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THE AUTHENTIC,
ORIGINAL GOSPEL A Study Based on the
Word of God
John G. Hutchinson
Copyright © John G. Hutchinson, 2000, revised 2016. All rights reserved. This publication may be used and copied in its entirety for personal study or group study by those who are seeking to follow Christ, provided the publication is used and copied as a whole and neither the form nor the content of the publication is altered. For any other use, neither this publication nor any part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Words in square brackets in the Scripture quotations are added by the author to clarify the meaning of words in such quotations.
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Contents The Authentic, Original Gospel .....................................................................................................1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 1 Because We All Need to Hear It .................................................................................................... 3 Because Jesus Commanded Us ...................................................................................................3 What Is the Gospel? .......................................................................................................................4 The Good News ............................................................................................................................ 4 The Power of God .........................................................................................................................4 A Warning About a Different Gospel ............................................................................................. 5 What Is the Complete Gospel? ...................................................................................................... 6 Jesus Told Us What to Proclaim.................................................................................................... 6 The Main Thing Is: That the Main Thing,
Remains the Main Thing ............................................................................................................... 7 The Gospel as Preached by the Early Church .............................................................................7 Proclaim Christ Crucified............................................................................................................... 8 Jesus Christ—the Son Of God ................................................................................................. 8 Jesus—the Christ, the Messiah ...............................................................................................9 Jesus Christ—Crucified ............................................................................................................9 Proclaim Christ Resurrected (Luke 24:46) .................................................................................. 10 Jesus Christ—Risen from the Dead, Physically .....................................................................10 Jesus Christ—the Lord...........................................................................................................10 Jesus Christ—the Coming King .............................................................................................11 Jesus Christ—the Coming Judge ...........................................................................................11 Why Is Repentance Necessary? ............................................................................................13 Repentance Is Both Negative and Positive ............................................................................13 A Continuing, Deepening Repentance ...................................................................................14 Repentance Is a Free Gift from God ...................................................................................... 14 Proclaim the Forgiveness of Sins (Luke 24:47)........................................................................... 15 The Need for the Message of Forgiveness ............................................................................15 The Quality of God’s Forgiveness ..........................................................................................15 The Source of Forgiveness .................................................................................................... 16 Forgiveness Is by God’s Grace Alone ....................................................................................16 Forgiveness Is by Faith Alone ................................................................................................17
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Forgiveness Is by Jesus Alone............................................................................................... 17 How to Respond to the Gospel ...................................................................................................17 Repent, Believe, and Receive Jesus as Your Savior and Lord ...................................................17 Receive the Holy Spirit ................................................................................................................ 19 How to Give Away the Gospel .....................................................................................................20 Basic Qualifications to Being an Effective Soul-Winner .............................................................. 20 Basic Obstacles to Being an Effective Soul-Winner.................................................................... 20 Basic Motivations for Being an Effective Soul-Winner ................................................................ 20 Basic Principles for Being an Effective Soul-Winner ................................................................... 21 Helpful Suggestions for Being an Effective Soul-Winner ............................................................21 Important Don’ts to Being An Effective Soul-Winner ................................................................... 22 Now… .............................................................................................................................................23 Appendix:
Messages Preached by the Early Church to Unbelievers .........................................................24 Also by John Hutchinson ............................................................................................................29
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THE AUTHENTIC, ORIGINAL GOSPEL Introduction What, exactly, is the good news that we are to proclaim to every person? The answer to this is very important—a matter of eternal life or eternal death! Jesus told us in Luke 24:46-47, that it is “necessary” that Christ be crucified and resurrected, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins be proclaimed in His name to all nations. This is a “necessary” part of His Great Commission. He commanded that these four things be proclaimed to every person: •
Christ crucified, paying for all our sin by His death, redeeming us with His shed-blood from the penalty and power of sin, and saving us from eternal hell.
•
Christ resurrected, and exalted far above all, for our total forgiveness, our complete acceptance, our transformation, and the gift of eternal life with God.
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Repentance, to turn our hearts away from sin and self-centeredness, and turn us back to God, to obey Him and whole heartedly follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.
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Forgiveness of sins, to receive (believe in, trust in) Jesus, His sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins, and the free imputing to us of His perfect righteousness.
God says that the gospel of Christ and the message of the cross are the “power of God” to salvation for everyone who believes. (See Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:18.) But the proclamation of the gospel must be complete, having all the “necessary” elements, in order to be the power of God to salvation. The apostle Paul said: •
“I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:19, emphasis added)
•
“that the message might be preached fully” (2 Timothy 4:17, emphasis added).3
•
“I [declared] to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27, emphasis added)
•
“I kept back nothing” (Acts 20:20, emphasis added).
Satan knows that the authentic, full-strength gospel defeats him, breaks his hold on his prisoners, and transfers them into Christ’s kingdom forever. So satan is constantly and subtly working hard at diluting, polluting, altering, twisting, sugar-coating, weakening, and mutilating the real, authentic gospel. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the gospel of God Himself. It is called “the everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6). No human or committee of humans has any right to change it—even to make it more attractive to unbelievers. If what we proclaim is not the complete, authentic good news that Jesus commanded us to preach to all people, it lacks the power of God to salvation. The original, full-strength gospel is consistently proclaimed throughout the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament. Here are a few of many examples:
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•
On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached, in the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus crucified, Jesus resurrected, Jesus exalted, repentance, and the forgiveness of sins. And 3,000 people received Jesus, and were baptized! (See Acts 2:22-41.)
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“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19). And about 5,000 people received Jesus! (See Acts 3:12-4:4.)
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You crucified Jesus. God raised Him from the dead. There is salvation in no other. “For there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (See Acts 4:8-12.)
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“[God] raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree [cross]. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance… and forgiveness of sins.” (See Acts 5:30-32.)
The apostle Paul gives us many examples of the gospel that he preached: •
“[W]e preach Christ crucified… the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (See 1 Corinthians 1:17-25.) “Christ crucified” includes Christ resurrected and exalted, because they are all one inseparable package.
•
“For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (See 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.)
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“I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you… that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He arose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.)
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“He whom God raised up saw no corruption… through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes in Him is justified from all [sins].” (See Acts 13:37-39.)
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“I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly and from house to house… repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” (See Acts 20:20-21.)
