Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You are permitted to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and answered for himself: “I think myself happy, King Agrippa because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews, especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which have to do with the Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.” (Acts 26:1-3)

Paul had a special gift to preach the gospel to a jailor of Philippi and stand in the presence of kings and queens without contradiction. He could move from the darkened cells of a prison to the regal palaces where the elite of society walked in their arrogance and pride. Paul taught the gospel to a woman by the riverside and convicted a synagogue leader to serve Jesus Christ. The apostle followed the example of Jesus, who debated deep spiritual issues with the scholars of Jewish law and, in turn, spoke kindly to a woman caught in adultery. There is a need to talk to people where they are without the wrong attitudes and motivations.

Error is as old as the world, and godly men have discussed the merits of righteousness since the beginning of time. Teaching the gospel of Christ in a crooked and perverse world takes an understanding of how to talk to people, as Jesus left a pattern of love, compassion, and firmness with a mixture of hard teachings. The attitude of a person desiring to teach another can easily be identified. If the objective is to win an argument, that is all that will be accomplished. When a child of God desires to save a lost soul, the discussion turns to a different platform. Everyone should learn the art of defending the gospel. The word ‘defending’ is misunderstood as talking to someone about the gospel, like going to war or combat—quite the opposite. Giving a defense is giving an answer. Peter urged his readers to have a kind spirit of love to share the gospel of Christ, speaking the truth in love.

Teaching neighbors, friends, coworkers, and family does not take special skills. It takes a special heart. There is no science to telling people what is on your heart. A good attitude goes a long way to letting the person know how personal the concern is. One of the challenges of teaching the gospel is the immediate comparison of the attempt by one to teach righteousness and the expected view a person has of you. If your life is in shambles, they will be uninterested in what you offer. When the teachings of Jesus Christ mold your life, and you show them the joy of Christ, they will see your loving attitude and find interest in what you say. Jesus taught the importance of taking the plank out of your eye before trying to remove the speck in the life of another.

The Bible was delivered to the world through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. You did not write the words on the pages of God’s word. As a messenger of hope, you relay the joy of finding salvation in Jesus Christ. When a man disagrees with the Bible, they challenge God, not you. Never be ashamed to deliver the whole counsel of God as it is written as the word of God. The Bible remains unchanged through all the centuries. Let the Bible be the guide. Open the pages of holy writ and let the power of the gospel convict the heart. The attitude of the heart is to let God’s grace convince the heart to repent and seek the blood of Jesus. Have a loving attitude of respect for God’s word.

Remember, the objective of the mission is to save souls. It is not to win a debate or impress someone with the prowess of spiritual gymnastics. The Holy Spirit delivered the sixty-six books of the Bible to convict men of sin, righteousness, and self-control. Let the word convict one of sin and lawlessness. Reading the Bible is an excellent tool of evangelism, where the word convicts the heart. Convincing your friend or neighbor they need Jesus Christ will awaken an awareness of the grace of God. The right attitude toward the other person goes a long way toward showing them Christ. The objective of your work should always be to help one soul find Christ. A soul that comes to God will be saved from the wrath of God. Each one of us can be instrumental in getting one (or more) soul(s) out of the camp of Satan. The more converts from the devil’s army we successfully convict, the greater the volume of heaven becomes. It begins with attitude. The objective must be clear. Save a soul today.