1. "How do I witness to someone I know, like a family member?"

For most of us, it is far easier to witness to a stranger than to someone we know and respect. An effective way to soften the message without compromise is to speak in the "first person" or in testimonial form. Say something like, "I didn’t realize that the Bible warns that for every idle word I have spoken, I will have to give an account on Judgment Day. I thought that as long as I believed in God and tried to live a good life, I would go to heaven when I died. I was so wrong. Jesus said that if I as much as looked with lust, I had committed adultery in my heart, and that there was nothing I could do to wash away my sins. I knew that if God judged me by the Ten Commandments on Judgment Day, I would end up guilty, and go to hell."

"It was when I acknowledged my sins that I began to understand why Jesus died. It was to take the punishment for my sins, and the sins of the world." Then, depending on the person’s openness, you may ask, "How do you think you will do on Judgment Day, if God judges you by the Ten Commandments?"

2. "How should I witness to my coworkers?"When we interact with people on a daily basis, we have many opportunities for sharing our faith. 1. Be sure you are respectful to your employer 2. Set a good example in your work ethic by working "as to the Lord" (Col 3:23)3. Displaying a favorite Scripture or a devotional calendar 4. Reading your Bible during lunchtime, may prompt others to inquire about your faith. 5. Bringing home-baked goods or leaving a small gift with a note on a coworker’s desk can sometimes have a greater impact than a thousand eloquent sermons. We can show our faith by our works. Others may not like a tree of righteousness, but they cannot help but like its fruit. 6. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel, being careful not to infringe on your boss’s time.

3. "What should I say to someone who has lost a loved one (accident, cancer, tragedy).

a. Be very careful not to give the impression that God was punishing the person for his sins. Instead, speak about the fact that all around us we can see the evidence of a "fallen creation." Explain how in the beginning there was no disease, pain, suffering, or death. But when sin entered the world, it brought suffering with it. Don’t try to explain the unexplainable

b. Connect with them on similar struggles and how God used it for good.

2 Cor 1:3-4 - Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

c. Then gently turn the conversation away from the person who died to the person who is still living. Ask if he has been thinking about God, and if he has kept the Ten Commandments.

Then take the opportunity to go through the spiritual nature of God’s Law. Someone who has lost a loved one often begins to ask soul-searching questions about God, death, and eternity. Many people are so hardhearted that it takes a tragedy to make them receptive to God.

4. "How should I witness to someone who belongs to a denomination, who I suspect isn’t trusting the Savior?"

The most effective way to speak about the issues of eternity to a religious person is not to get sidetracked from the essentials of salvation. Upon hearing a person’s background, we may feel an obligation to speak to issues such as infant baptism, transubstantiation, etc. However, it is wise rather to build on the points of agreement between the Bible and the person’s denomination, such as the virgin birth, the cross, and so on.

In Acts 17:22–31 the apostle Paul built on areas of "common ground" as he prepared his listeners for the good news of the gospel. Even though he was addressing Gentiles whose beliefs were erroneous,

he didn’t rebuke them for having a doctrine of devils— "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God" (1 Corinthians 10:20).

Neither did he present the great truth that Jesus of Nazareth was Almighty God manifest in human form. This may have initially offended his hearers and closed the door to the particular knowledge he wanted to convey.

Instead, he built on what they already knew.

1. He first established that there is a Creator who made all things. (

2. He then exposed their sin of transgression of the First and Second of the Ten Commandments.

3. Then he preached future punishment for sin.

One point of agreement will almost certainly be the Ten Commandments. They are the key to bringing any religious person to a saving knowledge of the gospel.

After someone is converted to Jesus Christ, the Bible will come alive and he will be led into all truth by the indwelling Holy Spirit. God’s Word will then give him light, and he will forsake religious tradition as he is led by God. While there are strong biblical arguments that may convince unregenerate people that their church’s traditions contradict Holy Scripture, there is a difficulty. Some religious people hold the teachings of their church to be on a par with, or of greater authority than, Holy Scripture. It is therefore often futile to try to convince them intellectually that their trust should be in the person of Jesus Christ, rather than in their own righteousness or in their church traditions. For this reason we should aim at the conscience, rather than the intellect. Take them through the Law of God (the Commandments) to show that they are condemned despite their works, and strongly emphasize that we are saved by grace, and grace alone, rather than by trusting in our own righteousness or religious traditions.

A. AtheistLesson 1“At the end of the show . . . we talk to folks, . . . sign the occasional autograph, shake hands, and so on. And there was one guy waiting over to the side . . . . He walked over to me and he said, ‘I was here last night at the show . . . and I liked it.’”

He was there the night before and came back. How many times have we passed up an opportunity to share the gospel with someone? Remember this, we can usually go back.

