While it would be nice if every unbeliever were to ask questions related to salvation, the reality is most do not. Given this, I find myself always seeking ways to steer my conversations toward eternal matters, especially those related to salvation. Christ Himself initiated the gospel presentation in His conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). Afterward, He identified her spiritual need, confronted her sin, and offered her mercy and salvation. Broadly speaking, every call to salvation must include these two things. It is dangerous, however, to rely on one particular, memorized script because, as John MacArthur puts it, “the gospel is not a message that can be capsulated, abridged, shrink-wrapped, and then offered as a generic remedy for every kind of sinner.”  With this concern in view, I provide a more in-depth look at the various facets of a proper call to salvation.

Personal evangelism instructs people on how to receive eternal life. In our present world, many have little to no knowledge of the biblical teaching on eternal life. Others have embraced false ideas and teachings learned from pop culture and other religions. In particular, those who embrace evolution, secular materialism, postmodern relativism, humanism, and/or atheism may have no concept of eternal life. If possible, one should seek to determine a person’s current understanding of God and the aforementioned matters so as to improve the clarity of one’s presentation. One should note that we live in an increasingly complex world with many competing truth claims, ideologies, and worldviews. By spending some time to better understand the potential convert, one can improve upon their presentation. This being said, any fruit that arises from one’s efforts is solely the divine work of God.

Within the presentation, the first main goal would be to help the person recognize the reality of eternal life. Second, we should help them be motivated toward eternal life. Third, we need to help them understand the human dilemma. Finally, we offer them biblical instruction on how to receive it. As a people, the Jews recognized the existence of an eternal life though their understanding was skewed (Matt 19:16). To help a person recognize the reality of eternal life, one should point them toward Psalm 21:4, 133:3, Daniel 7:18, 12:2, Luke 1:32, 6:27, Mark 10:29, John 4:14, 6:68, 10:28, 17:2, and Romans 2:7, 5:21, and 6:23. After helping the person embrace the reality of eternal life, the evangelist must then help them become properly motivated. Unfortunately, many churches today have focused on the worldly motivations built upon temporal hopes and the desire to have felt needs melt. The gospel, however, holds no promise of one attaining his/her best life now (cf. John 16:33). With this in view, the gospel presenter’s task is to help the potential convert develop hope in partaking in eternal life. Awakening proper motivation for eternal life requires discussion on the blessings of heaven and the torments of hell.

After motivating the potential convert unto salvation, the presenter must help the person understanding that God’s requires us to love Him with our whole being, i.e. to manifest perfect love (Matt 22:37). The requirement for entrance into God’s Kingdom is relational and not legalistic. While God’s laws clearly demonstrate how to have a right relationship with God, those who truly love God will keep His law. Proper realization of God’s requirement can only lead a potential convert to self-disdain as they become aware that meeting such a condition is impossible given the sinful state (cf. Rom 3:9-20). Full awareness of this dichotomy leads a potential convert toward repentance (This repentance can be directed toward any sins residing on one’s conscience, but it specifically is pointed toward true sorrow for one’s failure to love God). Now, the convert, understanding his/her desperate condition, is ready to encounter the good news that righteousness has been available through Jesus Christ to all who believe (cf. Rom 3:21-24).

The final step in the gospel presentation involves leading the person to gospel acceptance. To accept the gospel, the person, having realized his/her failure to maintain perfection under the Law, must be led to repent for failing to love God perfectly. In conjunction with his/her confession of sin, the person also must be made righteous by God by confessing Jesus as Lord, believing that God raised Him from the dead (includes belief in His sacrificial death and resurrection).