS 10:44-45 WHILE PETER WAS STILL SPEAKING THESE WORDS, THE HOLY SPIRIT FELL UPON ALL THOSE WHO HEARD THE WORD. AND THOSE OF THE CIRCUMCISION WHO BELIEVED WERE ASTONISHED, AS MANY AS CAME WITH PETER, BECAUSE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD BEEN POURED OUT ON THE GENTILES ALSO. FOR THEY HEARD THEM SPEAK WITH TONGUES AND MAGNIFY GOD.
Peter’s example does not mean that we do not talk about repentance.
We need to prayerfully consider each situation, as each case will be unique.
For instance, if a person is weighed down by shame, guilt, and sin, talking to them about repentance will immensely help them.
Remember, the purpose is to set the captive free, not weigh them down more, which the Pharisees did.
Remember that Cornelius was a righteous man in the sight of God before he was a new creation. Therefore, he did not necessarily need to ‘repent’ at that point. And that repentance means to change your mind.
In reality, he was repenting by deciding (changing his mind) to follow Jesus.
For some people, their sins are a considerable burden that God wants to remove, which is what Jesus preached in His evangelism of a Gentile:
JESUS’ BIBICAL EVANGELISM OF A SAMARITAN
As we go through Jesus’ evangelism of the Samaritan, we will see a similar biblical message to Peter’s.
Use of the Natural to Start a Conversation
JOHN 4:7 A WOMAN OF SAMARIA CAME TO DRAW WATER. JESUS SAID TO HER, “GIVE ME A DRINK.”
We learn that we don’t need to start with ‘spiritual’ topics to start a conversation about the Father and Jesus.
Engaging Curiosity
JOHN 4:10 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HER, “IF YOU KNEW THE GIFT OF GOD, AND WHO IT IS WHO SAYS TO YOU, ‘GIVE ME A DRINK,’ YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM, AND HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU LIVING WATER.”
Using the knowledge of what the person already knows about God, to offer eternal life.
JOHN 4:13-14 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HER, “WHOEVER DRINKS OF THIS WATER WILL THIRST AGAIN, BUT WHOEVER DRINKS OF THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM WILL NEVER THIRST. BUT THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM WILL BECOME IN HIM A FOUNTAIN OF WATER SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING LIFE.”
Using the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Using the word of knowledge to expose the CONSEQUENCE of sin – the shame she was experiencing.
JOHN 4:16-18 JESUS SAID TO HER, “GO, CALL YOUR HUSBAND, AND COME HERE.” THE WOMAN ANSWERED AND SAID, “I HAVE NO HUSBAND.” JESUS SAID TO HER, “YOU HAVE WELL SAID, ‘I HAVE NO HUSBAND,’ FOR YOU HAVE HAD FIVE HUSBANDS, AND THE ONE WHOM YOU NOW HAVE IS NOT YOUR HUSBAND; IN THAT YOU SPOKE TRULY.”
Jesus saw her as someone bound by the shame of not being able to hold a relationship, not as a sinner.
Jesus saw the good in her and that she spoke the truth.
There was no call to repentance – just wisdom to set her free from the consequence of sin: “you need to separate from that man who is not your husband.”
He did not judge her.
There is no condemnation.
Biblical evangelism of Gentiles focuses more on:
Lordship of Jesus rather than Savior.
Power of God to deliver rather than law.
Faith in Jesus alone, without focusing on the need for godly sorrow and repentance.
Focus on the consequences of sin rather than sin.
Lack of judgement and condemnation.
If people knew how good and awesome the nature of God was they would come to Him.
The story of the Prodigal Son is not the story of a back slidden Christian coming back to the Lord.
It is about a loving Father, always looking for his child (human being) to wake up to their destiny, to become apart of the household of faith. It would be better to be called the story of the LOVING FATHER. Because he starts running toward the son.