Lesson 2“He was very complimentary about my use of language and complimentary about—you know—honesty and stuff. He said nice stuff.”

The Christian complimented the atheist’s gifts instead of attacking his weaknesses.

Lesson 3“And then he said, ‘I brought this for you.’ And he handed me a Gideon pocket edition. I thought it said from the New Testament, but I also thought it . . . Psalms is from the New Testament, right?”

I can see you chuckling now, but don’t mock. Anyone could easily misspeak. Even if your listener doesn’t know that Psalms isn’t in the New Testament, he deserves patience and respect.

Lesson 4“He said, ‘I wrote in the front of it. And I wanted you to have this. I’m kind of proselytizing.’”

This Christian man wasn’t intimidated. He opened his mouth and shared his faith, knowing how Penn felt about Christians and the Bible. Oh, how we need such boldness!

Lesson 5“And then he said, ‘I’m a businessman. I’m sane. I’m not crazy.’ And he looked me right in the eye and did all of this.”

It’s so important that we take the time to look people in the eye, be sincere, and speak the truth in love. If you’re like me, you’re thinking, “He handed him a Bible? Penn’s going to tear this guy apart.”

Read how Penn responded:

“And it was really wonderful.”

Wow! I’m so embarrassed. I wouldn’t have spoken with this foul-mouthed atheist, much less given him a Bible. Penn was encouraged by this man’s boldness.

Lesson 6, 7, 8“But he was not defensive, and he looked me right in the eyes. And he was truly complimentary. He wasn’t in any way—it didn’t seem like empty flattery. He was really kind and nice and sane and looked me in the eyes, and talked to me and then gave me this Bible.”

He wasn’t defensive or attacking.

Did you notice the phrase “he looked me in the eyes” repeated three times? This is so important.

He talked “to” him, not “at” him. Yes, there is a major difference.

Lesson 9“This guy was a really good guy. He was polite and honest and sane, and he cared enough about me to proselytize and give me a Bible, [and he] had written in it a little note to me.”

Check your motivations! This man cared, and it came through clearly. If the Christian’s motivation had been to show the atheist how wrong he was or to just win an argument, those motives would have been just as clear.

Lesson 10“I know there’s no God. And one polite person living his life right doesn’t change that.”

How about two, three, maybe four people living right? What if every Christian exuded this type of concern? Even though Penn didn’t “convert,” that’s not our concern. Our job is not to convict or convert. That is the Holy Spirit’s job. Our job is to converse (Mark 16:15). Christians must become more visible in the culture. We’ve been hiding our light under a basket far too long.

“If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell . . . how much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and

not tell them that?”Please read and reread Penn’s last quote carefully.

“If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell and people could be going to hell—or not getting eternal life or whatever—and you think that, well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward. . . . How much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?”

As part of my talks all across America, I now show footage from this interview with Penn. This message needs to be preached in pulpits everywhere. If we say we love Jesus with our mouths, our actions should also reflect that love. To quote a friend, “Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should hear the gospel” (Romans 10:14–15).

Be bold!

"Strategies for Dialoguing with Atheists"by Ron Rhodes

No one is born an atheist. People choose to become atheists as much as they choose to become Christians. And no matter how strenuously some may try to deny it, atheism is a belief system. It requires faith that God does not exist.

When dialoguing with atheists, it is helpful to point out the logical problems

inherent in their belief system. If you succeed in showing an atheist the natural outcome of some of his (or her) main claims and arguments, you are in a much better position to share the gospel with him. Let us consider two prime examples here.

(1) "There is no God." Some atheists categorically state that there is no God, and all atheists, by definition, believe it. And yet, this assertion is logically indefensible. A person would have to be omniscient and omnipresent to be able to say from his own pool of knowledge that there is no God. Only someone who is capable of being in all places at the same time - with a perfect knowledge of all that is in the universe - can make such a statement based on the facts. To put it another way, a person would have to be God in order to say there is no God.

This point can be forcefully emphasized by asking the atheist if he has ever visited the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Mention that the library presently contains over 70 million items (books, magazines, journals, etc.). Also point out that hundreds of thousands of these were written by scholars and specialists in the various academic fields. Then ask the following question: "What percentage of the collective knowledge recorded in the volumes in this library would you say are within your own pool of knowledge and experience?" The atheist will likely respond, "I don't know. I guess a fraction of one percent." You can then ask: "Do you think it is logically possible that God may exist in the 99.9 percent that is outside your pool of knowledge and experience?" Even if the atheist refuses to admit the possibility, you have made your point and he knows it.

