Concluding the Gospel
Soul-Winning Lesson 5
Mark 8:12-13: And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
Principles Concerning Rejection
As we endeavor to both find and instruct a receptive soul unto the kingdom of heaven, we must bear in mind a very important truth: we cannot save everyone. Because someone must themselves be willing to “take the water of life” (Revelation 22:17), though we have the duty to persuade them to our best ability, ultimately, their accepting/rejecting of the gospel is not up to us. If we “warn the wicked,” but they do not take heed to the warning, “he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezekiel 3:19). You are only obligated to offer and present the gospel—it is up to them whether to trust in Jesus or not. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Here are three important principles which are connected to rejecting people:
- Be focused on the gospel
I Corinthians 2:1: For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
The preaching the gospel must be centered on and revolve around the fulcrum of the gospel. We should not allow the conversation to go anywhere else, nor, especially, should we ourselves get distracted from the main point of our outing.
- Do not judge based upon the mere appearance
John 7:24: Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
We ought to avoid making determinations and decisions on the basis of a mere appearance. Don’t judge a book by its cover. We should, like Paul, strive to warn and teach “every man” (Colossians 1:28). Though we can and should go soul-winning wisely by discerning who would be best to approach/preach to, oftentimes, someone who we think will not listen to the gospel will get saved, and vice versa. A good rule would be this: if someone might listen to the gospel, and offering the gospel to them will not ruin a more promising opportunity to preach the gospel to another, offer to preach the gospel to them.
Acts 28:30-31: And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
- Do not spend time with unreceptive people
If we have good reason to believe that the person/people we are preaching to will not receive the gospel, then we should immediately leave them. Our goal when we go soul-winning is to win souls. In the process, we will be planting and watering seeds of the gospel in those who do not get saved. However, when our main goal cannot be accomplished on a particular someone that day, we need to move on.
Matthew 10:14: And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Acts 18:6: And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
Determining When to Leave
Leave the person if they are a “FOOL”: someone who is continually misunderstanding what you say at various points of the gospel, or someone who is not paying attention to what you are saying.
Proverbs 14:7: Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
Proverbs 17:24: Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
Proverbs 18:2: A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.
Proverbs 23:9: Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Leave the person if they are a “HERETIC”: someone who is not receiving the truth of the gospel, or who is repeatedly rejecting what you are teaching from the Bible, or who is trying to make you listen to them teach you.
Titus 3:10-11: A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.
Matthew 7:6: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Galatians 2:4-5: And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Leave the person if they are “NOT SOBER”: someone that is under the influence of a mind-altering substance (alcohol/drugs) and cannot therefore comprehend the gospel.
Proverbs 20:1: Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
I Samuel 25:36-37: And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.
The Sinner’s Prayer
The Sinner’s Prayer is a prepared prayer about asking God for salvation that is given (usually verbally) to someone to assist them to call upon the Lord to save them. It is not something that the soul-winner prays, but rather relates or verbally dictates to the person they are preaching to so that they can pray it. The mere confession or prayer cannot save, so it must be prayed in truth with faith (Psalm 145:18; see also I Corinthians 12:3). It is one’s faith that will cause God to hear them (Romans 10:14; see also Isaiah 65:24). We should observe, though, that praying the Sinner’s Prayer is often how someone will put their faith in Jesus.
Romans 10:14: How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?…
We are not saved by our works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), so calling upon the Lord to save us is not a meritorious work. Praying the Sinner’s Prayer in faith to God is similar to asking for a gift (Romans 6:23), or coming to another person for help (John 5:40; 6:35, 37). Someone who truly believes in Jesus will ask him for salvation (John 4:10). After presenting the gospel, a soul-winner should persuasively offer to help the hearer ask for the gift of salvation.
The Sinner’s Prayer in the Bible
Calling on the Lord is a form of prayer (Psalm 86:5-7; Jeremiah 29:12), and calling upon the Lord is the act of asking God for salvation (Psalm 55:16). In the Bible, it could be eternal salvation from hell (Acts 2:21; cf. Joel 2:32; Romans 10:9-17), physical salvation from trouble or enemies (Psalm 50:15; Psalm 91:15; Psalm 18:3; see also Jonah 1:6), or spiritual salvation from the world or sinfulness (II Timothy 2:22).
Psalm 116:13: I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
All people have been saved by calling upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:26; I Corinthians 1:2; see also Acts 22:16):
The publican, in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13).
The thief on the cross: “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42).
Elements of an Effective Sinner’s Prayer
A soul-winner can make up any kind of Sinner’s Prayer they desire, as long as it is effective.
Good Example of a Sinner’s Prayer
“Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I know that I deserve to go to hell. I believe you are the Son of God. I believe that you died for my sins, and that you rose again to save me. Please give me eternal life. Lord, I am not trusting in myself anymore, only in you, Jesus. Thank you for saving me. Amen.”
Good Qualities
✓Shorter – 65 words
✓Summary – References all 5 gospel points
✓Clear – States that salvation is by believing/trusting
✓Biblical – Makes a profession of belief, asking for eternal life and turning from trusting in oneself to Christ
Bad Example of a Sinner’s Prayer
Dear God, I am a sinner. I confess all my sins. I deserve hell. But you sent Jesus for me. I accept his death and resurrection for me. I repent of my sins, please forgive me. I now accept Jesus as my personal Savior. Please come into my heart and save me. Help me to know that I am saved and live for you. Help me to love you and serve you for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Bad Qualities
✗Longer – 82 words
✗Unclear – Mixes salvation with fellowship/service
✗Unbiblical – States that salvation is by confession of sin and repentance of sin
✗Extra-Biblical – Asks Jesus to “come into