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Jesus said, “I now send you [Paul]… to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins… by faith in Me.” (See Acts 26:17-18.)
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“Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified” (See Galatians 3:1.)
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“Remember that Jesus Christ… was raised from the dead according to my gospel.” (See 2 Timothy 2:8.)
Jesus not only commanded us to proclaim the complete gospel. He also commanded us to “make disciples”. Lovingly, humbly, and patiently, invite and urge people to turn to God; to personally receive the crucified and resurrected Jesus as their Savior and Lord; and to follow and obey Him. Now, let’s look at all of this more closely.Why Proclaim the Good News?
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Because We All Need to Hear It We need to proclaim the good news because the bad news is already here! •
“the [Old Testament] law was our tutor to bring us to Christ” (Galatians 3:22-24; Exodus 20:1-17).
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“There is none righteous, no, not one… all have sinned and fall short” (Romans 3:10-12, 23).
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“death [entered the world] through sin, and… spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
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“he who does not believe [in Jesus] is condemned already… the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:18, 36)
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“those who do not obey the gospel… shall be punished with everlasting destruction” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
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“anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:12-15)
Sometimes there are people who erroneously think they are good enough to get to heaven, or that they can save themselves by being good or by doing good, or that God is too loving to condemn anyone. We must lovingly give them the good news, lovingly explain the bad news, and warn them that we are all lost without the gospel. “[I]f our gospel be veiled, it is veiled [hidden] to those who are perishing”.
(See 2 Corinthians 4:3-6.) Everyone needs the good news—the authentic, original, powerful gospel of Jesus Christ!
Because Jesus Commanded Us The Great Commission was given by Jesus for all of His disciples, not just those in the early church. He commanded us all to: •
go, make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey all Jesus’ commands. (See Matthew 28:18-20.)
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go, preach the gospel, baptize, do signs, heal the sick, deliver the demonized. (See Mark 16:15-18.)
•
go, preach Christ crucified, Christ risen, repentance, and forgiveness of sins; be a witness of this, but first, receive the power of the Holy Spirit. (See Luke 24:47-49.)
Combine all of the above and you get the full Great Commission of Jesus, our King. It is not optional! •
First receive the baptism, fullness, and power of the Spirit.
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Pattern yourself after Jesus, our example. Go as the Father sent Him.
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Starting where you are, go into all the world, to all the nations, to every person.
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Proclaim (preach) the gospel that Jesus commanded in Luke 24:46-47, to all peoples.
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Be a witness, live Jesus, and tell people about Jesus.
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Do signs and wonders, bring healing and deliverance.
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Lead people to repent and to receive Jesus, to be “born again”. (See John 3:3-8.)
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Then baptize them, as baptism is symbolic of death and burial of the old self, and resurrection to the new life.
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Disciple them (teach, train, apprentice them) to follow Jesus, obey all of His commands, and live His life.
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Make them disciplers who lead others to Christ and disciple those they lead to Christ. (See 2 Timothy 2:2)
What Is the Gospel? The Good News “Gospel” means good news. The English words “evangelist” and “evangelize” come from the same Greek word. In Scripture, the gospel is called: •
the “gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 24:14).
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the “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
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the “gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).
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the “gospel of Christ” (Romans 15:19).
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the “gospel of peace” (Romans 10:15).
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the “gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
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the “everlasting gospel” (Revelation 14:6).
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“good tidings” (Isaiah 61:1-3). Jesus said that this passage from Isaiah was fulfilled in Him, as He had been anointed by God to preach and proclaim the gospel. (See Luke 4:16-21.)
The Power of God The gospel of Christ, the preaching of the cross, is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. (See Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:17-25.) If that is true, why do we not see “the power of God to salvation” when we preach? One main factor is whether the gospel is preached in its entirety. There may be some missing notes, even a lost chord (several missing notes), in our proclamation. The gospel must be Scripturally complete in order to be “the power of God to salvation”.
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The early church proclaimed the complete gospel, and got powerful results. •
“I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” (Romans 15:19, emphasis added)
•
“that the message might be preached fully” (2 Timothy 4:17, emphasis added).
•
“I [declared] to you the whole counsel of God.” (Acts 20:27, emphasis added)
•
“I kept back nothing” (Acts 20:20, emphasis added).
The definition of “complete” is having all needed or normal parts, elements, or details; lacking nothing; entire; whole; total. Our proclamation of the gospel must be complete, having all the necessary and normal elements, lacking nothing (not defective), in order for it to be “the power of God to salvation”. If there’s a missing note or a lost chord, there is sure to be some of “the power of God” missing, because it will not be the entire gospel of Scripture, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. It must be complete, but not complicated—simple enough for a child to understand and receive. Neither must anything be added, thus making it “another gospel”. (See Deuteronomy 4:2; Galatians 1:6-12.) If our gospel is polluted, defective, or perverted, it will not be powerful. This includes a gospel that is: •
diluted and toned-down to make it more appealing—an anemic, diminished gospel.
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polluted with unscriptural aspects to make it more acceptable—an embellished gospel.
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sugar-coated, to appeal to people’s selfish, carnal nature—an attractive, hedonistic gospel.
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edited to be politically-correct and not offensive to anyone—a timid, misinterpreted gospel.
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emphasizing only secondary purposes, and excluding the primary purpose (salvation from an eternity without God, in hell)—an incomplete gospel.
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weak, ambiguous, consumer-like (pick and choose, whatever you like)—a post-modern gospel.
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using God for our self-centeredness, instead of denying self—a selfish, humanistic gospel.
Let’s not fall away from the real, authentic, complete, original gospel.
A Warning About a Different Gospel “I marvel that you are turning away… to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert [distort] the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed… I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant [true servant] of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-10)
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God is warning us about a different gospel; a perverted, distorted gospel; or any other gospel. And twice in this passage, He says, “if anyone preaches any other gospel… let him be accursed” (emphasis added). This is very, very serious! God is warning us, “Stick to the real original gospel! Don’t change it!” The word “accursed” means to be separated from, rejected, banned—close to being cursed. We should be on guard. God does not want His gospel changed in any way! Since the real gospel is so essential, satan is doing all he can to distort and neutralize it. So, let’s stick to the Scriptural, authentic, original, powerful gospel of Jesus Christ! Jesus told His prospective disciples to “count the cost” before deciding to follow Him (Luke 14:25-33; Luke 9:23-25). How can people “count the cost” if they are not given the true picture, the full price? It is dishonest to try to lure people into the Christian life by selling them a partial, unrealistic, unscriptural picture of what is involved. Some have marketed the gospel by giving false expectations of a happy, trouble-free, do-myown-thing, get-rich life, instead of preaching repentance, denying self, dedicating one’s life to Jesus, and sacrificially following Him. People who make a decision to follow Christ based on that false gospel display no evidence of new birth, soon become disillusioned—even angry—and fall away, more hardened to the gospel than ever before.
