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Growing in Grace -
Lesson 6
WITNESSING
WITNESSING—WHAT IT IS
What is a witness? A witness is one who is called to testify before
others about what he has seen, heard, or known. Paul stated that
when he accepted the Lord, Ananias said to him, “For thou shalt be
his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard “(Acts
22:15).
Acts 1:8, the last words which Jesus spoke before He ascended into
Heaven, commanded His disciples to be witnesses— “But ye shall
receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and
in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
The early church took this command literally. The result was that
thousands were saved, churches were planted, and Christianity grew
rapidly.
The Bible teaches we are saved to tell others. God has given His Son
for each of us. Therefore, we should be anxious to tell others of
this wonderful love.
TWO WAYS TO WITNESS
1. Confess Christ to Others—Romans 10:9-10.
Our salvation requires that we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and
Saviour.
This confession is given when a believer tells others he has
accepted the Lord. It
is also given by stepping forward during the invitation in a
Bible-preaching
Church and taking a public stand for Christ.
2. Witness to others to win them to Christ.
In John 1:41-42 we find an excellent scriptural example of leading a
soul to
Christ. Andrew had come to know the Lord. The Scripture says, “He
first Findeth his own brother Simon... “(v.41). That is, he went out
deliberately to find his brother and witness to him about his coming
to know the Lord Jesus. He did this by speaking to Simon—by
witnessing to him—” ... and saith unto him, We have found the
Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.”
First—He found his brother.
Second—He spoke a witness to him.
Third— “And he brought him to Jesus (v. 42).
This should be the result of our witnessing—that we bring others to
know the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what we call “soul winning.” It
means that we give ourselves to be used to witness so that someone
else accepts the Lord Jesus Christ.
WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD WIN SOULS
1. The Bible commands us to be witnesses.
I Peter 3:15.—”But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason
of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
2. The Lord Jesus called His disciples to be ‘fishers of men.”
Mark 1:17-18——”And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I
will
make you to become fishers of men. And straight- way they forsook
their nets, and followed him.”
3. The example of the early church was one that was on fire winning
souls to the
Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 5:42—”And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased
not to
teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
4. The Apostle Paul set us an example.
Acts 20:20-21—”And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto
you,
but have showed you, and have taught you publicly and from house to
house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks,
repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
5. The soul winner is wise.
Proverbs 11:30—” The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and
he that
winneth souls is wise.”
a. Wise because the soul winner is laboring with the most priceless
possession in
the world, the soul of a man (Mark 8:36-37).
b. Wise because the only real peace in this world comes through
Jesus Christ
(Matthew 11:28).
c. Wise because the soul winner gains eternal reward (John 4:36).
6. The soul winner glorifies God.
John 15:8—”Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;
so shall
ye be my disciples.”
7. The soul winner delivers souls from an eternal Hell.
Ezekiel 3:17-18—”Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the
house
of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them
warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die;
and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked
from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die
in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”
8. The soul winner has confidence at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Ezekiel 33:8—” When I say unto the wicked, 0 wicked man, thou shalt
surely
die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from hi way, that
wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require
at thine hand.”
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS IN SOULWINNING
1. Personal knowledge of Jesus Christ as Saviour (John 1:12)
2. Assurance of salvation
I John 5:13—”These things have I written unto you that believe on
the name
of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and
that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
3. Purity of life
II Timothy 2:21—”If a man therefore purge himself from these, he
shall be a
vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and
prepared unto every good work.”
4. Yieldedness of life
Romans 12:1—”I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God,
that yepresent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service.”
5. Burden for lost souls
Matthew 9:36— “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with
Compassion on them…”
6. A prayer burden for the unsaved—Paul had such a prayer burden.
Romans l0:1—”Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for
Israel is,
that they might be saved.”
7. A practical knowledge of the Bible 4
As a person develops in soul-winning, he needs to learn more and
more of
the Word of God. But you do not need to have a great knowledge of
the Bible
to start out in soul-winning work. In John 9 the blind man had just
been healed
when he was called upon to give his witness to the unsaved Jewish
leaders. His
witness was simple— but it was a wonderful testimony. He said, “One
thing I
know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see” (v. 25).