(2) "I don't believe in God because there is so much evil in the world." Many atheists consider the problem of evil an airtight proof that God does not exist. They often say something like: "I know there is no God because if He existed, He never would have let Hitler murder six million Jews."

A good approach to an argument like this is to say something to this effect: "Since you brought up this issue, the burden lies on you to prove that evil actually exists in the world. So let me ask you: by what criteria do you judge some things to be evil and other things not to be evil? By what process do you distinguish evil from good?"

The atheist may hedge and say: "I just know that some things are evil. It's obvious."

Don't accept such an evasive answer. Insist that he tell you how he knows that some things are evil. He must be forced to face the illogical foundation of his belief system.

After he struggles with this a few moments, point out to him that it is impossible to distinguish evil from good unless one has an infinite reference point which is

absolutely good.

Otherwise one is like a boat at sea on a cloudy night without a compass (i.e., there would be no way to distinguish north from south without the absolute reference point of the compass needle).

The infinite reference point for distinguishing good from evil can only be found in the person of God, for God alone can exhaust the definition of "absolutely good." If God does not exist, then there are no moral absolutes by which one has the right to judge something (or someone) as being evil. More specifically, if God does not exist, there is no ultimate basis to judge the crimes of Hitler. Seen in this light, the reality of evil actually requires the existence of God, rather than disproving it.

At this point, the atheist may raise the objection that if God does in fact exist, then why hasn't He dealt with the problem of evil in the world.

You can disarm this objection by pointing out that God is dealing with the problem of evil, but in a progressive way. The false assumption on the part of the atheist is that God's only choice is to deal with evil all at once in a single act. God, however, is dealing with the problem of evil throughout all human history. One day in the future, Christ will return, strip power away from the wicked, and hold all men and women accountable for the things they did during their time on earth. Justice will ultimately prevail. Those who enter eternity without having trusted in Christ for salvation will understand just how effectively God has dealt with the problem of evil.

If the atheist responds that it shouldn't take all of human history for an omnipotent God to solve the problem of evil, you might respond by saying:

"Ok. Let's do it your way. Hypothetically speaking, let's say that at this very moment, God declared that all evil in the world will now simply cease to exist. Every human being on the planet - present company included - would simply vanish into oblivion. Would this solution be preferable to you?"

The atheist may argue that a better solution must surely be available. He may even suggest that God could have created man in such a way that man would never sin, thus avoiding evil altogether.

This idea can be countered by pointing out that such a scenario would mean that man is no longer man. He would no longer have the capacity to make choices. This scenario would require that God create robots who act only in programmed ways.

If the atheist persists and says there must be a better solution to the problem of evil, suggest a simple test. Give him about five minutes to formulate a solution to

the problem of evil that (1) does not destroy human freedom, or (2) cause God to violate His nature (e.g., His attributes of absolute holiness, justice, and mercy) in some way. After five minutes, ask him what he came up with. Don't expect much of an answer.

Your goal, of course, is not simply to tear down the atheist's belief system. After demonstrating some of the logical impossibilities of his claims, share with him some of the logical evidence for redemption in Jesus Christ, and the infinite benefits that it brings. Perhaps through your witness and prayers his faith in atheism will be overturned by a newfound faith in Christ.

How to Witness to an Atheist

The objective is to use the law to convict the conscience, as with any lost person. Nevertheless, most atheists are arrogant, with intellectual barriers that will keep them from hearing you out. Atheists tend to think that Christians are ignorant followers of superstition, unenlightened by the “facts” of evolution. By the way, there are no practical differences among atheists, agnostics, and deists. The atheist believes that there is no God. The agnostic doesn’t know for sure, but doesn’t care to overcome his ignorance. The deist believes that there was a creator God who set the universe into motion and then took a permanent vacation. In all 3 cases, these individuals make themselves #1 in the universe, accountable to no personal God.

Your real problem is whether YOU exist, not whether God exists. If there is no God, then everything is just physics and matter, molecules and forces. Then your brain is essentially no different from a rock on the ground, except for the particular arrangement of those atoms. And the next thing that you say is just brain chemistry. There is no YOU that speaks, just brain chemistry producing sound out of your mouth. Is that right or not?

Whatever he says . . .

Now, was that YOU that chose to say that or just brain chemistry? Molecules can’t decide between good ideas and bad ideas, between logic and illogic, between right and wrong. Everything about YOU tells

YOU that YOU exist! There is more to YOU than molecules. And once YOU admit that YOU exist, it’s easy to figure out that God exists.

