By Lindsey Adkins
Ever noticed how confusing most gospel presentations are? Even our most beloved evangelists fail at times to present a clear gospel message, and some go so far as to popularize confusing methods.
Now for a tough self-examination of our gospel presentation: Are you and I trampling down the seed by sowing a gospel of confusion? How do we present the gospel? Is it clear? Is it logical? Is it subjective? Are there contradictions throughout our presentation? Let’s examine ten flaws in our evangelism in hopes of eliminating confusion about salvation. Let’s be persuasive and clear, not giving Satan a chance to diminish our evangelistic efforts: Then the devil comes and takes the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved (Luke 8:12; underlining added).
Lest There Be Subjectivity
Imagine—you taste your friend’s pie, and it is by far the best pie you ever had. You can tell there is something special and different about it. After asking for the recipe, your friend writes up a recipe card for you. When you go to make the pie, it reads:
- Some eggs
- A lot of this special flour
- The exact amount of various spices
- An unusual amount of sea salt
· Cook on a medium temp for exactly 30.5 minutes. Enjoy!
This is a silly illustration, but sometimes it is very like the way we evangelize. With this recipe, can you replicate your friend’s pie? No. So with something as important as salvation, why give a cryptic recipe? If anything should be crystal clear, it should be the message of salvation. Too often, we use words and directions impossible to follow. Subjectivity breeds confusion.
When setting out to evangelize, clearly articulate what a person must do to be saved, and avoid using subjective words, and unqualified concepts: like “if you really trust; if you are sincerely sorry; if you truly follow; or, “if you turn from sin. What do “really,” “sincerely,” and “truly” mean? “If you turn from sin” sounds definitive, but is completely unqualified. Does this mean to stop sinning? Or, does this mean try to stop sinning? Does it mean to change the way you think about sin? Or, does it mean to be willing to stop sinning? Listeners may nod their heads as if they understand, but later have questions that were not answered or explained leaving them lost in the fog of subjectivity.
Lest There Be Contradictions
“Salvation is a free gift that costs you everything.” Sometimes when hearing a phrase like this, the listener doesn’t fully grasp the meaning. It sounds profound and wise, but is illogical. If a gift costs anything, let alone everything, it is not a free gift. When encountering such statements, don’t mistake them for being deep and meaningful, when they are simply contradictory.
As evangelicals, you and I are passionate about the inerrancy of scripture, but when it comes to evangelism, we sometimes present the gospel as if there were acceptable contradictions. We never call them contradictions, but the listener may pick up on the errors in logic and assume the message is nonsensical and therefore false.
Lest We Put the Cart in Front of the Horse
When sharing with someone, do we get a head of ourselves and emphasize discipleship, or the process of sanctification? Our favorite evangelists are often guilty of this error, and have even popularized it. Are we trying to form a perfect Christian, or are we presenting someone with the gospel? Are we telling them what they should do for God, before revealing what God has done for them?
When putting the cart before the horse, we may unintentionally make works a condition for obtaining eternal life. Salvation occurs by grace through faith alone, but in describing the process of sanctification the listener won’t necessarily pick up on the difference between salvation and sanctification. We need to keep the focus on what Jesus has already accomplished, not on what they need to accomplish, lest we put the cart in front of the horse!
Lest We Miss the Point
It would be nice to have hours to present the gospel, but realistically, most people aren’t going to give us that much time. We need to be wise with the sound bites listeners give us and not dump a ton of opinions and experiences on them. Letting someone know what Christ has done in your life is good, but let it segue into the good news, that Jesus took care of their sin problem and offers everlasting life to all those who believe. You and I sow a whole lot of nothing if we miss the point.
Lest We Mislabel
It is easy to mislabel a believer who acts carnally, or a person who goes to church, but has never believed the saving message. Lots of labels like “false convert” and “easy believism” are thrown around, and adopted into mainstream Christianity in ways that confuse how a person is saved.
Mislabeling a believer a “false convert” sows confusion about how to obtain eternal life. Instead, let’s inspire them to discipleship. With a person who thinks they are saved, but is trusting in anything but Jesus alone for salvation, let’s present the gospel using clear and relevant verses like Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23, John 3:16 or my favorite Philippians 16:31.
