You Must Be Born Again

Hopefully the previous post gave you a clear understanding of how using a simple question can transform your witnessing into a more powerful personal communication between the potential believer and the Holy Spirit. Listed below, there are many verses that will help you share the gospel more powerfully. For the sake of space and time here, you can assume that I would have the person seeking Christ read each verse and tell me what God’s word is saying to them. Here I will bring out the other questions and direction that I would be ready to share with each verse, should the need arise. I hope this is helpful in developing your ability to witness boldly and with confidence in your beliefs. Print it out and keep it in your Bible. These verses will bring many to saving grace and following Christ daily. Many years ago, I was given basic training in witnessing by my Pastor Clyde Annandale, a Dallas Seminary graduate. In his new member’s class, Clyde took us through five verses which we memorized. Beginning with Romans 3:23, we would write the reference to the next verse in the margin of our Bible. This made it easy to go from one verse to the next in an organized way. Over the years that followed, many new verses were added to help further explain key scriptures. These verses have power, and have helped many seeking to understand God's Word and his plan clearly for the first time; and when reviewed by anyone with a desire to know the truth and to have a relationship with Christ and receive eternal life, I am convinced they will always pray to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Mark 8:27, 29 Jesus questioned His disciples, saying to them; “But who do you say that I am?” This is a good verse that begs for the question to Monique; “who do you think Jesus is? This is especially true for someone coming from France, and who was raised in an atheist home. If she says; “God” You know you have made progress. If she is not sure, or says a prophet or a teacher, then scriptures that should be discussed are: Jn 5:21-23; Jn 1:1-3,14. Jn 14:6,16-17; Jn 20:28; 1 Pet. 1:18-21; 1 Tim. 2:5-6

"Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." This verse is used to help a person to understand that all teachers and their teachings are to be considered in relation to God’s word to determine whether what you are hearing is truthful or false teaching. For Christians, the Word of God is the foundation of our belief system, not the teachings of the world or wise men. Ref: Jn 17:17; 2Tim. 2:16; 1Pet 1:24-25

Once you have determined that Monique believes Jesus is God and that Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit and the word of truth are one and the same. Now the questions are simple:

What is the problem?
What is the solution?
What does God want you to do?
Are you willing to do it?

"Romans 3:23-24 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus." This verse is quite clear and most will easily be able to tell you what it means. Some questions that need to be asked here are: Do you believe you have sinned? Do you believe you are a good person? How would you define Sin? Most will answer. Breaking the Ten Commandments, or doing wrong things.
The key question is: How would God define Sin? That is the only answer that matters. I would then take Monique through the scriptures that explain sin from God’s perspective. And the various ways Satan will use sin to separate us from God. Gen. 3: 1-6; Mat. 4:1-11; 1Jn 2:16

"Ephesians 2:8-10 for by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." The problem is sin and the solution to the problem is salvation by Grace. Not Grace plus good works. Grace is a free gift and as Romans 11:6 so clearly explains if salvation is a result of doing anything then grace is no longer grace and work is no longer work if it is of grace. Grace and work are like fire and water, and light and darkness, they all have great value, but they clearly do not go together. Our natural tendency is to think we need to be a better person so that we can somehow earn Gods favor but no human has ever accomplished salvation on the basis of their good deeds. We are born again to do good works, not as a result of our good works. Only Jesus lived a perfect life, and He was God in the body of a man. His death on the cross is the only work that was necessary for us to be forgiven and to receive eternal life. It is finished when we believe in him and trust in His finished work on the cross. Romans 11:6 and if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

John 3:14-17 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." Believe and receive eternal life. Whoever believes … shall not perish. Jesus is all knowing and He died on the cross for all of our sins … past, present, and future. And he went to the cross ... full well knowing that none of us would measure up on our own merit. Jesus did not come to judge us but rather to save us all when we believe in His promised free gift of eternal life … we will not perish.

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. If we hear and believe Him we have eternal life and do not come to judgment. This believer has passed (past tense) out of death into life.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16; 3:1-3 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. … And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly.

Once we get to these final passages of scripture. I would explain that there are three types of people in the world. Natural or worldly Man: this is the person of the world who has not trusted Christ with their life. Spiritual or Christ-centered Man: this is the person who has trusted Christ for their eternal life, and is living for Christ Day by day. Self-centered or carnal man, this person has prayed for Christ’s to come into their life but continues to a large degree, to follow their old ways and to be sinful and self centered. I would then ask the questions: which person best describes your life at this point in time? And then if they answer: Worldly or Self-centered … I would ask; “which person would you like to be? When they say Christ-centered which is the most likely response, since that is why we are having the conversation, we then go to the last verse and I ask if they would like to pray to Jesus; asking for forgiveness, eternal life, and to be born again into the eternal family of God.

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

After praying, I would advise Monique to join a Bible believing church, and to enter into a process of discipleship, prayer and Bible study.

1Peter 2:9-10 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

1Peter1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

I pray this helps you all with your witnessing.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
God Bless you my friends, Bob