Page 51 - Principles for Discipling Others-Student textbook

happy with the way their lives are going, and really don’t care to alter their course. So this approach
may not be as effective as others.

God can give you a variety of ways to open a conversation about spiritual things. It could come from a
holiday, such as Christmas or Easter, asking the person why the holiday is significant. It could come from
a death in their family, talking about life after death. If you ask God, He will give you multiple
opportunities to begin to share the Gospel with the lost!

Living Waters Ministry has published a short tract which begins with the question, “Are you a good
person?” When asked, most people will respond with, “I hope so” or “I think so”, or “I try to be.” From
this one question, you can then take the person into our first important aspect of the Gospel.

1. You have sinned against God. In sharing the Gospel with a lost person, the first and foremost topic
is sin, for unless the person knows he has sinned against the Creator, he has no real need for a Savior
from sin. And he will certainly not repent from that sin and turn to Jesus Christ as his Savior! So the first
aspect of sharing the Gospel is to begin talking about personal sin.

Sin is rebellion against God. It is disobedience in doing things God has commanded us not to do, or in
not doing the things He has commanded us to do. It is doing the opposite of what God declares. Every
person is totally guilty of disobedience. So our first task is to bring the person to an admission that they
are a sinner in rebellion against God.

Living Waters Ministry takes a good approach to this step. In Galatians 3: 24-25, the Bible says that the
“law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.” (KJV)

Romans 3:20 For by works of the law no human beingwill be justified in his sight, since through the law
comes knowledge of sin.

God’s moral law (Mosaic Law) was given to man to show him what was wrong and what was right, and
to show him his own rebellion. So a good approach is to use God’s law to show people they have sinned
against God. Living Waters Ministry suggests these questions:

1. “Have you kept the Ten Commandments of God?” (Most people will say, “Yes”.) Then ask:
2. “Have you ever told a lie?” (Most people will say, “Yes”). Follow with, “What is a person called who
tells lies?” (They will say, “A liar?”)
3. “Have you ever stolen anything?” (Most people will say “Yes”.) Follow with, “What is a person calls
who steals?”) (They will say, “A thief”)
4. “Have you ever looked at a man or women with lust in your heart?” (Most will say, “Yes”.) Follow
with, “The Bible says that if a man looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her in
his heart (Matt 5:28).” Say, “So by your own admission, you are an adulterer”
5. “Have you ever used God’s name to curse?” (Most people will say, “Yes”.) Say, “The Bible calls that
blasphemy. Exodus 20:7 says, The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”
6. Now say, “By your own admission, you’re a liar, a thief, a blasphemer, and an adulterer at heart. And
that is just four of the Ten Commandments.”

The focus of your conversation has been showing the person that they have sinned against God and are
in a big dilemma. God is a God of justice. He cannot overlook sin. If He did, He would be an unjust God.

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