10 Useful Witnesses Verses
(*Note: question received via text - thought I'd post more details here.)
For sharing the good news you should find some various sections to either explain or work with someone where they are. They may be dealing with the vanity of the world and you could use most of Ecclesiastes, or they may simply have the question, What is the good news? and you could use Romans 1:1-4 or 1 Cor 15:1-6. Wherever the person is, and with whatever materials you can remember, the Holy Spirit will lead with some appropriate passages and concepts to work from.
However, it's helpful to have some specific verses memorized for when it comes time to lead someone through the threshold of salvation. Those would be the first ones I'd memorize so that way you could at least help someone who asks the question, What must I do to be saved? Here are 10 of those that I'd begin with. They cover a variety of actions that help with believing for salvation:
1. Romans 10:9 Confess
Also, use verses 8 and 10 to show how it works and explain it. You can begin with if they believe already that God raised Him from the dead.
2. Romans 10:13 Call upon Him
Use vv. 14-15 to work through it. See where they are in the process. Have they heard the word? Have they believed the word? Now it's time to call upon Him.
3. John 3:16 Believe (by looking to Him)
Use vv. 14-18 to work through it. The unbeliever may even have this one memorized, but they will likely not know the context of it. Notice the sin of unbelief, the poison of the snake = judgment already upon us. Jesus on the cross taking our judgment is the snake on the pole. The action of belief = look away to Him on the cross as those in the wilderness did with the bronze serpent. Remember that the story is in Numbers 21. If the question is asked how Jesus is a bronze serpent, remember that He took on himself all of our sins. He "became sin" as it were (2 Cor. 5:21) as it all piled upon Him. The bronze serpent was in the likeness of a serpent but was not a real serpent. Jesus never sinned.
4. Acts 16:31 Believe
Use v. 30 for the question asked, What must I do to be saved?
5. John 1:12 Receive Him
Use v. 11 and possibly earlier ones to show the light coming and some hide or do not receive.
6. 1st John 1:9 Confess sins
Written for Christians, works for unbelievers and unassured believers. Use vv. 7-10 or more to work through it. Add in their name to the verse if it seems right or needed after praying.
7. Matthew 11:28 Come to Him for rest
Use vv. 29-30 to work through it.
8. John 6:47 Belief = you have eternal life
Especially useful for assurance of salvation, having received eternal life. Once there you can go to nearby verses such as John 5:24 or John 3:36.
9. Acts 2:38 Repent and be baptized
Use v. 37 for the question asked. A needed verse for those who have either grown up around the gospel or are full of a sinful life and know they need a complete life change with the Lord.
10. Revelation 22:17 Come!
He that wills (or wishes to) may come. He that is thirsty.
For more on evangelism, see the Evangelism Basics series here.
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