Share Your Faith And Make Disciples

Question: Are you sharing your faith in Christ with others?

The reason why I ask is that many believers don’t share their saving faith with others for a variety of personal reasons.  Many of us have the desire to share the “Good News”, but allow the fear of rejection and persecution to prevent us from doing so. One thing we know is that God wants us to serve Him in ways that express His desires.  The good news for us is that God will provide the strength and means to do His work. In fact, God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, is changing us from the inside out in order for our lives to reflect the character of Jesus. For example, our lives will be known for the depth of love we have for others, the joy of being content with God's provision, the peace that transcends all understanding, the integrity of our work and the way we handle dealing with others, the way we serve God and others, The excellence we strive for in all areas of our lives, the forgiveness and grace that are part of who we are, etc. 

The Bible tells us that God begins a work in us and through us that extends throughout our entire lives:

 

Philippians 1:6 NIV
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The Bible tells us that God has a good purpose for what He is doing in us and through us:

Philippians 2:13 NIV
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

The Bible tells us that whatever God calls us to do He will provide the means to do it:

Philippians 4:13 NIV
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV
 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

So if God is equipping us to share our faith then we should take very seriously the Great Commission to go and make disciples. Sharing our faith is just one part of the equation. We are also called to train others about the principles of God. A disciple is a student who learns and imitates what He or she has learned. Many people just stop at sharing their faith. Jesus is calling us to teach and train others to grow in their faith, trust and knowledge of God. 

 

Jesus has commanded us to share our faith and make disciples:

 1 Peter 3:15 NIV
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect

2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version (NIV)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Acts 1:8 TNIV  
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Matthew 28:18-19 NIV
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Our love for Jesus will motivate us to care about the salvation of others:

John 14:23 NIV 
Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Our love for God and others should reflect the 2 greatest commandments of God:

 

Matthew 22:37-39 NIV
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

So here is the Good News:

 

John 3:16 NIV
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish  but have eternal life.

Don’t pass up the opportunity to pass along to someone the hope you have. Also teach them how to grow in their relationship with God.

Romans 5 NIV
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we  rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

A Living Sacrifice

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

John 15:5 NIV

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Principles of Salvation - A Saving Faith:

Lets go over what a “Saving Faith” is composed of:

A “Saving Faith” is: Once we have heard the Gospel, we believe God, and act on that belief.

The three elements of a “Saving Faith”:

1. Content: Through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we have forgiveness of our sins.
2. Personal Agreement: We agree with the Gospel and its content.
3. Commitment: We then call on Christ alone to save us and commit to making Him Lord and Savior.

A “Saving Faith” is in Christ alone. There are times when we all get different messages in our head that may cause doubt or belief in something that may not reflect the truth of God’s word. As Christians we need to make sure we are hearing and applying Jesus' Words. The truth about hearing Jesus is that His message is never contrary to what the Bible teaches. That is why we should test everything we hear with what the Bible says.

 

Here is an approach to teaching the Gospel that aligns itself directly with God’s teaching.  

 It is called the “Roman Road”. In the Book of Romans, Paul laid out God’s plan of salvation through passages of scripture. We will lay out these passages in a systematic way.  When sharing the Gospel It is Important for us to be able to be articulate man's dire spiritual condition and then show that through God's grace and amazing love, this separation from God can be restored into a right relationship with Him. 

Romans 3:23

“For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”

• Sin = disobedience to God.
• We must all realize that we are sinners and that we need forgiveness. We are not worthy of God’s grace.

Romans 6:23

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

• Death = Separation from God now and forever.
• Eternal Life = Life with God now and forever.
• If we remain sinners, we will die. However, if we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and repent of our sins, we will have eternal life.

Romans 5:8

“But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

• Through the work of Jesus on the cross, God gave us a way to be saved from our sins. 

Romans 10:9   

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

• When a person confesses, truly believes, that Jesus Christ is Lord and believes in their heart that God raised Him from the dead and they will be saved.
  

Romans 10:13

“For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

• There are no religious formulas or rituals -- When a person calls upon the name of the Lord they will be saved. 

Note:
Faith is a gift from God. A Supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:8 NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, 

it is the gift of God—

 So What does this all mean:

• We are all sinners.
• Our sin separates us from God.
• Our sin and rebellion ultimately lead  to an eternal separation from God in death as well.
• Because of Jesus’ love for us, He willingly gave His life to fulfill God’s plan of Salvation.
• By willingly going to the cross, Jesus received the penalty for our sin so we wouldn’t have to.
• As Christians we believe that Jesus died for us and was raised from the dead for the purpose of our Salvation.
• Our Salvation is based on God’s Grace alone, not our works or deeds.
• Our Faith is now in God and his plan of Salvation, not our own preconceived notions of what makes us good in God’s eyes. The Bible says: “The Righteous will live by Faith”

• The Object of our Faith is Jesus Christ.

• Finally we need to ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior.
• Once Jesus becomes our Lord and Savior we can live the abundant life God desires for His Children.
• We are no longer enemies of  God nor under His Wrath.
• We are adopted into God’s family.
• The Holy Spirit indwells in us.
• We are a new creation in Christ.
• We have a purpose filled life.
• We have the Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)
• We can love others as much or more than we love ourselves.
• We can even pray for our enemies.
• We have eternal life.

Now that’s Good News. Share it with someone. 

Just Sayin…………………..Dave