See that building over there? Do you know who the architect was that designed and built it? . . . Neither do I, but there is NO doubt in your mind or mine that someone with intelligence and skill built that building. Time, physics, and chance don’t put structures like that together. Time, physics, and chance tear down structures – a consequence of the 2nd law of thermodynamics. And that building is really fairly simple. Look – mostly rectangles, perhaps some triangles, bricks, stone, glass – if an architect wants to win an award he may throw in a curve or two. YOU, on the other hand, are walking nanotechnology. Every cell in your body is far more complex than a supercomputer. And time, physics, and chance don’t make supercomputers. Nor the nanotechnology of life, which is way beyond man’s capabilities.

The designer of life is almighty God – the Lord Jesus Christ – who walked among us 2000 years ago. When an engineer builds something he doesn’t throw it away. He has a purpose for it. And God has a purpose for you – first that you find Him.

That mind of yours – your soul – is going to live forever somewhere. You have a God-given conscience – you know the difference between right and wrong. Is murder wrong? . . . Is rape wrong? . . . Is molesting children wrong? When terrorists behead a captive, your heart cries out for justice. But are you ready for justice?

Did you ever murder anyone? . . .

And off you go into the law and the Gospel.

By this point, most atheists will be doubting their faith. You’ll have given them plenty to think about. Trust God to convict them of their need for the Saviour.

Relevant Scripture for atheists, but more for your benefit than for theirs:

Psalm 14:1-3 and Rom 3:10-25 (note the progression in Rom 3 – accusation of functional atheism, then the law, and then the Gospel.)

John 12:44-50 (how to find God)

John 20:30-31 and John 1:1-14 (how to find God)

Matt 7:7-8, 13-14, 21-23, Mark 1:15, 1 Peter 3:18, Rom 10:9-13 (how to

find God TODAY)

Psalm 10, John 3:19-21, Prov 14:6, Prov 28:26 (after the atheist gets past his intellectual barriers, this is the only reason he won’t get saved)Good websites:

www.AnswersInGenesis.org

www.icr.org

www.creation.com

“There is no absolute truth. You can’t be sure of anything!”

Those who say that there are no absolutes are often very adamant about their belief. If they say that they are absolutely sure, then they are wrong because their own statement is an absolute. If they are not 100 percent sure, then there is a chance that they are wrong and they are risking their eternal salvation by trusting in a wrong belief. God tells us that there is an objective, absolute truth that is not subject to man’s interpretations or whims, on which we can base our eternity. That truth is the Word of God (John 17:7).

B. How to Witness to Muslims

There are three main areas of common ground upon which Christians may stand with Muslims.

1. There is one God—the Creator of all things.

2. Jesus of Nazareth was a prophet of God.

The Bible makes this clear: "And He shall send Jesus Christ,…For Moses truly said to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brethren, like to me; him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you" (Acts 3:20–22). The Qur’an (Koran) says: "Behold! The angel said ‘O Mary! Allah giveth you Glad Tidings of a word from Him. His name will be (Christ Jesus) the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and the hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah’" (Surah 3:45). In Surah 19:19, the angel said to Mary, "I am only a messenger of thy Lord to announce to you a gift of a holy son." Surah 3:55 says, "Allah said: ‘O Jesus! I will take you and raise you to Myself." It is because of these and other references to Jesus in the Qur’an that a Muslim will not object when you establish that Jesus was a prophet from God.

3. Muslims also respect Moses as a prophet of God.

Therefore, there should be little contention when Christians speak of God (as Creator), Jesus the prophet, and the Law of the prophet Moses. Most Muslims do have some knowledge of their sinfulness, but few see sin in its true light. It is therefore essential to take them through the spiritual nature of the Ten Commandments. While it is true that the Law of Moses begins with, "I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before Me," it may be unwise to tell a Muslim, at that point, that Allah is a false god. Such talk may close the door before you are able to speak to his conscience.

It is wise rather to present the Law in a similar order in which Jesus gave it in Luke 18:20. He addressed the man’s sins of the flesh. He spoke directly to sins that have to do with his fellow man.

Law - Therefore, ask your hearer if he has ever told a lie. When (if) he admits that he has, ask him what that makes him. Don’t call him a liar. Instead, gently press him to tell you what someone is called who has lied. Try to get him to say that he is a "liar." Then ask him if he has ever stolen something, even if it’s small. If he has, ask what that makes him (a thief).

Then quote from the Prophet Jesus: "Whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:27). Ask if he has ever looked at a woman with lust. If he is reasonable, he will admit that he has sinned in that area. Then gently tell him that, by his own admission, he is a "lying, thieving adulterer-at-heart."

"If God judges you by the Law of Moses on Judgment Day, will you be innocent or guilty?"

At this point, he will more than likely say that he will be innocent, because he confesses his sins to God.

However, the Qur’an says: "Every soul that has sinned, if it possessed all that is on earth, would fain give it in ransom" (Surah 10:54).

