There are as many ways to present the good news about Jesus as there are unique individuals with their own specific needs. The more adept we become at sharing the gospel, the better we will be able to adapt it to any situation.
Our goal is to present the gospel in such a way that our hearers understand that Jesus is the One for whom they are searching.
One paradigm for describing Christ’s finished work is viewing our Lord as “Christ the Victor.” He defeated Satan and his evil powers, sin, death, sickness, and every other form of bondage and evil. Even though we do not see his victory fully displayed yet, it is real and can be experienced by those who put their faith and allegiance in him.
Victory over Guilt and Judgment
The gospel paradigm with which we in the West are most familiar contrasts our guilt versus God’s righteousness. In this way of looking at things, we understand that all people will one day stand before God to be judged for our thoughts, words, and deeds. Our lives will be weighed on the scales of God’s holy standard. God imposed that way of thinking by giving Moses the Law, which is a detailed list of requirements by which God demands that we live. The inherent problem with the Law is that we are incapable of keeping it. If therefore someone takes God’s Law seriously, he or she may labor under a heavy sense of condemnation.
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” Romans 3:10–12 (NLT)
God uses the Law to expose our utter helplessness so that we will conclude that we desperately need a Savior.
But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.” 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” 13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10–14 (NLT)
The genius of God is revealed in his sending his Son Jesus to become the embodiment of a new covenant which is completely different from the covenant based on Law.
If God kept us under the Law, we would all be doomed to be judged for our sins and cast into the lake of fire. The only way out for us was for God to send a substitute who would take our place in judgment after completing a life of perfect dependence upon and obedience to God.
A great exchange took place upon the cross and at the resurrection. By a great miracle that C.S. Lewis calls “deep magic” in his classic book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Father God placed us in his son when he was crucified and rose again. That means that when he died, so did we, and when he rose, so did we. Theologians call this identification. Therefore, we are already dead to sin and alive forevermore in righteousness. As Jesus put it, we have passed from death to life.
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB95)
The New Covenant provides us with Christ’s righteousness so that we no longer must worry about somehow being good enough to merit God’s love and blessing.
We have been given a right standing with God and included in his forever family as a gift.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NASB95)
Using this paradigm, we call people to believe that Jesus has given us a new way to relate to God based on faith in his perfect work of redemption.
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Galatians 2:20–21 (NLT)
We call people to accept their freely given right standing with God by faith in what Christ has already accomplished for them.
This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” Romans 1:17 (NLT)
We also explain that faith includes giving our allegiance to the risen Lord.
Victory over Fear, Powerlessness, and Death
Fear is a universal problem, and for some people deliverance from it is their greatest felt need. People are afraid of all sorts of things – the devil, evil, change, the unknown, the unseen, people they view as powerful enemies, judgment, sickness, pain, death, and even God before they find out how loving and kind he is.
Jesus came to deliver us from fear and give us peace.
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27 (NASB95)
Our Lord absorbed our fears on the cross. All our guilt, shame, and condemnation fell upon him as he took the judgment and punishment that we rightly deserved. Part of that judgment was death, since that is what our sins earned. By submitting to death and afterward rising again, Jesus set us free from the power of the fear of death and eternal separation from God.
Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. Hebrews 2:14–15 (NASB95)
Many people who have been abused in some fashion suffer from a deep sense of powerlessness, which leaves them fearful. Death is the ultimate form of powerlessness. At death, we lose all ability to defend or save ourselves and are cast completely upon the mercy of God. Because Jesus absorbed our sentence of death on the cross, we have life eternal. By so doing, he rendered the devil powerless to harm us.
If we put our faith and allegiance in Christ, we have nothing to fear regarding death or Satan’s evil power.
In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:15 (NLT) Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” Luke 10:19–20 (NLT)
If we use this paradigm for sharing the gospel, we are able call the hearer to believe in and receive for themselves Christ’s victory over fear through his finished work on the cross and his subsequent glorious resurrection. We encourage them to make themselves available to serve our magnificent Lord.
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NLT)
Victory over Shame and Spiritual Uncleanness
For people who grow up in a culture or religion that majors on ritual cleanness, such as Islam and strict Judaism, fear of being cut off from God because of uncleanness is a major issue.
We can present Jesus as the one whose touch makes the unclean pure again.
There are several examples of this in the Bible, such as when Jesus healed the woman with the issue of blood and the leper. Jesus touched a dead body and raised it to life again without being himself defiled. This is because he absorbed and conquered our uncleanness and shame on the cross.
And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Mark 1:40–42 (NASB95)
Since the Holy Spirit indwells us, as Christ’s representatives, we too can also minister healing and restoration without fear of being contaminated.
Sin brings shame, and certain types of sin, such as sexual perversion, tend to make people feel dirty inside. When Jesus forgives and restores us, the dirtiness is removed along with the shame. Jesus did this for the woman caught in adultery in John Chapter 8.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” John 8:10–11 (NLT)
The general verse we can use to show can God cleanses us is the following.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NASB95)
We can lead our hearers to admit and repent of their sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing for the Lord.
Demons oppress people and seek to make us unclean, self-destructive, and shameful. That is why Jesus sometimes called them “unclean” spirits. When Jesus and we drive them out, it allows people to experience God’s cleansing and restorative power. In place of the unclean spirit, God offers to indwell us with his pure Holy Spirit if we place our faith and allegiance in the Lord Jesus. When God sets us free from shame and defilement, our natural response should be gratefulness and a desire to follow Christ and tell others about what he has done. This is what took place with a man whom Jesus set free from demonic oppression.
