Sharing the Gospel

How to be 100% sure you are going to Heaven.
 

Opening Question: If you died tonight, do you think you would go to heaven?
 

Open-Ended Question: If you died tonight, what do you believe would happen?
 

Clarifying Question: If you died, and God asked you, "Why should I accept you?" What would you say? ("My trust in Jesus" or “it’s not what I did, but what Jesus did for me.” Or something like it.) Any answer that relies on them living a good life or doing anything at all to earn their way into heaven is wrong.
 

Assurance Question:  Based on your answer, how sure are you that you would be accepted?
 

Leading Question:  Would you like to be 100% sure?

 

1. God’s Purpose: God made man in His image to reveal Himself and have a relationship with us. Genesis 1:26-27

2. Man’s Actions: That image was broken with sin, which also broke our relationship with Him. Romans 3:23

3. The Problem: The cost of sin is death. Physical death and spiritual death, which is separation from God. Romans 6:23a

4. God’s Character: God sent His son Jesus out of love. John 3:16

5. God’s Solution: Jesus had to die for us, to pay the cost of our sin. Romans 4:9, Peter 2:24

6. God’s Actions: Jesus died to pay for our sins. He was buried, was raised from death, and is alive now. 1 Corinthians 15:3-6

7. God’s Free Offer: Receive eternal life; our relationship with God is fixed with the Holy Spirit. Romans 6:23b, John 1:12, Romans 12:1-2, Col 3:18

8. Our Choice: The salvation we have is not by anything we do but by having faith in Jesus and his payment of all our sins. Ephesians 2:8-9

9. A Promise to Remember: Though we will still be tempted to sin, God’s faithfulness in ensuring there will always be a way out of temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13

 

Is this something you would like to do?

If not, what is holding you back?

If yes, pray with them. Mention something about being sorry for their sins, and thank Jesus for what He did for us; open yourself to the Spirit’s leading.

 

       Prayer is not necessary for salvation, as nothing but faith is necessary. Prayer helps them cement the decision they just made. It’s the decision to put their faith in Jesus that saves.

 

Three things happen when someone prays ‘the prayer’:

1. First, they just received Christ as their savior and are your brother or sister in Christ.

2. They already accepted Christ, and they need assurance of that salvation.

3. They did not accept Christ as their savior. For children, this can be good practice.

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     Share with them how they can never lose their salvation. Ephesians 1:13-14 - In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation --- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

 

       Anyone you bring to Christ, you should follow up with them and help them learn how to walk, so to speak. They may misunderstand what Scripture is and how to read it. Explain to them about the Bible, how it is God’s letter to us about Him, and that it shows us how to live. The Bible is made up of many books that each reveal a different part of God's character. About the church, it’s important to fellowship with other believers. About talking with God through prayer, there is no wrong way to talk to God.

 

       If they ask what books of the Bible to start with, tell them about the gospels, and that a man named Paul wrote many letters to new churches, often with a purpose specific to that church, while some were written to the church as a whole. Ensure them it may seem confusing at first, and they may get confused about what they read. Tell them they can always ask God for help.