In other words, if he possessed the whole world and offered it to God as a sacrifice for his sins, it wouldn’t be enough to provide atonement for his sins.

Imagine that a criminal is facing a 50,000 fine. He is penniless, so he sincerely tells the judge that he is sorry for a crime and vows never to do it again. The judge won’t let him go on the basis of his sorrow, or his vow never to commit the crime again. Of course, he should be sorry for what he has done, and of course, he shouldn’t break the law again. The judge will, however, let him go if someone else pays the fine for him.

Now tell him that Moses gave instructions to Israel to shed the blood of a spotless lamb to provide a temporary atonement for their sin; and that Jesus was the Lamb that God provided to make atonement for the sins of the world.

Through faith in Jesus, he can have atonement with God. All his sin can be washed away—once and for all. God can grant him the gift of everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ on the basis of His death and resurrection.

The uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth was that He claimed He had power on earth to forgive sins (Matthew 9:2–6). No other prophet of any of the great religions made this claim. Only Jesus can provide peace with God. This is why He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

God commands sinners to repent and trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, or they will perish. To try to justify himself, your listener may say something like, "The Bible has changed. It has been altered. There are many different versions, but the Koran has never changed." Explain to him that there are many different versions, printed in different languages and in modern English, to help people understand the Bible, but the content of the Scriptures remains the same. The Dead Sea Scrolls prove that God has preserved the Scriptures.

Tell him that the 100% accurate prophecies of Matthew 24, Luke 21, and 2 Timothy 3 prove that this is the Book of the Creator. Your task is to present the truth of the gospel. It is God who makes it come alive (1 Corinthians 3:6,7). It is God who brings conviction of sin (John 16:7,8). It is God who reveals who Jesus is (Matthew 16:16,17). All God requires is your faithful presentation of the truth (Matthew 25:21).

Mistakes Christians Make When Trying to Reach a Muslim

For many years American Missiologists have known that culture plays an important part in Christian Witness. It is often taught that there are three different methods of evangelism based upon culture. They can be identified as follows:

E-1 Evangelism with people of the same culture, language and background for example: an American witnessing to another American.

E-2 Evangelism with people of a similar culture, for example: an American witnessing to a Frenchman.

E-3 Evangelism with people from a completely different culture, language and background for example: an American witnessing to an animist from the jungles of Africa.

Different methods are required in the three different categories. It is no wonder that many Americans make some mistakes when trying to witness to Muslims since generally this form of witness fits within the third group. Islam is not only a religion but it is also a culture and a way of life. Americans who have learned western methods will often

make mistakes in their witness to those of the Islamic faith. Here are three mistakes commonly made when attempting to be a witness to a Muslim.

1. Not understanding the seriousness of religion in an Islamic context

For most in the western world a decision to follow Jesus Christ is very serious indeed, but if the person says yes it will have an only a limited effect on the persons immediate circumstances. Not so with a Muslim. The Koran teaches very strongly that any Muslim who converts to another religion, whether it is Christianity or some other belief system is guilty of apostasy and must be put to death. This is carried out in all Islamic Republics but since those living in the west cannot kill a person for switching religions the friends and family will use other very harsh means to keep the person a Muslim. This will include kidnapping and imprisonment, beatings, and total exclusion from the family.

Even approaching a person with the gospel puts the person into a very difficult position. They fear what others will say if they speak with a Christian and they also fear for their soul since they have been taught from birth that to become a Christian will send them to the sixth level of hell. (The seventh being the worst)

The Christian who witnesses must realize how serious a matter this is for the Muslim and their family. In witnessing to a Muslim you must be aware that the person you are working with, if they accept Christ, will probably be persecuted and could even be killed. Many Americans simply do not realize how serious a change in religion can be in a Muslim context.

2. Not being willing to take on the responsibility of discipling a convert from Islam

For a Muslim his family and community provides each member with their health insurance, their job, their food, their fellowship, their mate, and practically everything else of importance in life. When we win a Muslim to Christianity then we need to be prepared to make the necessary sacrifice in the disciplining process. They need much more of our time and love because we have torn them from their support system and we must find a way to make this up. Many Americans are not willing to make the necessary sacrifices that are called for.

In 1990, there was a very important conference for the top people working in Muslim Evangelism in the world. One of the discussions was about the number of Muslims who converted to Christianity that stayed true to Jesus Christ. The consensus was that 80% of those who

converted reconverted to Islam, the reason being that we did not take the necessary time to help disciple them so as to give them a good foundation in the faith.