He told them what he knew—he gave them a witness without knowledge
of
the Bible. You can start winning souls if you will just use John
3:16 and tell
others what Jesus Christ has done for you. Then to continue winning
souls, you
need to grow in the Lord and in a knowledge of His Word.
8. Boldness without being ashamed
This man in John 9 was bold for the Lord and gave forth a clear- cut
witness.
Romans 1:16— “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it
is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.”
HOW TO LEAD A SOUL TO CHRIST
1. Show him or her the fact of sin.
Romans 3:23—”For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God.”The first truth that one must see in order to be saved is that
he is a sinner. If a person does not see that he has sinned against
God, he will not realize he needs a Saviour. Joe Henry Hankins said,
“You must get a person lost before you can get him saved.”
2. Show him or her the penalty for sin.
Romans 6:23—”For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The second truth the unsaved
must see is that there is a penalty for his or her sin. This penalty
is death—not just physical death, but also spiritual death.
3. Show him or her that Christ paid the penalty for his or her sin.
I Peter 3:18—”For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just
for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in
the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”
4. Show him or her that salvation comes by receiving Christ.
John 1:12—”But as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” The
word “power” in John 1:12 means “right” or “authority.” Those who
receive Christ have the right or authority to be called the sons of
God. To receive Christ is to believe on Him.
HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS
1. Read good books on soul-winning.
2. Become active in your church visitation program.
3. Go soul-winning with someone who is experienced so that you can
get some
good training.
4. Watch for opportunities to witness. You will be amazed at how
many there are.
5. Take every opportunity God gives you to present a bold witness
for Christ.
LESSON 6—ASSIGNMENT
1. Memorize Acts 1:8. Also, we suggest you memorize Matthew 9:36.
2. Read John chapters 1—2, 12—13, 17—19. Note the truths you find on
witnessing. Note particularly at least four truths about witnessing
in John 1:29
51. Note also the instruction given about our work for the Lord in
John 2:5.
Record this information under “NOTES” on pages 43-44.
3. Answer the following questions in your own words:
1. What example did Andrew set that we should follow? (John 1:40-42)
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. What is the command the Lord gives in Acts 1:8?
______________________________________________________________
3. Who must be central in all of our witnessing? (John 14:6)
________________________________________________________________
4. Who was central in the witnessing of Philip in Acts 8:35?
________________________________________________________________
5. The disciples in the Book of Acts had real power in their
witnessing. In Acts
4:29 and 31 we are told how they spoke the Word of God. What was it
that
characterized their witnessing?
________________________________________________________________
6. According to Psalm 126:6, three requirements for soul- winners
are:
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________
7. If these three requirements are met, what one thing is absolutely
sure, according
to Psalm 126:6?
________________________________________________________________
8. What is the condition of those who have not accepted Christ?
(John 3:18)
________________________________________________________________
9. What does Jesus promise to give you that should encourage you in
witnessing
and soul-winning? (Matthew 28:20)
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
10. Why is it important to keep your life clean? (Matthew 5:16)
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
11. What are two results of failure to witness? (Ezekiel 3:17-18)
a. _____________________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________________
NOTES
1. A blessing I received each day as I read John 1—2,12—13, 17—19:
Day 1—John 1 ____________________________________________________
Day 2—John 2 ____________________________________________________
Day 3—John 12 ___________________________________________________
Day 4—John 13 ___________________________________________________
Day 5—John 17 ___________________________________________________
Day 6—John 18 ___________________________________________________
Day 7—John 19 ___________________________________________________
2. Truths I found about witnessing:
John 1:29-5 1— Four truths
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________
John 2 __________________________________________________________
John 12 _________________________________________________________
John 13 _________________________________________________________
John 17 _________________________________________________________
John 18 _________________________________________________________
John 19 _________________________________________________________
3. Instruction for our work for the Lord in John 2:5
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. List names of some friends or relatives who do not know Christ as
Saviour so
that you could start praying for them.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. Assignment: List these names in your “R and R” booklet under
“Unsaved for
Whom I Am Praying.” Be sure to write down in the “R and R” booklet
under
“Answers To Prayer” the date you see these saved.
6. Other truths I have learned about witnessing and soul winning
(Write these
down now and as they come to you during your continued study of
Growing in
Grace.):
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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