“Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” The object of evangelism is the conversion of chosen, redeemed sinners for the glory of God. Knowing that all Adam’s fallen race is under the wrath of God and must soon stand before the bar of God’s justice in judgment, we persuade sinners to flee from the wrath of God and trust the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. What is the method of our persuasion? How do we persuade men to come to Christ? 2 Corinthians 5:11
“Pity Jesus”
Some use the “pity Jesus” method. Ignorant preachers commonly try to get people to feel sorry for “poor Jesus” who suffered so horribly because men rejected him and would not let him be their king. Out of sheer pity for “poor Jesus,” they get large numbers of people to take sides with him. The pity is that the “Jesus” they preach is not the Christ of God and the faith people have in him is a false faith. The Christ of God did not die as a helpless victim of circumstances!
“Scare with Judgment”
Others use the “scare with judgment” method. Shortly after I came to Danville, all the “evangelical” churches in town got together to show a movie called, “The Burning Hell.” My name was mud because I refused to have anything to do with their religious scam. Why? Because, while the fear of judgment gets many to profess faith, none are converted by it (Rev. 16:9). It is not the fear of God’s wrath, but the revelation and exercise of his goodness that brings sinners to repentance (Zech. 12:10; Rom. 2:4).
Talk about Grace
Many use these and other methods, too numerous to mention, without real regard to the glory of God. In the eyes of men they appear very successful. But no sinner has ever been saved by them, only deceived. The only method of persuasion that is effectual in producing true repentance and faith, either in personal witnessing or in public preaching, is the talk about grace method. All conversions that are the results of pity, emotionalism, and fear will in time prove to be sham conversions. True repentance and faith are the result of gospel persuasion, and that persuasion is based upon the accomplishment of redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ. Read 2nd Corinthians 5:14-21 and you will see that this was Paul’s method.
So talk up grace! Tell people about the Savior! Tell all who will hear you what great things he has done for you by his grace. That is what our Savior told the man in Mark 5 to do. — “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel” (vv. 19-20).
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