How do I share my faith with others?
Sharing faith is less about a perfect script and more about a prepared life and a ready answer. Scripture calls us to be ready to give a reason for the hope within us, to walk in wisdom toward outsiders, to let our speech be gracious, to tell what the Lord has done for us, and to trust God with the results, who alone opens hearts and doors for the gospel.
This question arose from studying What should I do now that I'm saved? and What is the gospel?.
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What the Scripture says
Be ready to give an answer
Peter lays the groundwork: sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, 'and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear.' Paul adds the tone: 'Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.' You do not need a script for every debate; you need a ready heart and graced words.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Back the words with a life
The message is carried by the messenger. Peter says to give the answer 'with humility,' keeping a good conscience, 'that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.' Paul says to walk in wisdom toward outsiders, redeeming the time. A life changed by the gospel makes the gospel believable; the fruit of the Spirit is the background music of the witness.
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:
having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.
Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
Tell what the Lord has done for you
Jesus sent the healed man home with a simple assignment: 'Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.' And the Samaritan woman needed no theology degree: she told her town, and John records that 'many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman.' Your story of encounter with Jesus is a legitimate and powerful part of your witness.
He didn’t allow him, but said to him, “Go to your house, to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how he had mercy on you.”
From that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman, who testified, “He told me everything that I did.”
for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”
You are carrying God's own message
The gospel is not your opinion; it is a message entrusted to you. Paul writes that God reconciled us to Himself through Christ 'and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation,' and 'we are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.' He also asks how people will believe without hearing, and how they will hear without a preacher, and calls the feet of those who bring the good news beautiful. When you share, God speaks through you.
But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation.
We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher?
And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
Trust God with the results
The outcome never rests on your eloquence. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit's power and the role of witness to the ends of the earth, and the apostles, forbidden to speak, said they could not help telling what they had seen and heard. Paul urged prayer for open doors: 'praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word.' You plant and water, and God gives the growth. Share faithfully, pray boldly, and leave the harvest to Him.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
for we can’t help telling the things which we saw and heard.”
Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving;
praying together for us also, that God may open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds;
I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.
As you read, you may wonder…
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Verses to meditate on
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
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