What Is the Complete Gospel? What is the full content of the message? What are all the necessary and normal elements? What is the whole proclamation? If we assume that we know what the gospel message is and run with it, giving only a partial, watered-down, or distorted proclamation, it will produce only partial results, or no results, or even bad results. We first must understand the complete message and all its necessary and normal parts, and then run with it, and proclaim it fully. Let’s look more closely at what that means.
Jesus Told Us What to Proclaim In the Great Commission, Jesus said that “it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission [forgiveness] of sins should be preached in His name to all nations” (Luke 24:46-47). The word “necessary” in the Greek text here really does mean necessary—not optional. Jesus said that four main things were necessary. •
Christ must suffer (be crucified).
•
Christ must rise from the dead.
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Repentance must be preached.
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Remission (forgiveness) of sins must be preached in His name to all nations.
All four are the main, necessary, and normal elements of the gospel message. Jesus Himself said so —and He is our Lord!
The Main Thing Is: That the Main Thing,
Remains the Main Thing Jesus did not tell us: •
to go and preach God; that is too generic. We are to preach Christ crucified!
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to go and get people to join a church and follow its rules. This is church-ianity rather than Christianity.
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to go and bring people to faith. It needs to be faith in Christ crucified and resurrected.
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to preach morals or improving society. Jesus preached the new birth. (See John 3:3-8.)
To major on the minors is worse than wrong; it is deadly for those who face a lost eternity! Jesus said it was necessary: •
that Christ crucified must be proclaimed.
•
that Christ resurrected must be proclaimed.
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that repentance must be proclaimed.
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that forgiveness of sins must be proclaimed.
Jesus commanded it! All four of these components must be proclaimed, in Jesus’ name, to all the world. Jesus really did command it. And we must obey.
The Gospel as Preached by the Early Church Peter, by the power of the Holy Spirit, obeyed this command of Jesus and preached the full gospel on the day of Pentecost and after that, with astounding results. (See Acts 2:22-41; Acts 3:12-4:4; Acts 5:29-32.) What about the gospel that Paul proclaimed to the Philippian jailer? Paul only said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Is this the complete gospel? No! But look at the whole story, in verses 22-34. The jailer must have heard Paul and Silas praying and singing, and quite possibly preaching, in the jail. When the great earthquake happened and the jailer thought all the prisoners had fled, he was about to commit suicide, knowing that he would be executed. But he ran in and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas, and asked them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This man was already turning to God (repenting) very earnestly and desperately. Therefore,
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only this part of the gospel needed to be proclaimed to him. We cannot take what Paul said here as our full model of the complete gospel message. Paul tells us the content of the gospel that he always proclaimed: •
Christ crucified. (See 1 Corinthians 1:17-25; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5.)
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Christ resurrected. (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 11-15.)
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Repentance and turning toward God. (See Acts 26:20.)
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Forgiveness of sins. (See Acts 13:37-39; Acts 26:18, 20, 23.)
•
“not… ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord” (2 Corinthians 4:5).
Proclaim Christ Crucified Proclaim Jesus Christ—the real Person; not just a way or plan of salvation, nor four spiritual laws, nor reciting the sinner’s prayer. (See Luke 24:46-47.) Salvation and eternal life are not a formula, nor believing a set of doctrines (a creed), nor joining a church, nor getting religion, nor coming to faith, nor adopting a Christian lifestyle. It is to “know [experience]… the only true God, and Jesus Christ”. (See John 17:1-3, emphasis added.) When a person comes to God, it must be to Who He really is; and when a person receives Jesus, he must receive the real Jesus—“God manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16)—all of Jesus, and not a man-made Jesus.
Jesus Christ—the Son Of God Jesus’ death has little meaning if He was only a man and not the Son of God. •
“God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16)
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“He is the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15-16)
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“the express image of [God’s] person” (Hebrews 1:3)
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“This is My beloved Son” (Matthew 3:17)
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“the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16-17)
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“the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18, 36)
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“believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23)
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“[confess] that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 4:9-10, 14-15)
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“believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:5, 9-12)
Here are some examples of how the early church preached Jesus as the Son of God: •
“the Son of God, Jesus Christ… was preached” (2 Corinthians 1:19)
•
“Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37)
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•
“he preached… He is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20)
Jesus—the Christ, the Messiah The Greek word “Christ” and the Hebrew word “Messiah” both mean chosen, commissioned, the anointed one of God, the promised one. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16) Here are some examples of how the early church preached Jesus as Christ, the Messiah: •
“God has made this Jesus… both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36)
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“teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42)
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“he preached the Christ… that He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20-22)
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“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 10:38)
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“This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ” (Acts 17:3)
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“testified… that Jesus is the Christ” (Acts 18:5, 28)
Jesus Christ—Crucified Preach not only Jesus Christ as crucified, but also the main reason why He died—to atone for all our sins and reconcile us back to God. This is Paul’s summary of the gospel. (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.) •
“the message of the cross… is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:17-18)
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“we preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)
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“know…. Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2)
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“Jesus Christ… clearly portrayed among you as crucified” (Galatians 3:1)
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“He Himself is the propitiation for our sins”; Jesus died for us and paid for our sins (1 John 2:2)
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“who Himself bore our sins in His own body”; He took our guilt, our condemnation (1 Peter 2:24)
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“Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust”; He took our place, our death, our hell (1 Peter 3:18)
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“God made Him… to be sin for us”; His substitutionary death was the great exchange (2 Corinthians 5:21)
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God “laid on Him the iniquity of us all”; total atonement—for everyone (Isaiah 53:5-6)
Here are some examples of how the early church preached Jesus crucified: •
“God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:23, 36)
•
“you killed the Prince of life” (Acts 3:13-15)
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“Jesus Christ… you crucified” (Acts 4:10)
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“Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree” (Acts 5:30)
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“the Just One, of whom you now have become betrayers and murderers” (Acts 7:52)
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“they killed by hanging on a tree” (Acts 10:39)
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“they asked Pilate that He should be put to death” (Acts 13:28)
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“the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead” (Acts 17:3)
