Risk Versus Reward

[Goodboy]

Risk Versus Reward

I was thinking of a good argument to use when sharing the Gospel when nothing else seems to work. Let’s think about why people choose to do or not to do something. While there are many, many reasons I would say most times they decide based on the risk verses the reward. Or if you prefer, you could also say the effort verses the reward.

Think about the choices that people make. To become a doctor or a lawyer people go through years of schooling. Why? Because they believe becoming a doctor or a lawyer is worth the risk/effort because of the benefits they receive. This applies also to a thief. They will steal something small when there is very little risk, like shoplifting. However, they would not rob a bank if they only received 50 dollars.

So really this is a very simple concept that most of us including me never thought that much about regarding sharing Christianity. So when all else fails, we could ask an unbeliever if they were homeless and totally broke would they come with me to my car where I keep my cash so I could give them $10,000.

Now in the case I presented there is a certain amount of risk, but if you were homeless the risk of going to my car would be worth the possible reward. Well in reality what the Bible is offering is only the risk of saying a 30 second prayer accepting Jesus as their Savior for the amazing reward of everlasting paradise.

Now granted, we need to explain that man’s corrupted version of Christianity which is very prevalent says we have to be good after we accept the FREE GIFT. So we have to let the person know that is not true. Let them know that salvation is A TOTTALY FREE GIFT! We can then ask them why they would not accept it when they are only risking 30 seconds of their time for such a great reward.

Don’t worry about offering salvation to someone who you think will take advantage of the free gift. We don't know who is and is not evil but they won't accept the free gift of salvation if they are evil. Why? Because evil people will not accept Jesus as per the Bible verse below.

John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Goodboy

 

[mattfivefour]

Well in reality what the Bible is offering is only the risk of saying a 30 second prayer accepting Jesus as their Savior for the amazing reward of everlasting paradise.

In the main I agree with your article, but where I have a difficulty is with the statement above. Salvation is not found in a prayer, but in an attitude of heart. If a prayer flows from a correct attitude of heart --that is to say a humble, repentant heart-- the prayer is heard and answered. Over and over in scripture this truth is both stated and affirmed. So, telling someone "it's only going to take 30 seconds to say a prayer, you have nothing to lose" is not only inaccurate but likely harmful: we risk inoculating them against future presentations of the gospel because they will think in their mind "been there, done that." If a person doesn't recognize their need and that God has provided the only way to respond to that need, then they can say all the prayers in the world they like: nothing will happen. By using the persuasion you offer, we could likely get them to say the prayer, but what does it avail them? I'd much rather say to a reluctant person "why don't you ask God if he's real to show you?" This is a prayer that, based on my own experience and the experience of those I know, He WILL answer. He is always faithful to answer an honest seeker. Even those who have doubt He will answer.

That said, the risk-versus-reward principle you outline is valid. When things got tough in the life ofJesus, He asked his disciples if they, too, wanted to leave. The risk to them was great as everyone else was forsaking Jesus. But their response was: "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." In other words, they weighed the risk of being with Jesus against the reward the eternal life He offered, and chose the reward as being far greater than the risk.

 

[Goodboy]

So, telling someone "it's only going to take 30 seconds to say a prayer, you have nothing to lose" is not only inaccurate but likely harmful: we risk inoculating them against future presentations of the gospel because they will think in their mind "been there, done that."

I like your response, but there are two things I would say in response to you.

First I would say I have shared with a number of strangers on the street and after telling them all I know that might convince them, I ask them if they believe. Though many of them say no, I have had a number of them say yes. I then ask them if they want to pray and accept Jesus as their Savior and most say no. At first I thought that them saying no to saying the prayer made no sense, until I realized that while they kind of believed what I was saying, they were not ready to make the decision to accept Jesus. It is like when two people are in love and believe in marriage. They can believe in mirage all they want but are not actually married (make the decision) until they have the wedding. This is why Romans 10:9 and 10:10 says there are kind of two steps which are believe and confess. We like to say but do they really believe? If they confess that is enough belief to save them.