Lest We Skip the Basics
“Christianese,” confuses listeners who aren’t familiar with the Bible and Christianity. Words such as “propitiation” and “sanctification” are foreign and obviously need explanation. However, there are even more subtle errors that escape our notice, that can be just as confusing.
To “receive Christ.” means, “to believe in Christ for eternal life.” But our audience might not understand this meaning, not because they are dullards, but from lack of experience with the Bible. Choose words with a clearer meaning. “Trust” is another one of those words used over a clearer word such as, “believe.” Trust isn’t a bad word, and can be a synonym for faith. But too often, people have loaded “trust” with a hidden meaning. Listeners might think you are making a distinction between “believing” and “trusting.” Like the Apostle John in his self-proclaimed evangelistic gospel, let’s stay with the basics and use the word “believe.”
Lest We Make Salvation a Package
Think of a Bill in Congress. The original bill is wonderful and will “solve the problem.” But then, everyone gets their hands all over it, attaching provisions and riders. Since you agree with the bill, you vote to pass it, even with all of the riders. It is passed as a package deal. Often, this is the way we were taught the “salvation package.” God gives us many commands that we should follow, but there is only one requirement when it applies to being born again. It is faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for the gift of eternal life.
Lest We Confuse How We Are Saved
We sometimes ask those listening to us to accept or invite Jesus into their heart. Other methods like this one are walking an aisle, raising a hand, confessing with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and making a decision to follow Christ. Many popular evangelistic ministries use and promote these approaches. For example, “To receive Christ, a person needs to do four things: admit you’re a sinner, ask for forgiveness and be willing to turn from your sins, believe that Christ died for you on the cross, Receive Christ into your heart and life.” The problem is that we confuse our listeners by adding steps to salvation. These steps can and do create doubt.
Prayer may be misunderstood as an incantation affirming salvation. We are all at risk of viewing prayer this way, but certain cultures are even more susceptible, because rituals are woven into their cultural idea of spirituality.
Raising a hand, walking an aisle, confessing with your mouth, or saying a prayer, none of these things give a person eternal life. If they are trusting in any of these, then they are not understanding who Christ is, and what He accomplished on the cross for them.
Let’s take a cue from Acts 16:30-31. Did Paul and Silas ask the Philippian jailer to accept Jesus into his heart, raise a hand, walk an aisle, confess, or say a prayer? No. When the jailer asked what he must do to be saved (a very clear evangelistic moment), they responded, “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”
Lest We Leave Out the Good News
Sometimes we present the “gospel” and stop before sharing good news! The listener hears that: Jesus and God are one; Jesus lived a sinless life; and Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and rose again on the third day. These are all important truths proving Jesus is able to fulfill His promise, but what is actually promised? Jesus promises, “whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The moment you and I believe Jesus and His promise, He gives us everlasting life that can never be taken away or end.
Some people think the saving truth is that Jesus died on the cross. Many Romans and Jews believed Jesus died on the cross because they saw it happen, yet they were not (or not yet) born again. You and I must believe Jesus is the Christ who gives us eternal life according to His promise.
When presented with the promise of eternal life, our listeners may believe and be born again right there on the spot. But when we leave out this good news, Satan has an opportunity to snatch the seed out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Lest We Over Complicate the Message
Like the old saying goes, Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS). It is good to know what to say ahead of time, but a structured script may come off rehearsed. Sometimes more explanation brings more confusion. We can make ourselves nervous or uncomfortable trying to remember every detail and over complicate things because we don’t fully understand the simplicity of Jesus’ promise of eternal life. Let’s avoid this awkwardness by keeping our message simple.
Conclusion: Lest They Should Believe
Share the truth: Jesus took away the sins of the world on the cross. He was able to do this because He and the Father are one, and He lived the sinless life we couldn’t. He rose from the dead because He is the resurrection and the life. Most important of all, make sure to include His promise of everlasting life to those who believe in Him for it!
Use your favorite Bible verses: John 3:16, 5:24, 6:47; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 6:23, all clearly present the gospel. My favorite is Acts 16:31 when the Philippian jailer asks, “ ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’… ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.’ ” And then, remind those listening that everlasting life can never be lost, because Jesus gives it to them the moment they believe.
Now, knowing the devil comes and takes the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved (Luke 8:12; underlining added), let’s be faithful and wise with our master’s talents, share the good news with confidence, and store up treasure in heaven!
© 2020 Lindsey Adkins