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“the Christ would suffer” (Acts 26:23)
Proclaim Christ Resurrected (Luke 24:46) Jesus Christ—Risen from the Dead, Physically The theme of Jesus as risen from the dead was predominant in the preaching of the early church. •
“He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
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“raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:24-25)
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“God has raised Him from the dead” (Romans 10:9-10)
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“Jesus Christ… was raised from the dead” (2 Timothy 2:8)
Here are some examples of how the early church preached Jesus risen from the dead: •
“This Jesus God has raised up” (Acts 2:24-32)
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“whom God raised from the dead” (Acts 3:15, 26)
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“the apostles gave witness to the resurrection” (Acts 4:33; see also verses 2 and 10)
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“God… raised up Jesus” (Acts 5:30)
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“Him God raised up on the third day” (Acts 10:40)
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“God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:30)
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“preached to them Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:3, 18, 31)
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“hope and resurrection of the dead” (Acts 23:6)
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“there will be a resurrection of the dead” (Acts 24:15, 21)
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“the Christ… the first to rise from the dead” (Acts 26:6-8, 23)
Jesus Christ—the Lord Jesus is Lord! (See Philippians 2:8-11.) The “gospel of the Kingdom” means the gospel of the King and His domain, the Master’s sovereign rule and reign—the King of kings and Lord of lords. •
“preaching the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23)
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“gospel of the kingdom will be preached” (Matthew 24:14)
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“preach… Christ Jesus the Lord” (2 Corinthians 4:1-6)
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“Lord of both the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9)
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“confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:9-11)
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“[God] put all things under His feet” (Ephesians 1:19-22)
Here are some examples of how the early church preached Jesus as Lord and King, and His kingdom: •
“God has made this Jesus… both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:34-36)
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“Him God exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior” (Acts 5:31)
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“preached… the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus” (Acts 8:12)
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“Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36)
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“preaching the Lord Jesus” (Acts 11:20-21)
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“there is another king—Jesus” (Acts 17:7)
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“persuading concerning… the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8)
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“I have gone preaching the kingdom of God” (Acts 20:25)
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“testified of the kingdom of God” (Acts 28:23)
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“preaching the kingdom of God” (Acts 28:31)
Jesus Christ—the Coming King Jesus is both a present King and a coming King. •
“This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner” (Acts 1:9-11)
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“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7)
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“The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15)
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“And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron” (Revelation 19:11-16)
Here are some examples of how the early church preached Jesus as the coming King: •
“that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before” (Acts 3:20-21)
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“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)
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“when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John 2:28)
Jesus Christ—the Coming Judge When Jesus comes, He comes as both King and Judge.
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“we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10)
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“He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42)
Here are some examples of how the early church preached Jesus as the coming judge: •
“sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool” (Acts 2:34)
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“it was He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42)
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“He will judge the world… by the Man [Jesus]” (Acts 17:31)
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“he reasoned about… the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25) Proclaim Repentance (Luke 24:47) Why Is Repentance So Important?
God has clearly indicated the importance He puts on repentance. •
All the prophets preached repentance.
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John the Baptist preached repentance.
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Jesus, Himself, preached repentance.
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He sent His disciples to preach repentance.
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He commands us to preach repentance.
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Peter preached repentance.
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Paul preached repentance.
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Repentance is God’s will for everyone.
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Repentance is God’s command to everyone.
•
God rejoices over everyone who repents.
The definition of “repentance” is to turn around, turn back again, reverse your direction, make a U-turn. The Greek word means to change your mind, or turn around your thinking and your heart. Repentance is a decision. It is an act of the will from the heart—not just an emotion or a feeling. It involves turning our heart, will, desires, motives, and goals to God. It is not just a superficial change of outward actions, but heart-felt, sincere, and genuine. “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:9-11, emphasis added). God commands it, but then we must agree, make the decision, and trust God to enable us to do it. Desire leads to decision, which leads to determination, which leads to doing repentance.
12
That decision results in a change of actions and a change of life, because of the change of heart and the change of mind. There must be both a change of heart and a change of life. Scripture speaks of bearing “fruits worthy of repentance” and doing “works befitting repentance” (Matthew 3:8; Acts 26:20).
Why Is Repentance Necessary? Why do we need to repent? •
Our ways and thoughts are not God’s. (See Isaiah 55:7-9.)
•
Our own way is iniquity. (See Isaiah 53:6.)
•
Our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. (See Jeremiah 17:9.)
•
“There is none righteous, no, not one”. (Romans 3:10-23)
Despite this, God still loves us greatly and longs for us to come back to Him. He says to us, “Turn, turn from your evil ways!” (Ezekiel 33:11). He calls to us, and will run out to welcome us and embrace us, as the father did in the Parable of the Passionate Papa (see Luke 15:11-24).
Repentance Is Both Negative and Positive Repentance is not just negative; it is both negative and positive. “Turn from” is negative, and “turn to” is positive, yielding a positive result. •
“turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9, emphasis added)
•
“turn them from darkness to light… from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18, emphasis added)
•
“delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14, emphasis added)
Turn from what?—(negative): •
our sins, actions, thoughts, and lifestyles that are in disobedience to God.
•
our self-centeredness—it is an idol, putting self ahead of God.
•
our ways, our thoughts, our control, our self-efforts, our actions—which are not of God.
•
our dead works, self efforts, self-sufficiency, self-striving, and self-righteousness. (See Hebrews 6:1.)
•
All that is ungodly in our surrounding society and culture.
Turn to what?—(positive):
13
•
To God Himself—His thoughts, His ways, and His control. We were created to be centered on Him, and on Him alone. We give ourselves back to God our Creator, our Heavenly Father.
•
To God’s great love—to receive it, enjoy it, and reciprocate it. We were created to enjoy His love. And we were created to love Him in return.
The gospel is directed towards man, but it is not man-centered. It must always be God-centered, not directing us to our own self-centeredness. Although it is for the here-and-now, it is focused much, much more on eternity.