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed [demonized] begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them. Mark 5:18–20 (NLT)
Victory over the Slavery of Addiction
Sin enslaves people and leads to all sorts of addictions.
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. John 8:34 (NASB95)
Jesus came to redeem us, which means to buy back from slavery and set free.
Our redemption includes our Lord’s victory over sin and all other forms of enslaving addiction.
So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:36 (NLT)
Jesus promised that if we continue to live according to his word, we will be set free.
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32 (NLT)
Paul taught that putting our faith and allegiance in Christ will result in our being set free from all forms of enslavement over which self-effort and religion have no power.
Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. Acts 13:38–39 (NASB95)
Jesus fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy that the Messiah would set the captives free.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, 19 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18–19 (NASB95)
When we share the good news of Christ the liberator who sets the captives free, we invite people to believe in his victory and receive it for themselves.
We should encourage them to surrender themselves to Christ so he can use them to help free others.
Victory over Striving to Be Good Enough
Many suffer from a chronic sense of worthlessness or invalidation, which is different from guilt for specific sins.
A sense of worthlessness is a deeply rooted lie that strikes at the very essence of our being. It hinders our ability to receive God’s love and his blessings.
Some have been invalidated through hurtful words of key people in their lives and have internalized them. A child may have heard his parents say, “You’ll never amount to anything.” “You’re stupid.” “I never wanted you.” These words tend to go deep into the psyche and become lie-based strongholds that carry over into adulthood and influence how we see ourselves and relate to others. Depending on our personality, we will handle invalidation differently. Some will accept these words and give up on ever overcoming them. Others will fight to prove them wrong. If the Lord does not set us free with his loving truth, however, we will still be affected by this stronghold of lies.
People who have this stronghold in their minds may give themselves over to all sorts of self-destructive behavior, thinking they are unworthy of anything else. Others strive for perfection, believing that is the only way for them to be accepted.
Perfectionism is built on a lie that our worth is based on our performance or what other people think about us.
It produces an intolerable burden that eventually wears us out. We can only keep up the façade for so long before it cracks.
When Jesus calls us to himself, it is the highest form of validation.
God himself declares that we are worthwhile. The value of a thing is based on what someone would pay for it, and Jesus paid his own priceless blood to purchase us and restore us to God’s family. God the Father adopted us to be his beloved children. There is no higher measure of worth than that.
When we encounter a person who suffers from invalidation, we can tell them that Jesus took our worthlessness upon himself when he hung on the cross all alone with his detractors and enemies gloating over his demise. He died for us because he loved us and wanted us to be part of God’s family, the highest honor.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him Ephesians 1:3–9 (NASB95)
When we understand that we have nothing more to prove, no standard to which we must achieve, we can enjoy the rest provided by God.
For this kind of person, our gospel presentation can center around Jesus’ invitation to all of us to come to him and receive his promised rest.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (NLT)
This rest is a source of joy to us and motivates us to tell others.
Victory over Hopelessness and Confusion
Many people suffer from a deep sense of hopelessness. This can stem from feeling powerless to change negatives in our lives. It can also stem from confusion, not knowing what to do or if there is anything to be done. People who are born into deep poverty often have no role models to show them how to move into greater prosperity. People who are surrounded by temptation, crime, and the degradation brought by sinful life choices, sometimes feel there is no way out. People who lose loved ones sometimes believe life no longer has purpose or meaning.
In such cases, we can present Jesus as the one who imparts direction to the confused, meaning to life, and hope to the hopeless.
Our Lord told us that he is the Way.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 (NASB95)
We do not need to understand everything to escape confusion. We were never meant to know everything. We only need to know our Lord and trust him to guide us each step of our way.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5–6 (NASB95)
The devil wants to paralyze us with confusion and fear. The way out is to let these things go and surrender our lives and future to the one we can safely trust to guide and care for us.
If powerlessness is the main issue, Jesus promised us that all authority belongs to him and Satan and his servants cannot ultimately harm us.
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Luke 10:19 (NASB95)
If we surrender to the Good Shepherd who has all authority and power, we are safe in his hands, and no one can snatch us away.
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. John 10:27–29 (NASB95)
One of my favorite titles for the Lord is “Keeper.” He is our protector who never sleeps or fails to maintain careful watch over our lives.
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:2–4 (NASB95)
Confusion and powerlessness often create a sense of hopelessness that can be very dangerous. Hopeless people sometimes do crazy things because their lives can seem pointless, and their anger may escalate to violence. Jesus came to give hope to the hopeless.
The biblical meaning of hope is confident expectation. The Holy Spirit imparts faith to those whose hearts are open and helps us understand and receive God’s promises found in the Bible. No matter how difficult our current situation may be, God has given us the promise of better things ahead.
When Jesus began his public ministry, things were very dark in the world. The Jewish people were in a difficult situation and the rest of the world had no hope at all. Jesus began to shine as the light of the world.
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” John 8:12 (NASB95)
Paul said that we Gentiles were without hope before we believe the gospel.
In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:12–13 (NLT)
Those who put their faith in Christ have a reason to live and a reason to expect a glorious future. This gives us hope to live in the present with a sense of purpose and joy. We should encourage our listener to release their sense of confusion, powerlessness, and hopelessness to the Lord and receive him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
I hope these examples of various ways to present the gospel depending on the greatest felt need of our hearer will inspire you to think of how you can present Jesus to those who desperately need a saving encounter with his love and mercy.
