Some quick direct and efficient answers to everyday witnessing

Unless one is born again you cannot receive the word of God to have an understanding of Spiritual things. One can only believe the Bible in piecemeal but a fuller complete understand comes from the Holy Spirit teaching us. This take study

It was shortly after I was rescued out of the New Age movement I realized how many others are involved in false beliefs inside the church that I once entertained as truth.

How do we have answers for so many different religions and sects and cults?

They all have differences but they also have similarities. The most common similarity in near 99% of all these is they believe in works either by itself will save an individual (obedience to a person or system of religion) or works with faith, not faith alone.

Over 200 times Jesus explained that they need to believe, to have faith. This faith is in him, in his work and not rely on them self.

The main point is the gospel

With any discussion it’s always best to keep it simple and to the point.

Roman Catholics do not have the gospel that’s saves as they teach about Jesus and convert people to a religion with religious activity. The mother of Jesus plays an important role in their religious system which they say is salvation. Mary the mother of Jesus humanity can’t save herself nor anyone else - she needed help too. In the few words we have recorded of what she said in Scripture she called God her savior, only sinners need a savior. The fact is, she’s just another saint in heaven praising the Lord for his salvation.

Mormon witnessing tips: Begin by asking if I or you can be wrong? Can they be wrong? How would we know who is wrong or right? Is it by feelings or by a standard that God gave which is absolute truth?

In conversation about works many will go to James – where it says faith without works is dead.

You can then ask: Can you show me where it says this is about salvation?

It was about their lack of showing their faith by meeting the needs of the poor among them.

Jehovah Witnesses can be witnessed to in two ways, first how we receive salvation. Second: in their view that Jesus is another god, (a lesser god- mighty) besides Jehovah (who is considered the greater God, the almighty). They teach an angel became a god (there another angel that believed this for himself). They are at your door because this is what they MUST do to have salvation in the future in the resurrection to live on Paradise earth.

Some think the people who come to your door are well versed in the bible. You may be surprised at what they do not know. They are versed in what certain Scripture can be discussed.

We can know all the different nuances of someone’s false Christianity from the actual truth but arguing about these matters do not go far unless the person is willing to listen and look at the Scripture to discover where he has been misled. I’m not saying we dispense with this learning of the cults teachings but what we need to be are experts on the gospel itself to make sense to those whose minds have been darkened.

Always try to ask in a question format unless they directly challenge the gospel with their opinion.

Follow through on a topic to its end, avoid getting in a religious conversation.

Facts can be elusive to people so it best to ask them if they understand what you said.

Ask them does the Bible teach us that you need works to be saved or faith to be saved?

Ask them to show you verses about works. They will find some, then ask if these are required for salvation.

Then go to Eph.2 and ask them to read it out loud and then ask the what it is saying. Reiterate that it says salvation is NOT by works, but by grace through Faith. It one of the more clear scriptures that juxtaposes the two concepts, it actually says not by works. Ask them do you believe this?

If they say yes then you ask why they do not teach it or practice it?

If they say no, they do not believe this, then you ask them why they do not believe the Bible.

This may lead you into their statement of the Bible being corrupted or mistranslated.

This can be easily proven that they are only parroting what they heard not what is factual.

Ask them if they ever checked on the portions of the Bible that were changed. What do they have to compare it with?

Only those saved by the gospel can give the gospel to others. This is why witnessing excludes Mormons, JW, or Iglesia Ni Cristo. One must have possession of eternal life to offer it to others. Only those saved by the gospel want to give the gospel to others. Since Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons and others are still working for their salvation they cannot give the gospel that saves to others.

Always ask someone if they were found to be wrong in their beliefs would they be willing to change? If they say no, then you know that no matter what is said after is futile. God is not at work in this person’s heart to see truth.

One of the first questions I ask-are you saved? Did Jesus save you?

99 out of 100 times you will hear no. But then there are those who either do not know their own teaching or basically lie to you to avoid answering the question.

As Christians, born again by the Spirit we have the truth and should grow in the knowledge of the truth. We are no longer searchers, we have found it and we are now messengers. We carry the gospel to present it to anyone the Lord gives us an opportunity to.

The gospel is simply the redemption by God becoming man who died for our sins and raised from the dead; believing in this (faith) this gives us a relationship with the risen savior.

1 Cor. 15:1-4 “ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye 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 :(KJV)

Here Paul explains what was received by the gospel being preached, being saved- salvation. And this is focused on Jesus, the one who IS the savior.

2 Tim 1:8-10 “ Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel ” (see all Tim 3:4)

These two scriptures relate to each other on Jesus being the savior

The challenge to explain grace

Eph.2:.8 “ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast .”

Notice NOT of works, not of yourselves, which is what works are based on, and it is in the past tense.

Titus 3:5 also makes it clear “ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit ," here we see the washing (water) is emblematic of the Holy Spirit (who the Scripture often refers to being poured out) from the Holy Spirit, the indweller.

In Jn.3 Jesus is distinguishing two births, one born into the world by water and a new birth of the Spirit. The passage on born of water DOES NOT mean water baptism. This why he states in v.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit . And in v.8 after giving an example to the wind that cannot be seen, but only its effects “So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

To evangelize we need to ask the right questions. What matters to you the most in life? Do you think life ends with death?

When witnessing to someone we may not get another chance so we must be direct and stay on the topic,

If you only have a religious conversation and not given the gospel you may have missed the opportunity God setup.

False religion, cults will make one work for what is to be freely given in Christ that is received by faith. The elements of the gospel are the person of Christ, grace, faith, repentance and the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin.

Salvation is a gift freely given, not earned. We work from our salvation, not for it. Romans 3:24: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.”

We are saved by grace through faith alone, and by continuing to trust in Christ’s work, grace is at work as we are kept by the power of God through faith (1 Peter 1:5). When one accepts the conditions of the gospel to believe on Jesus, (as Lord -Yahweh) and repents, they receive the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). The gospel that Paul delivered and we stand in is explained in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; it is centered on Christ dying for our sin and rising again. That he is lord of all, meaning he is God in the flesh. We abide in our salvation by trusting in His completed work on the cross. Our part is that we are to preach the Gospel and to make disciples, teaching them doctrine and show our faith by living it out.

Jude 25 to God our Savior,

Who alone is wise,

Be glory and majesty,

Dominion and power,

Both now and forever.

Amen.