THE HEART OF OUR TESTIMONY

The Heart of Our Testimony
1 Corinthians 1:22-24
Testimonies that fail to mention the cross lack power. In our attempt to be "seeker-friendly," we sometimes try to make the gospel more inviting by softening it. Yet the hard truth is, Jesus Christ died for our sins.
To witness effectively, we must confront unbelievers with their sin-debt and explain that Jesus gave His life to pay it in full. But presenting platitudes is easier than creating a well-planned gospel presentation. For example, the following statement is truthful and pleasing to the ear: "You are saved when you receive Jesus as Savior." The problem is, it falls short of making known the actual path to salvation. An instructive testimony should contain three follow-up points: a description of who Jesus is, an explanation of God's only plan of salvation, and what a person must believe and do in order to receive Christ.
Certainly, one can be saved without fully grasping the role of the cross. However, the new believer begins his spiritual journey much wiser if he knows the source of his salvation. Ironically, we're truly seeker-friendly when we offer a full picture of Christianity rather than a few expressions that are truthful but trite.
Think about the words you use to spread the gospel. Our society is increasingly illiterate, in terms of the Bible. That means the people with whom you have opportunity to share may know little about Jesus--you might be the only person they know with real scriptural knowledge. Pray and then take some time to prepare a message that is instructive and focused on the cross. Then go out and make disciples for Christ!

THE HEART OF OUR FAITH

The Heart of Our Faith
Galatians 2:15-16
Paul believed that nothing merited his boasting more than the cross (Gal. 6:14). He had good reason to think s God's entire plan of salvation hangs upon two beams of rough-hewn wood. Our relationship with the Father is made right through Jesus' sacrificial death. By His blood, we are justified--freed from the guilt and penalty of sin.
Galatians 2:16 says, "By observing the law no one will be justified" (niv)--that is, clean living can't earn God's acceptance. Even so, some unbelievers who reject the message of the cross put confidence in a cosmic "scale": They trust that the Lord will weigh their good deeds against the bad and be satisfied.
Yet if this scale philosophy were true, Jesus' death would be senseless. A Father who accepted multiple paths to salvation but still sacrificed His Son couldn't be called good or loving. People overlook this obvious reasoning and cling to their vision of a God who ignores personal sin.
The problem is pride. Since it is natural to desire acceptance, people want to believe something within them is worth loving. But the cross requires us to kneel before God empty-handed. When we humbly admit we're powerless to settle our own sin-debt, we must accept the payment Jesus made on our behalf.
We have nothing to offer God, but the fact is, He expects nothing. Instead, the Father created a salvation plan that cleansed the stain of our sin and reconciled us to Him. The cross is a symbol of His love--a love that deserves our boasting.

ARCHIVE BIZ!

SEPT 08-08

NEW AN EXCITING NEWS FOLKS.

A JOB TRAINING OPPORTUNITY HAS BEGUN.

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YOUNG ADULTS, OLDER ADULTS, AND 55 AND AND OVER.

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