A Continuing, Deepening Repentance Repentance is not just a once-and-for-all experience at conversion, but must be done again and again, every time we sin and displease God, in order to keep right with God, please Him, and keep close to Him. An attitude of repentance is a life-long habit, a lifestyle; like a compass needle, magnetized to Jesus, and always swinging back to Him.
Repentance Is a Free Gift from God This is really good news! Repentance is not produced by us, but is a gi- to be received. •
“to give repentance and forgiveness” (Acts 5:31)
•
“God has also granted to the Gentiles [non-Jews] repentance to life” (Acts 11:18)
•
“God perhaps will grant them repentance” (2 Timothy 2:25)
•
“the goodness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4)
•
“it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)
God works on our will, our desire, and leads us to repentance. We respond, decide, choose, and turn our will, to repent. Then God gives us the power to change and the power to live it out. Repentance is not turning over a new leaf, nor cleaning up our life before coming to God. Repentance is a turning to God in our heart with a willingness for God to change us. We cannot change ourselves—only God can. Yes, He really can! We can only come to Him, just as we are, and trust Him to change us. He will be glad to! The preaching of repentance cannot be omitted. If it is, people get the impression that all they have to do is pray a short sinner’s prayer that gives them their eternal fire insurance, and then they can run off and live their lives only for themselves. This is not being saved—it is a false conversion. Repentance is a complete and continual turning back to God Himself: •
of our will,
•
of our desires,
•
of our love,
•
of our goals,
14
•
of our total selves!
Proclaim the Forgiveness of Sins (Luke 24:47) The Need for the Message of Forgiveness Forgiveness of sins is the very heart and the greatest reason for the good news! Why do we need this forgiveness? Because we all are guilty before God, and our sins separate us from Him. (See Romans 3:19, 23.) The main issue of salvation is not peace, joy, happiness, and solving all our problems—these are only fringe benefits. The main issue is that we are guilty and lost without Jesus, and we all need forgiveness of our sins in order to be restored to a loving relationship with God. The definition of the Greek words for “forgiveness” or “remission” is sending away guilt, pardon, deliverance, freedom, liberty. •
“My blood… which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28)
•
“be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38)
•
“whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43)
•
“through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 13:38-39)
•
“that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18)
•
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7)
•
“He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9)
The Quality of God’s Forgiveness God’s forgiveness is free, full, and forever! •
“Their sins… I will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:16-17)
•
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions” (Isaiah 43:25)
•
“your sins… shall be white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18)
•
“You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19)
•
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12)
When we receive God’s forgiveness, we experience the great exchange:
Jesus takes from us our:
Jesus gives to us His:
guilt
pardon and forgiveness
15
Jesus takes from us our:
Jesus gives to us His:
death
life, now and forever
sin
pure righteousness
slavery
freedom and liberty
weakness
resurrection power
alienation
Father’s acceptance
emptiness
fullness of His Spirit
loneliness
love and intimacy
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
The Source of Forgiveness Forgiveness of sins is available only through Jesus Christ. •
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)
•
“there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)
•
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me [Jesus]” (John 14:6)
Forgiveness Is by God’s Grace Alone Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are both given by God’s grace, and His grace alone. God’s forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life are only and totally ours by the grace of God. •
“by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
The Greek word for “grace” means free gift, favor, benefit. Grace cannot be earned, deserved, merited, or worked for. •
“not by works of righteousness which we have done” (Titus 3:5)
•
“by grace… no longer of works” (Romans 11:6)
God’s grace is a free gift. It is not a loan or mortgage. We are not to try to repay Him, but only to express our love and gratitude to Him in loving worship and obedience.
16
Forgiveness Is by Faith Alone Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are both received only by faith. “Faith” means commitment to, trust in, dependence on. It is not just a mental assent—it is a commitment. •
“saved through faith… not of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9, emphasis added)
God’s forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life can only be received by simple faith—not by any works, human efforts, religious deeds, or religious ceremonies. •
“whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16-18, 36)
The Greek word for “believe in” or “believe on” means to trust in, rely upon, depend on, commit to, put faith in. •
“if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart” (Romans 10:9-10)
•
“who does not work but believes on Him” (Romans 4:5)
•
“justified… by faith in Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16)
Forgiveness Is by Jesus Alone Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are both received only by receiving the person of Jesus Himself. Eternal life is not a commodity, nor a thing, but a Person. (See 1 John 1:1-2.) •
“In Him we have redemption” (Ephesians 1:7)
•
“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6)
•
“eternal life… is in His Son” (1 John 5:11-12)
•
“as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12)
God gave marriage as an illustration of this. As we receive the other person, we give ourselves to them; and as they receive us, they also give themselves to us. So it is with receiving Jesus. As we receive Him, we are to give ourselves to Him; and as He receives us, He also gives Himself to us!
How to Respond to the Gospel Repent, Believe, and Receive Jesus as Your Savior and Lord God talks in His Word about obeying the gospel: •
“And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 3:23, emphasis added)
•
“they have not all obeyed the gospel” (Romans 10:16-17, emphasis added)
17
•
“those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Peter 4:17, emphasis added)
•
“not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9, emphasis added)
The gospel faces people with a decision: to obey, or not to obey. “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19, emphasis added). This is not merely a mental assent, but a sincere, whole-hearted decision that will take action! To obey the gospel, we must take these heart-actions: •
Repent in your heart—turn back to God. (See Acts 2:38.) Ask Him to give you the will and the power to turn to Him and to change. It is a gift from Him, to those who decide to, and ask. It is His power, not yours!
•
Believe in Jesus—His death for your sins, and His resurrection for your life. (See John 3:16.) Believing is a decision, a choice, an act of your will. If a person really believes in Jesus, they will act on it, receive Him, and commit themselves to Him.
•
Receive Jesus—person to person, by faith. (See Ephesians 2:8-9.) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born… of God” (John 1:12-13).
•
Open up to Jesus. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine [feast] with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). Swing wide the door of your heart, your will, and your life to Jesus, your Lord and Savior.
•
Invite Jesus to come in. He has promised to come in! He will come into your heart; you can be sure He will! And as you receive Him, give yourself over to Him, and to His Lordship. “[I]f 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” (Romans 10:9-10). Ask Him, out loud, to come in. Then tell someone else that you have received Him. Ask Him also to fill you with His Holy Spirit. This too, is His promise! Believe it. Receive it.