3. Not knowing anything about Islam

A typical Muslim will know more about Christianity than a Christian will know about Islam. Just as Christians are taught how to witness to others, many Muslims are being taught how to refute the Christians arguments thus making our witness ineffective. Once there was a well-publicized open debate between the American evangelist Jimmy Swaggart and a famous Muslim scholar Dr. Ahmed Deedat. Swaggart apparently did not see the need to learn about Islam and just came with numerous quotes from the Bible. Deedat then replied by listing a large number of very important liberal Christian scholars that stated that the Bible could not be trusted and that most of it was not historical. Swaggart lost the debate and the Muslims still sell the videotape of the debate in their bookstores to show Muslims how to be ready for Christians who want to witness to them.

The more one builds up their knowledge of Islam the better the Christian can build good ideological bridges so as to find a good way to approach the Muslim. One very successful method is called the "Camel Method". In Islam the Muslims a that there are 99 names of God known to man but in heaven there are 100, but the only creature on earth that knows the last name of God is the camel thus the upturned lips of the camel that resembles a smile. This method of witness helps with the building of a bridge by saying to a Muslim. "We know the 100th Name of God, it is Jesus Christ". It builds upon what they know but takes them further on their road to belief in Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Christians should not be afraid of witnessing to Muslims but rather should aggressively search out Muslims to talk with. The most important part of witness to Muslims is being led by the Holy Spirit. He will show you how best to approach the Muslim. I might add that the most effective means of helping a Muslim find Jesus Christ is still love. One Islamic leader stated at a large conference of Muslim clerics recently "Do not allow your people to have close contact with Christians because if you do the Christians will love your people into their faith." This is still true today

C. Witness to the Jewish People

Most Jewish people view Christianity as a Gentile religion that has no

relevance to them.

There is one underlying, unspoken objection that almost all Jewish people have to placing their faith in Jesus: it is not a Jewish thing to do. They believe that they will cease to be Jewish if they believe in Jesus — that becoming a Christian means turning one’s back on one’s people, history, and heritage. In addition, many Jewish people fear the social consequences that they would experience should they come to faith in, or even consider, Christ.

When a Jewish person places his trust in Jesus for salvation and is baptized, the Jewish community considers that he has turned his back on his people and has become a Gentile. It is therefore important to communicate that our desire is not that our Jewish friend would become a Gentile, but that, as a Jew, he or she would find atonement for sin and discover a personal relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Humility, prayer, and genuine compassion must characterize Christian witness. Far too often Jewish impressions of Christianity have been characterized by arrogance, superiority, and a disregard for Jewish culture. Paul warns against this kind of Gentile pride in Romans 11:13-32.

Some people think that we don't need to evangelize Jews because they will still be saved by the old covenant. Is that true?

No. The notion that we don't need to evangelize Jews because there remain two distinct covenants—a Jewish covenant and a Christian covenant—is simply unbiblical. The New Testament pictures the old covenant as coming to its climax and consummation in Jesus Christ.

The new covenant, described in Jeremiah 31 and in Ezekiel 11 and 36, is fulfilled when Jesus says, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me" (1 Corinthians 11:25). He is saying that his shed blood is the fulfillment of that promise. He is saying, "If they don't have me they don't have life. If they don't have me they don't have forgiveness."

"Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him" (John 3:36).

In order to maintain that Jews don't have to believe in Jesus in order to be saved you have to simply reject significant parts of the New Testament. The Gospel of John and the Epistles of John are crystal clear that if you don't have the Son—if you don't embrace Jesus Christ—then you don't have life

1. Build the relationship by using a Jewish Frame of Reference. Send Jewish holiday greeting cards. Doing this not only clears the

ground by letting them know you recognize they are Jewish, but it is also a good way to continue to cultivate a friendship.

Move to Spiritual Topics. Often a holiday season is an excellent time to initiate a witnessing conversation. You might ask your Jewish friend to tell you something about what their Passover was like, or about Hanukkah.Then you might try to initiate a conversation that can lead to the gospel in a way that is natural for you. Depending on the chemistry of the relationship, some will get right to the issue of Jesus by asking a question or offering a challenge. Others might want to express concern for a problem and help their friend see how faith in Jesus addresses that problem.

Initiating a conversation does not always mean making persuasive statements. You might simply offer remarks and questions designed to be an invitation to further conversation. If the person declines additional interaction, accept that and don’t proceed. On the other hand, you may encounter curiosity and a desire to hear more.

a. Use a Jewish frame of reference. If you receive a positive response, you can continue to talk about the gospel in a Jewish frame of reference. For example, you can tell a Jewish friend how, when Jesus observed the Last Supper, it was really a Passover seder (Luke 22:7-20).

