Persuasive Words
Have you ever had someone talk you into doing something that you didn’t want to do by using persuasive words? When I was a young kid, I remember older kids talking me into doing something I shouldn’t and usually something stupid. Or maybe you have had a slick salesperson talk you into buying something that you regretted purchasing. Sometimes people can persuade you with enticing words to fall for something or buy something that you really don’t need or may not even really want.
I’m bringing this up because when street witnessing, my goal is not to use enticing words or persuasive words to get you to “accept Jesus”. No, my aim is to share truth, God’s truth and thankfully, salvation is of the Lord. So I don’t have to worry about who accepts or who rejects what they hear. Salvation is of the Lord. But my hope and my prayer is that you will repent from your sins and surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus Christ the Lord.
Jesus commands true believers to share the Gospel with others. So when we faithfully hand out Gospel tracts, New Testaments, share the Gospel or tell our testimony, we are doing what our Lord and Savior tells us to do. And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).
Share The Gospel With Others
Again, Jesus tells us to share the Gospel with others, but the responsibility of saving souls is up to God. Salvation is of the Lord. When God’s truth goes forth, it is a savor of life unto life or a savor of death unto death (2 Corinthians 2:16). God softens some hearts while other hearts are hardened, but God’s word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11).
There is great comfort in that it is not up to me or the wisdom of my words for people to put their faith in Jesus. No, salvation is of the Lord. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5: And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
I join the apostle Paul in saying that I am not talking to you with persuasive or superior words or of man’s wisdom. No, I’m proclaiming God’s truth to you from His word. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, my words today will fall on deaf ears. If you do not have ears to hear, what I’m saying will sound foolish to you. If God is not convicting you over your sins, then these words will ring hollow to you. They will sound like utter foolishness.
Proclaiming Truth But Not With Persuasive Words
Salvation is of God. Salvation is the power of God. Please note, whether you receive or reject truth, I will still proclaim it. I am not ashamed of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am not afraid to look foolish to you. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16).
It’s not by might or power or persuasive words that I come here to share the Gospel. No it is in weakness, in fear and trembling that I share the glorious Gospel with you. I weep for your soul even if you do not. I don’t want any of you to die in your sins and go to Hell. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.
What is the Gospel? The apostle Paul relays it succinctly in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, and wherein you stand; By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
Jesus Was Seen By Over 500 People At One Time After His Resurrection
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep (have died). After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried and rose again after three days, just as the Scriptures foretold. Jesus, the godly, died for the ungodly. The sinless Son of God took the punishment that guilty sinners like you and me deserve. He was bruised for our iniquities. By His stripes we are healed. That is for those who repent and believe in the Lord Jesus.
Folks, I’m not stating some new, strange doctrine. I’m not trying to razzle dazzle you with smooth or enticing words. No, I’m just relaying to you what the Bible says. Salvation is of the Lord. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
Everyone Needs To Hear The Truth
You can’t be saved if you don’t know the truth and the truth is that we have all sinned against God. There is not a righteous person upon the earth. We have all gone our own way. Each and every one of us have said no to God and yes to self, at one time or another.
What are the wages or reward for rebelling against God? Death. The soul that sins, it shall die. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Unless you surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you are still a slave to sin. Listen to what Paul says about true believers: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Freed From Sin
For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he lives, he lives unto God.
Likewise reckon also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.
Slave To Christ Or A Slave To Sin
If Jesus Christ is not your Lord and Savior, don’t continue being a slave to sin. Repent of your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ the Lord. He is Lord of all and one day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Do so in this life. Truly repent from your sins and surrender your life fully and completely to Jesus. Be saved today. Repent and believe the Gospel. These are not persuasive words or enticing words by man’s wisdom. No, these are biblical exhortations to repent from your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ.
God commands all people everywhere to repent. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: Because he has appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men, in that he has raised him from the dead.
Don’t continue rebelling against God. The great Creator God commands us to repent. Don’t foolishly wait until Judgment Day to do so. Get right with God today. Recognize that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to save you. Repent of your sins and trust in the Lord with all your heart. Call upon the mighty name of Jesus Christ and be saved. Then read the Bible every day and obey the Lord.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on October 11, 2019)