•
Give yourself to Jesus—as “a living sacrifice”, out of love and gratitude. (See Romans 12:1-2.) This is the out-working of your repentance. It is denying yourself; not saving your life for yourself, but losing (giving) your life to Jesus for His purposes and His will. •
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever… loses his life for My sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-25)
•
“reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (See Romans 6:3, 11-14.)
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•
“you are not your own… you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (See 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.)
Receive the Holy Spirit God promised a new, everlasting covenant with us: •
God promised to put His laws in our minds and hearts. (See Jeremiah 31:31-34.)
•
God promised to give us a new heart and put His Spirit within us, and to cause us to keep His commandments. (See Ezekiel 36:25-27.)
Jesus said the new covenant is in His blood. (See Matthew 26:28.) To receive it, we must be born again (John 3:3-7). When we receive Jesus, God puts His law, His heart, His Spirit, and His power within us and we begin to become new creations. Jesus Himself, by His Spirit, lives within us —in His resurrection power! •
“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
•
“in him a fountain of water springing up” (John 4:14)
•
“Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22)
•
“the Holy Spirit who is in you” (1 Corinthians 6:19)
•
“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27)
God not only said He would put His Spirit within us, but He also promised He would pour out His Spirit upon us and fill us with His Holy Spirit. (See Joel 2:28-29; Acts 1:8.) This is the “Promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4). •
“I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 2:16-18)
•
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 3:11)
•
“out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-39)
•
“wait for the Promise of the Father… you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5)
•
“you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8)
•
“they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4)
•
“receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38)
•
“the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off” (Acts 2:39)
There are many examples of this in the early church: •
“they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-17)
•
“the Holy Spirit fell upon all” (Acts 10:44-48)
•
“the Holy Spirit came upon them” (Acts 19:1-6)
•
“be filled [continually] with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18-21)
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How to Give Away the Gospel An important step in our growth once we have been reconciled to God through Jesus, is to share the gospel with others. We are all commanded by Jesus to urge people to turn back to God (repent), and by faith, receive Jesus and His crucifixion and resurrection for the forgiveness of their sins—and then to follow Him. We are to testify what we have personally experienced of Christ, and what He has done in and for us. “God, who has reconciled us to Himself… has given us the ministry of reconciliation… and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us… be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
Basic Qualifications to Being an Effective Soul-Winner •
Born again, and have the assurance of it. (See John 3:3; 1 John 5:10-13; Romans 8:16.)
•
Filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him. (See Acts 1:5, 8; Luke 24:49; Mark 1:8.)
•
Know the gospel message—the complete, yet simple message—and be ready to share it. (See 1 Peter 3:15.)
•
A fervent love for Christ—your motivation to obey Him. (See John 14:15.)
•
Christ’s love in you for people—His great compassion. (See 2 Corinthians 5:14-15.)
•
Abiding in Christ—keeping intimate (close) with Him, and trusting Him. (See John 15:4-5; John 10:2-4.)
•
Praying for the salvation of unbelievers—that God will use His Spirit and His Word to draw them to Christ. (See John 6:44.)
Basic Obstacles to Being an Effective Soul-Winner •
Fear or timidity. (See 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18-19.) The Greek word “fear” in 2 Timothy 1:7 means timidity.
•
Fear of rejection or persecution. (See John 15:20-21; Matthew 5:11-12.)
•
Pride—fear of ridicule. (See James 4:6-7.)
•
Doubt. (See Hebrews 11:6.)
•
Apathy, laziness, lack of love for lost souls who are facing an eternity without God, in hell.
Basic Motivations for Being an Effective Soul-Winner •
Love for Jesus. Because we love Him, we want to please Him and obey. To not give the gospel and not witness, is disobedience to Jesus’ commands and means we love ourselves more than Him. (See John 14:15.)
•
Christ’s love in us, for people. His great love in us can transcend our fear. (See 2 Corinthians 5:14; Acts 4:31.)
20
•
Knowing “the terror [fear] of the Lord”—compassion for those who are facing a lost eternity. (See 2 Corinthians 5:11.)
•
Do not use witnessing and soul-winning as a means of appearing spiritual to others. (See Matthew 6:1-5.)
Basic Principles for Being an Effective Soul-Winner •
Always act in dependence on the Holy Spirit. Go in your weakness. (See Matthew 10:19; 2 Corinthians 12:9.)
•
Keep filled with the Holy Spirit. Keep drinking from Jesus every day. (See Ephesians 5:18; John 7:37-39.)
•
Always be led by the Holy Spirit. Be sensitive as to whom, and when, you should speak. (See Romans 8:14.)
•
Pray for the unsaved. Only prayer and the Word of God can break blindness and unbelief. Only the Father, by His Spirit, can draw people to Christ. Trust Him to do this! (See 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; John 6:44.)
•
Manifest the love of God. Love others as God loves them. Serve them. Help them. Do good deeds for them.
•
Live a consistent, godly life. Walk the talk. Live Christ. Be a witness. Shine Jesus! (See Matthew 5:16.)
•
Determine to obey Jesus’ command to share the gospel and to witness. Ask Him for the power, the love, and the courage to obey. (See Philippians 2:13.)
•
Remember, you are getting people to receive a person—Jesus—not a doctrine, a belief, a creed, a church, a religion, nor Christianity in general. This is what the Scribes and Pharisee did, and Jesus criticized them for it. (See Matthew 23:1-31.)
•
Witness in faith, and expect results; the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation”. God’s Word is living and powerful. Trust the Holy Spirit to use His Word. (See Hebrews 11:6; Romans 1:16; Hebrews 4:12.)
•
Always be prepared and willing to share the gospel. (See 2 Timothy 4:2.)
Helpful Suggestions for Being an Effective Soul-Winner •
Make friends with unbelievers. Jesus was a friend of sinners and ate with them. (See Luke 15:1-2.) Genuinely love them and serve them. Be compassionate. Really care!
•
Always be friendly. Be an attentive listener and watch for opportunities.
•
Always be loving, gentle, considerate, sensitive.
•
Always be natural, relaxed, and sincere. Trust the Holy Spirit to guide and enable you.
•
Be tactful, polite, courteous, respectful, understanding.
•
Look for a point of contact. Personalize the message to the one you are witnessing to.
21
•
Take opportunities that open up. Seek to communicate the good news.
•
Look for opportunities to pray for, or with, unsaved people when they have needs and crises. Care!