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.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Suppose someone does not believe and says the prayer so some girl or guy will like them as example. Then they are not saved, but they know that is the case because they know they did not mean it. That is not something that is our concern anyway. After all we are only the messenger not the one to convince them. Also, as I have stated before the Bible says evil people will not be saved and those that are not evil will be saved, so God will make sure all who should be saved will be saved.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

My second point is that when I got saved all I did was say a 30 second prayer. Did I believe when I said the prayer? Only just enough to think it might be true. It took God over a month before I believed it enough to call myself a Christian. For some reason most believe that you must really believe. What does that mean anyway and how does one know when they have believed enough?

Let me give you an example. Suppose I tell you that if you come to my house I will give you $100,000 and I am poor. Well of course you would not truly believe that, but if you had just enough belief to show up at my house you would receive the $100,000. So believing does not mean you cannot doubt. If you did not believe at all, why would you show up at my house. The same is true with salvation. We just have to have enough belief (or faith) to take the action regarding what was required, meaning confess with our mouth.

If you disagree that is fine, but I will just say that I totally believe God has showed me these things because we are so close to the Rapture and he wants all those who are not evil to be saved from the Tribulation. Kind of like if a hurricane is coming and you want all the kids to come inside. So let's say most of the kids do come inside, but some are stubborn and won't come in. You may now have to let these kids know that you have ice cream inside. This was also true for all the other kids that came in already but some needed a better understanding of all the truth and more convincing to come in.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Don’t worry about offering salvation to someone who you think will take advantage of the free gift because they won’t if they are evil. Why? Because evil people will not accept Jesus. Read the Bible verse below.

I liked the OP very much but stumbled a bit over the quoted. How do I know if a person is truly evil to their bone. They may seem like it but I don't know for sure. Think about the author of Amazing Grace. Surely if one looked upon that man before he got saved the first thing that might come to mind is "that fella is evil incarnate".

 

[Goodboy]

I liked the OP very much but stumbled a bit over the quoted. How do I know if a person is truly evil to their bone. They may seem like it but I don't know for sure. Think about the author of Amazing Grace. Surely if one looked upon that man before he got saved the first thing that might come to mind is "that fella is evil incarnate".

"Don’t worry about offering salvation to someone who you think will take advantage of the free gift because they won’t if they are evil. Why? Because evil people will not accept Jesus. Read the Bible verse below."

Either you misunderstood me or maybe I am misunderstanding you. I never said that we know who is and is not evil and we don't know. Only God can look at the heart. What I was trying to say is that we should share with everyone and not be concerned whether the person is evil or not. My point is that some Christians think if salvation is made too easy, then evil people will accept it. You know like that term of easy believism.

[Edit] I changed the verse in question in the OP to make it more clear.

Let me know if we still are not on the same page.

 

[Tall Timbers]

"Don’t worry about offering salvation to someone who you think will take advantage of the free gift because they won’t if they are evil. Why? Because evil people will not accept Jesus. Read the Bible verse below."

Either you misunderstood me or maybe I am misunderstanding you. I never said that we know who is and is not evil and we don't know. Only God can look at the heart. What I was trying to say is that we should share with everyone and not be concerned whether the person is evil or not. My point is that some Christians think if salvation is made too easy, then evil people will accept it. You know like that term of easy believism.

[Edit] I changed the verse in question in the OP to make it more clear.

Let me know if we still are not on the same page.

Yes, based on this post I definitely misunderstood. It had sounded to me like I see a person I figure is evil so I don't share the gospel with him because I'd be wasting my time, and now I see you're not saying that at all. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Goodboy]

Yes, based on this post I definitely misunderstood. It had sounded to me like I see a person I figure is evil so I don't share the gospel with him because I'd be wasting my time, and now I see you're not saying that at all. Thanks for clarifying.

I appreciate how you call it as you see it. By that I mean a straight shooter!
Many times that helps me see where I have not stated what I mean clearly enough.