Questioner
When the Gospel is shared with a person and then the person declares that they are a sinner in need of a Savior, know they can't do anything about it, believe what the Bible says about Jesus, and repent, what is next? What does the person who is sharing Jesus say next? If the person prays to receive Christ, what then? Also, at what point does a person get baptized?
Answer
If the person reveals a real repentant heart
concerning their sinful life, and truly understand who Jesus claimed to be; and
submitted their life to His Lordship, then one can assume that it was a true
profession of faith. However, we should not give them the assurance that they
are saved, for that will be done by the Holy Spirit, and revealed
in their changed life.
I would tell them that since they have made a profession of faith in Christ, that they now need to obey the very first command that God gives to new believers, and that is to be baptized by being immersed in water (Matt 28:19) as soon as practical. This will a real test of their submissive heart.
To be baptized they should go to a church, and ideally the person who just led them to Christ, can take them to a true fellowship where the new believer can get "plugged in" and not only be publicly baptized, but also become a member and be taught everything that Christ commands (Matt 28:20).
Questioner continued
If a person goes through all of this and then at some point in their life they realize that they are not truly saved (Holy Spirit conviction?), does he ask the Lord to save him and then get baptized again?
Answer
Yes, they must Repent, Believe, and Submit, and then be Baptized again....for the first baptism would have been meaningless.
Questioner continued
When you share the gospel with someone, do you have to state
scriptures?
Answer
Not exact quotes, but the sense and truth of the scriptures. For salvation is by faith which is a gift (Eph 2:8-9), and that "gift of faith" comes "...from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word of Christ." [Romans 10:17]
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "Tony Capoccia's Questions and
Answers" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 199
Middletown, DE USA, 19709
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Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986