•
Sometimes take the initiative, make opportunities, turn conversations around, use approach questions.
•
Distinguish between resistance and resentment. Resistance is natural, but resentment means the person may not be ready and continuing to witness may drive them further away. Keep loving them!
•
If prompted by the Spirit, press on politely and lovingly, in spite of resistance, unbelief, or arguments. Share the gospel with them anyway. It is still “the power of God to salvation” (Romans 1:16). The seeds may sprout later. Pray!
•
Stay on target—Christ! Avoid sidetracks and excuses. Always bring the person back to receiving Jesus, as Savior and Lord. This is the main issue.
•
Share your own experience. Witness to them of what you have found in Christ: •
“Before receiving Christ, I was…”
•
“This is how I received Christ…”
•
“After I received Christ, these changes occurred…”
•
Aim for a definite decision for them to receive Christ, but leave the results up to God. You may be just one link in the chain. (See 1 Corinthians 3:6.)
•
Encourage the person to receive Christ verbally. (See Romans 10:9-10.) If they don’t know what to say, lead them in a prayer, phrase by phrase. Recognize that they may want to do it by themselves, when alone.
•
After they pray, pray for them and for their new life in Jesus.
•
Follow them up later. Arrange to meet again to answer any questions. Pray much for them, because satan will attack—but Jesus has the greater power!
•
Introduce them to other believers as soon as you can.
•
Teach them about baptism and its meaning. (See Romans 6:1-14). Arrange to baptize them, and pray for them to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
•
Disciple them. Teach, train, and apprentice them. Lead them. Serve them. Be an example to them, and keep praying for them.
Important Don’ts to Being An Effective Soul-Winner •
Do not be or appear to be proud, holier-than-thou, or better-than.
•
Do not talk down to people, or be condescending or patronizing.
•
Do not be indifferent, matter-of-fact, or dispassionate.
22
•
Do not be harsh, accusing, or judgmental, or attack their beliefs.
•
Do not get angry, ruffled, or defensive.
•
Do not argue, be argumentative, or be out to win an argument.
•
Do not be pushy or cram the gospel down their throats.
•
Do not be manipulative, domineering, or controlling.
•
Do not force people against their will, or coerce them.
•
Do not try to sell them, or scare them, or con them.
•
Do not talk or argue religion, theology, church, denomination, or man-made rules.
•
Do not defend the wrongs in Christians, churches, or Christianity. We certainly are not perfect! Admit it.
•
Do not try to prove or defend God or the Scriptures—just humbly, lovingly present the gospel and trust God.
Now… Now, go into that lost world and: •
Preach the gospel—Christ crucified, Christ risen, repentance, and forgiveness. (See Luke 24:46-47.)
•
Be a witness. Receive the power of the Holy Spirit to live Jesus and speak Jesus. (See Acts 1:8.)
•
Make disciples. Lead people to receive Jesus; “do the work of an evangelist” (2 Timothy 4:5).
•
Baptize them. And then pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. (See Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39.)
•
Disciple them, and teach them to obey all that Jesus taught. (See Matthew 28:19-20.)
For Jesus will be “with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20)!
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Appendix:
Messages Preached by the Early Church to Unbelievers It is significant that the Holy Spirit recorded in the book of Acts the many messages preached by the early church to unbelievers. He must want us to know what was preached, and to preach likewise! Some of these messages are set out below. All references are from the book of Acts.
2 :22
Jesus, attested (proven) by God
:23
Jesus, preordained
:23
Jesus, crucified
:24-32
Jesus, resurrected
:30-31
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:33-35
Jesus, exalted
:36
Jesus, the Lord
:36
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:38
repentance
:38
water baptism
:38
remission (forgiveness) of sins
:38-39
Holy Spirit baptism
3 :13-15
Jesus, crucified and resurrected
:16
faith in Jesus
:18
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:19
repentance
:19
forgiveness of sins
:19
times of refreshing (revival)
:20
Jesus’ return
:21
restoration
:22-23
a warning about rejecting Jesus
:24-26
blessing through Jesus
:26
Jesus, resurrected
:26
repentance
4 :2
Jesus, resurrected
:10
Jesus, crucified and resurrected
:11
Jesus, exalted
24
:12
Jesus, the only way
:33
Jesus, resurrected
:33
Jesus, the Lord
5 :30
Jesus, crucified and resurrected
:31
Jesus, exalted
:31
repentance
:31
forgiveness of sins
:32
Holy Spirit baptism
:42
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
7 :51-53
sin
:52
Jesus, crucified
:56
Jesus, the Son of Man
:56
Jesus, resurrected
:56
Jesus, exalted
8 :5
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:12
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:12
the kingdom of God (Jesus’ kingship)
:12
water baptism
:35-37
Jesus, Son of God
:36
water baptism
:37
faith in Jesus
9 :20
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:20
Jesus, the Son of God
:22
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
10 :34-35
justice and righteousness
:35
acceptance by God
:36
peace through Jesus
:36
Jesus, the Lord
:38
Jesus, the anointed (the Messiah)
:38
Jesus’ deeds, healings, and deliverances
:39
Jesus, crucified
25
:40-41
Jesus, resurrected
:42
Jesus, Judge of all
:43
faith in Jesus
:43
remission (forgiveness) of sins
:44-47
Holy Spirit baptism
:47-48
water baptism
:48
Jesus, the Lord
11 :18
repentance
:20-21
Jesus, the Lord
:21
faith in Jesus
:21
repentance
13 :23
Jesus, the Son of Man
:23
Jesus, the Savior
:24
repentance
:25
Jesus, the supreme One
:26-28
Jesus, crucified
:29
Jesus, buried
:30-37
Jesus, resurrected
:32
good news
:33
Jesus, the Son of God
:38
forgiveness of sins
:39
faith in Jesus
:39
justification in Jesus
:40-41
a warning about rejecting Jesus
:43
God’s grace
14 :3
God’s grace
:15
repentance
:21
the gospel (good news)
:21-22
discipleship
15 :11
God’s grace
:11
Jesus, the Lord and Christ (Messiah)
:11
salvation in Jesus
26
16 :29-30
(this man is already repenting)
:31
faith in Jesus
:31
Jesus, the Lord and Christ (Messiah)
17 :3
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:3
Jesus, crucified and resurrected
:7
Jesus, the King
:18
Jesus, resurrected
:24-26
supremacy of God, the creator
:27
seeking God
:30
repentance
:31
Jesus, Judge of all
:31
Jesus, resurrected
18 :5 :28
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah) Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
19 :8
the kingdom of God (Kingship of Jesus)
20 :21
repentance toward God
:21