Or when you speak about sin, you may find a more positive reception during the time of the High Holy Days. Although a Jewish person may try to brush off the idea of sin at other times of the year, most Jewish people are willing to give it a bit more thought at Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when Jewish people ask God for forgiveness of any sins committed during the previous year.

b. Use a Jewish Text.

If they are uncomfortable with your translation of the Scriptures then let them choose the version of the Old Testament (or, as they say, the Tanach) that they are willing to use. Then take it home, look up Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, and other prophesies, and see what they say.

My guess is that they will read something very close to, "He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid upon him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Then you can return and say, "You know, it looks like throughout your Bible there was a Promised One coming who would bear the sins of the people. I want to commend to you that Jesus Christ did that. Are you waiting for another?"

You could also read parts of their scriptures that talk about the need for forgiveness and the fact that a Messiah is coming who will bear the sins of his people, and see if they would be open to that interpretation. Then talk about the gospel in relationship to those prophesies.

Stress over and over again that when we meet God he is going to be absolutely righteous and absolutely just, and our good deeds will never suffice to save us from judgment: "If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with you, that you may be feared" (Psalm 130:3-4).

Then ask them, "What is that forgiveness based on? Why would there have been a whole series of animal sacrifices if no sacrifice were necessary for the forgiveness of sins. And if sacrifice is necessary for the forgiveness of sins, whose sacrifice can cover all of my sins?"

Answer: "Christ bore our sins in his body on the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24).

So just tell the story over and over again, as often as they'll listen.Don't be afraid to answer questions with a verse from the Bible. Encourage your Jewish friend to read the New Testament. Most Jewish people have never read the New Testament and most Jews who have come to faith in Christ came as a result of reading the New Testament. After all, it is a very Jewish book!

2. Avoid certain terms and utilize others . a. For example, instead of "Christ," which is based on the Greek word for "the Anointed One," use "Messiah," which is based on the Hebrew. Instead of the "Old Testament," refer to the "Hebrew Scriptures."

Use verses from their Bible in discussing topics like: sin (see Ps. 14:2-3; 51:5; Eccl. 7:20; and Isa. 59:1-2), atonement (see Lev. 17:11 and Isa. 53:5-6), Messiah (see Isa. 53; Dan. 9:16; and Mic. 5:1 [v. 2 in our Bible]), and faith (see Gen. 15:6; Num. 21:7-9; and Joel 2:32 [3:5 in our Bible]).

b. “The Jews” or “you Jews” sounds anti-Semitic on the lips of a non-Jew; it is better to say “the Jewish people” or “a Jewish man.” “Jewish” is an adjective that should be used to describe only people, land, religion, or language. If you refer to “Jewish money” or “Jewish control of the media,” you may well be harboring anti-Semitic attitudes.

c. “Convert” implies leaving behind one’s Jewishness. It is better to speak about “becoming a believer (or follower) of Jesus.” But it is appropriate to explain that biblical conversion was spoken of by the prophets as meaning “turning back to God” rather than “changing one’s religion” (see Isa. 44:22; Jer. 4:1; 24:7; Joel 2:12).

d. Some suggest replacing the name “Jesus” with the Hebrew equivalent of “Y’shua.” While it is good to refer to “Y’shua” — and explain that such is His Hebrew name — people will not realize that you are referring to the historical person, Jesus of Nazareth, unless you also use “Jesus”!

e. Jewish people enjoy telling Jewish jokes to one another, but a non-Jew should not do so. Similarly, in conversations with your Jewish friends, do not criticize leaders in the Jewish community. Though no person in this world is above reproach in all things, let any justified criticisms come from Jewish people rather than from you.Above all, remember that the gospel can be inherently offensive. If someone takes exception to your witness, it may well be because he or she is taking exception to God.

3. Be clear on foundational doctrines. The gospel is based on the understandingthat we are sinners in need of salvation by a savior. Though rooted in the Old Testament, these three concepts — sin, salvation, and savior — are foreign to most Jewish people and need to be properly conveyed.

a. Sin : Jewish people think of sin in terms of individual deeds, not as adeep-seated characteristic of humankind. The label “sinner” is thought to apply only to notoriously decadent and evil people. You need to point out that all people sin, using the various biblical analogies. Even the great King David confessed his sin (see Ps. 51).

b. Salvation : This is another foreign term to most Jewish people. They are more concerned about how to live right here and now than about being saved from hell in the afterlife. A helpful entree is to talk about “redemption” instead of “salvation.” This is a term familiar to many because of the Passover Seder. You can explain that as God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, so He wants to free us from the slavery to sin in our lives.

c. Savior: This is the third term not understood by Jewish people. It can be helpful to speak of a “redeemer” instead and certainly helpful to use the term “Messiah.”

