Personal Soul Winning

By Evangelist John R. Rice, Th.D.

III. How to Win a Soul to Christ With a Few Verses in the Book of Romans

Dr. Jack Hyles has used this plan and taught it to hundreds of others so that thousands have been won to Christ through using the Scriptures here suggested. I believe that it may make Christ's substitutionary death for our sins clearer than using some other steps. I found this method particularly useful in India among heathen people who know almost nothing about the Christian religion. And here, in a few moments, you can use a few Scriptures that make clear the whole matter of man's sin, man's condemnation, Christ's substitutionary death, and being justified by faith.

First, Dr. Hyles says, "Make a map in your New Testament." Start with Romans 3:10 and on the margin by it in pencil, write 3:23, so that you have before you the next verse to turn to. By Romans 3:23, write 5:12 in the margin. Then by Romans 5:12, write 6:23. Then by Romans 6:23, write 5:8. Then in the margin by Romans 5:8, write 10:9-13.

In starting to talk to the lost person about salvation, you might say, "The book of Romans has much to say about sin and salvation, and just a few verses here will make the whole matter clear as to why you need to be saved and how to be saved."

Now you are ready to go through the Scriptures in order as you have them, stepping from one to another, following the map you have marked in your New Testament or Bible.

1. Have the one with whom you are dealing look at Romans 3:10.

It is better to have him read it aloud if he will. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one." It is fair to ask him then, "Is there anyone really righteous in God's sight?" Then you might say, "Then I must admit that I am not righteous, because 'there is none righteous, no, not one.'" Then you might explain, "Of course, men are relatively good men or bad men in the sight of other men and by human standards, but in the sight of God who sees the heart, we are all sinners alike; there is none righteous. Now may I ask you then, according to the Scripture, are you righteous in God's sight?"

The person will see that he cannot honestly claim to be righteous in view of that verse.

2. Now the next step in your Testament is Romans 3:23.

Have him read it with you or read it aloud: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." And then you can say, "Of course, I must admit that I, too, have sinned. So has everybody else sinned. Now, looking at this verse, don't you think that you, too, would have to say that you have sinned the same as everybody else has, and that you have come short of the glory of God?" An honest inquirer, of course, will have to say, "Yes, I have sinned, too."

3. The next step is Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Now is the time to make clear that sin came into the world when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, and since that time everybody else is sinful, "So death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." You can show the inquirer that that is why people die. And you can show him also that because of our sins, eternal death in the lake of fire is the proper judgment for all of us poor sinners. Sentence is already passed, the sentence of death on all men. I think there you might ask him, "Do you see then why all of us by nature are lost and need to be saved?" If he understands the Scripture, he will see that.

4. The next step is Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but. the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Now you can show that "the wages of sin is death"; that is, the normal result of our sins is eternal death. That is wages we have earned. That is strict justice. It is what we ought to get.

But you can show him that "the gift of God is eternal life." Everyone who goes to Heaven must get salvation as a free gift. We do not deserve it. You can show him that all who go to Hell are simply getting what they deserve; they are getting the wages of sin. All who go to Heaven have to go as a gift of God through Jesus Christ.

5. The next step is Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Here is a wonderful truth. As the sinner reads this Scripture, call his attention to the fact that because of His love for us, "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Somebody had to die for sin. Either I must die for my own sins or someone else who is worthy and sinless must die for me. So because of His great love, Jesus Christ died in my place and died in the sinner's place.

So you might say to the sinner, "Do you see that here is a debt you deserve to pay, but Jesus has paid it for you?" You may show him that on the cross the Father turned His face away and Jesus suffered all the agonies of a lost soul. God counted Jesus a sinner and let Him suffer like a criminal, so that He could forgive my sins and count me righteous for Jesus' sake. Thus you can show the sinner that Christ's love made it so his sins were all paid for and now he can accept that free salvation if he will. It is already bought and paid for.

6. The next step is Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

Now that Christ has died in the sinner's place and paid the sinner's debt, then all that is left is for the sinner to claim what Christ offers him. Jesus says, "I have redeemed you. I have paid the debt of sin. Will you take the forgiveness and salvation I have purchased for you by My suffering?" And the poor sinner can either say yes or no. He can accept it or reject it. If one believes in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, that means he believes that Jesus is the Son of God, the perfect, sinless sacrifice, and since He is raised from the dead, that proves He is able to save us. Now if one claims with his mouth this Saviour, believing that He is God's own Son, the atoning Saviour, he "shalt be saved."

Then show verse 10, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." It is in the heart where faith is, and the outward confession is simply an expression of what happened when the heart decided to trust in Jesus.

Then you may dwell for a moment on verse 11, "For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." One who trusts in Christ will never be left embarrassed and disappointed. When one trusts in Christ, He saves him.

Now verse 13 will be clear: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Why not then have this convert bow his head and tell the Lord, "Lord, I ask You now to forgive me. I now believe that You do forgive me. I trust You to be my Saviour. I want to live for You beginning today."

Then you may show from verse 13 that he who has honestly called on the Lord is saved, and he can know it because the Bible says so.

             


“I am an old-fashioned preacher of the old-time religion, that has
warmed this cold world's heart for two thousand years.”
—Billy SUNDAY

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