faith toward Lord Jesus Christ (Messiah)
:24
gospel of God’s grace
:25
the kingdom of God (Kingship of Jesus)
:27
whole counsel of God
22 :16
water baptism
:16
forgiveness of sins
:16
Jesus, the Lord
23 :6
resurrection of the dead
24 :15
resurrection of the dead
:21
resurrection of the dead
:24
faith in Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:25
righteousness, self-control, judgment
27
25 :19
Jesus, crucified and resurrected
26 :6-8
resurrection
:9
Jesus
:15
Jesus, the Lord
:18
repentance
:18
forgiveness of sins
:18
inheritance (eternal life)
:18
faith in Jesus
:20
repentance producing suitable works
:22-23
Jesus, the Christ (Messiah)
:23
Jesus, crucified and resurrected
28 :20
Jesus, the hope of Israel
:23
the kingdom of God, (Kingship of Jesus)
:31
the kingdom of God, (Kingship of Jesus)
:31
Jesus, the Lord, the Christ (Messiah)
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ALSO BY JOHN HUTCHINSON Books by John Hutchinson John Hutchinson has wri/en a trilogy of books about the Trinity of God—Father, Son, and Spirit— which are described below. These books may be purchased available through Amazon, Chapters/ Indigo, www.astoundingfatherlove.com, and wherever fine ChrisHan books are sold. Astounding Love: Experience God’s Immeasurable Father-Love for You Do you think of God as being somewhat strict and harsh or cold and distant? Do you feel that He mostly wants to find fault and condemn? Astounding Love reveals God’s immeasurable love and goodness, and His burning desire for a close, loving relaHonship with us all. If you want to discover— and experience—God’s beauHful, true, loving character, this book is for you. And it could also be a great giM for someone you know who needs this kind of love! Astounding Sacrifice: The Most Crucial Event in All of Human History Was Jesus’ crucifixion just a tragic unHmely end to a wonderful life? Why did God allow this to happen? What is the whole story? Author John Hutchinson has woven together, into one harmonious narraHve, every detail of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrecHon, and ascension contained in the four Gospels, to give a more complete picture and a richer insight into the most crucial event in all of human history. Astounding Sacrifice describes the immense price that God and Jesus willingly paid to bring us back into a love relaHonship with Him for eternity. Astounding Promise: God Restores to Us the Fullness of His Spirit Do you want God’s Spirit to come into your spirit and make you a new creaHon in Christ Jesus? Do you long for the Holy Spirit to come upon you, fill you to overflowing, and empower you to be a witness of Jesus and His great salvaHon? Astounding Promise: God Restores to Us the Fullness of His Spirit reveals the great Holy Spirit of God, promised by God as part of the New Covenant. Author John Hutchinson describes his own experiences with the Holy Spirit and shows how God’s astounding promise is very real, experienHal, and pracHcal for all His born-again children.
Bible Studies and Wri@ngs by John Hutchinson As a pastor and teacher, John Hutchinson has developed Bible studies and other wriHngs to teach us as believers and encourage us in our faith. These studies and wriHngs are described below. They may be downloaded at www.astoundingfatherlove.com free of charge for personal or group study by those who are seeking to follow Christ. God’s Solid FoundaJons—For Us It is essenHal to have a solid foundaHon for our faith. God’s Solid FoundaCons—For Us deals with the subjects that God Himself lists as the “elementary principles of Christ”. These eight lessons will be of benefit to those who are new in their faith, and also to those wanHng to disciple new believers.
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Growing Spiritually—God’s Way Growing Spiritually—God’s Way is the essenHal follow-up to God’s Solid FoundaCons—For Us. It will greatly enlarge your experience of, and your love for, God the Father, Jesus the Son, and God’s wonderful Holy Spirit. These sixteen lessons will help you grow and mature in love, worship, prayer, faith, obedience, ministry, and victory. Discipleship, Leadership, and Submission—God’s Way It is important for every ChrisHan to understand how to be discipled, how to disciple others, and how to both lead and submit to leadership in the body of Christ. In Discipleship, Leadership, and Submission—God’s Way, these three subjects are presented in the mode of ChrisHanity full-strength —not watered down or sugar-coated—based on the Word of God. Warfare Praying in the Psalms Approximately 45% of the verses in the Psalms refer directly or indirectly to warfare praying against our enemies. We must be very careful to properly use and properly apply these Scriptures in our New Testament praying. Warfare Praying in the Psalms will show you how to do that. Living and Loving—God’s Way Living and Loving—God’s Way reminds us that God’s way is opposite to our natural, human way. In all things, He must enable us and guide us. We must learn how to live and love by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by our own. This study will tell you how to do that. Love and Marriage—God’s Way Love and Marriage—God’s Way teaches God’s plan for the relaHonships between husbands and wives, and parents and children. God’s way regarding these relaHonships is oMen different than our own beliefs and pracHces. Learning His plan will help you to experience the fullness and beauty of marriage and family—God’s way. Jesus Must Have the Preeminence God has ordained that Jesus be given the absolute preeminence in all things. This theme is repeatedly emphasized in Scripture. But satan is always doing his utmost to dilute and diminish the absolute supremacy of Christ. We must exalt Jesus far above our own desires, reputaHons, pride, ministries, and accomplishments. Jesus Must Have the Preeminence is a compilaHon of Scripture verses to encourage us in this. The New Real Me The New Real Me is an in-depth study of the amazing Scriptural account of God wrestling with a man in order to radically change him. The man is Jacob, whose name means schemer, cheater, deceiver, con-arHst—and he lived up to his name! God changed Jacob to be an “Israel”, which means one who prevails and rules as a prince with God. The spiritual lessons in this are very important for our spiritual growth.
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God’s Astounding Love-GiR Sacrifice God’s Astounding Love-Gi- Sacrifice is a poem of joy-filled, love-filled, ecstaHc praise and worship, and an expression of deep graHtude for the price that God the Father and Jesus the Son paid on that cross and in that tomb, to atone for all our sins and freely give us total forgiveness and glorious eternal life.
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