In either case, it is good to begin with the Old Testament portion of the Bible, pointing to certain messianic prophecies and then to their fulfillment in the New Testament. Jesus often talked about how His life was the fulfillment of such prophecies (e.g., Matt. 5:17; 26:56; Luke 24:27,44; John 5:37-40). Isaiah 53 is one such prophecy. Contrary to what some Jewish people are taught, this passage was seen as a messianic prophecy by many rabbis and sages throughout Jewish history, and makes an excellent entree into the gospel.

4. Don’t succumb to the fallacy of showing only love.Of course, Christians should always show love to people. It is wrong, however, to imagine that you will “love someone into the Kingdom.” Jewish people are already morally upstanding by general community standards. Simply living a life of love will not convey the saving gospel. Rather, one must verbalize the gospel. This can be done in the following ways.

Sadly, many of today’s Jews profess godliness but don’t embrace the Scriptures as we presume they do. Therefore, it is often difficult to reason with them about Jesus being the Messiah. This is why it is imperative to ask a Jew if he has kept the Law of Moses—to "shut" him up under the Law (Galatians 3:23) and strip him of his self- righteousness. The Law will show him his need of a Savior and become a "schoolmaster" to bring him to Christ (Galatians 3:24), as happened to Paul, Nicodemus, and Nathaniel. It was the Law that brought 3,000 Jews to the foot of the cross on the Day of Pentecost. Without it they would not have known that they had sinned (Romans 7:7), and therefore would not have seen their need of the Savior.

RESPONDING TO OBJECTIONSUndoubtedly the time will come when a Jewish friend will put up objections to the gospel. Raising objections such as the following might be a reflex action or represent an “official line” rather than a personally held viewpoint.

1. “Christians believe in three gods but Jews believe in one God.”What is meant may be no more than, “Our religion teaches one God. So even though I do not believe in God, if I did, that is the kind of God I would believe in.” Jewish people think the Trinity somehow implies multiple gods. You can simply affirm that you believe that God is One and point out that Jesus Himself quoted the Sh’ma (the statement of God’s oneness in Deut.

6:4, quoted in Mark 12:29). You may also wish to point out that even the Old Testament teaches a plurality within the being of the one God, as when God says, “Let us make man in our image” (Gen. 1:26).

2. “There’s no proof that Jesus was the Messiah.” This is typically a stereotyped response; the person may never have investigated any of the reasons for faith. You might start by asking, “What kind of proof would convince you?”

3. “If Jesus is the Messiah, why isn’t there peace on earth?” One answer is that we first need to have peace with God before there can be peace on earth. Jesus’ first coming accomplished the former and, in proper order, His second coming will establish the latter.

4. “How can you expect me to believe in God after all the persecutionwe’ve been through, not to mention the Holocaust? And it was Christians who did it!” People can misuse any good thing. For example, tyrants misuse freedom and justice. Yet that doesn’t make freedom and justice any less important to seek after. Likewise, people like Hitler have misused the gospel to oppress the Jewish people. They were certainly not Christians.

5. “The New Testament is anti-Semitic.” Ask which parts and which passages. Often a person will not be able to point to anything specific. Sometimes a Jewish person will have in mind certain harsh-sounding passages in the Gospel of John and other places, such as John 8:44 or 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16. You can point out that this was the manner of speaking of the prophets of Israel. Isaiah 1 furnishes a good example. Isaiah was a Jew grieved by the sins of his people, and so was Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus is saddened at the sins of all people, not just Jewish people. Point out that you feel similarly about Gentiles who do not turn to God. All have sinned, and God’s response to sin is the same for all people.

6. “Jews don’t proselytize.” This objection usually means, “I don’t think people should push their beliefs on others.” You can point out that Isaiah said Israel was to be a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6; 49:6). Moreover, you can say that you don’t believe in forcing religion on anyone either, but you have always found that discussion and persuasion are part of any friendship. You might point out that the gospel is your greatest treasure and you naturally want to share it, especially with people you care deeply about.

7. “I’m happy with my own religion.” You can appropriately respond, “It’s OK if you don’t want to talk about spiritual things, but just remember that the goal of life is not to be happy but to know God. Ultimately, knowing the truth about God is what brings complete and lasting happiness and joy.”

8. “If Jesus was the Messiah, why don’t the rabbis believe in him?” The answer is, because they wouldn’t be allowed to be rabbis much longer! With the kind of community responsibility and weight that a rabbi has, not many rabbis will allow themselves the freedom to ask if Jesus

might be the Messiah.Be encouraged that many Jewish people have come to faith in Jesus through the loving witness of a Gentile Christian. Ask God for an opportunity to share your faith with a Jewish person. If you are willing to make yourself available, don’t be surprised when God answers that prayer!