What does the Bible say about pre-evangelism?

With the third consideration I have to offer all may not agree. But it is put out as a personal conviction, and — speaking as to wise men — your readers may judge what I say. The gospel was not presented in the ways of God till the testimony of His Creatorship, and of His righteous law, had had their place. The approximate result in souls who were affected by these testimonies was the fear of God on the one hand, and moral exercise on the other. The truth that "God is" has its corollary in this, that "He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." The ever-present thought of God before the mind leads it into exercise as to the difference between good and evil. There is no inherent power in man to attain the good or to conquer the evil; hence soul distress, which it is the genius of the gospel to meet. Applying this to the question of labour in a heathen field, broadly speaking we may find ourselves led to press primarily the truth of the Being of God, His majesty, and power, His Omnipresence, and Omniscience. Later the way may open more clearly to show how the questions of good and evil are raised by such a Being in relation to men who have revolted and rebelled against His goodness. Here the searching claims of His holy law may be brought to bear, showing how holy He is and how sinful sin is. "By the law is the knowledge of sin." Finally, scope will be found for the application of the gospel's healing balm where sin-wounded souls are found. All this requires time, perhaps years of plodding, patient work. It is on the principle of "one soweth and another reapeth." The Lord gave a true value to all the prophetic basis that had been laid in the nation of Israel, as preliminary to the apostolic blessing about to follow (John 4:38). Do not let your kind readers misunderstand me. While this general line of regular progressive ministry may be followed, there may arise a hundred, a thousand, occasions for the servant to meet individual inquiries, to lead special cases right ahead into gospel light and liberty. But I speak on the one hand of the progress of God's ways in the Scripture leading up to the gospel; and on the other hand of the very reasonable inference that something corresponding to those ways should mould our dealings with the masses of heathen met with. In passing, one may commend the study of Peter's address to the Jew in Acts 2, to the Gentile seekers in Acts 10 (in whose case the fear of God and the working of righteousness were discernible), and Paul's addresses to the heathen in Acts 14 and 17.

Owing to the perverse teaching which is abroad, you have to get converted people to the gospel. It is not the same thing as going out to the highways and hedges, and compelling them to come in. To such one would preach not only about their sins, but the grace of Christ for them in their sins. Romans 3 comes before chapter 7; but I was in the seventh before I got to the third, because I had nobody to preach to me. The first thing a person wants to know is that he is guilty, and when he knows his guilt in his conscience and his responsibility, the blood of Christ meets it, and there is forgiveness and cleansing.

When the soul is thus gripped it is reached. It must then repent. No doubt the call to repentance is not the gospel; but neither is the plough the seed-basket! But repentance is as preparatory for the gospel as the furrow is for the seed.

It is this fact which encourages us to go on instructing children and others in the word of God. It might be said that until a person is converted he cannot rightly understand Scripture, and therefore it were needless to trouble ourselves to impart it to them. But we never know when the Spirit of God may work, and indeed the very exercise on our part in imparting the knowledge of the word of God to others should encourage us to believe that the Spirit of truth is already at work in their hearts. The teaching of the Bible to unconverted children has been likened to laying the paper and wood all ready for kindling a fire. There is no fire in the paper or the wood, and yet they are necessary: so a knowledge of Scripture, in some measure at least, either by hearing the gospel or reading it, is necessary for the conversion of souls.

If they make a practice of giving out gospel tracts, or of speaking to others of Christ when an occasion arises, this may lead to an opportunity of having a Bible study in a home along gospel lines, with people who may have never before had a real knowledge of the gospel of grace. Then if the Lord should give the deep joy of leading someone to Himself, this may work in giving a better understanding of the need of such people after they are saved.

A servant of the Lord much used in conversions was about to preach the Gospel. A band of young Christians, brothers and sisters, spent two or three hours from door to door, earnestly inviting the people to attend. What a link such might prove to be between a soul, blessed at the service, and the Lord.

I speak not here against pressing the message of the gospel upon unwilling hearers; though in this, both time and wisdom, and an open door, should be sought at the hands of the Lord; and there should be care that love be never absent as the chief handmaid in the work.

Our conduct toward others is to be wise, and we should be wise in taking advantage of occasions that may arise to "redeem the time," that is, make use of every opportunity to present Christ in some way. In doing so, our words should be "with grace seasoned with salt" (v.6). Salt crystallizes at right angles, and speaks of righteousness. Grace is to be predominant in our speaking, but always seasoned with righteousness. The Lord Jesus graciously spoke to the woman at the well, but he also told her that she had had five husbands and the man she now had was not her husband (Jhn.4:13-18). This was seasoning His words with salt, so that both the woman's heart and her conscience were reached. How good if we have wisdom to deal with souls in such a way! -- knowing thus how to answer each individual according to his need. True balance in this is a delicate matter that requires wisdom from God. But we ought always to be ready with an answer for every inquirer. To do so will require both a knowledge of the Word of God and practice in gracious, honorable speech.

Next, he reverts to their own need of walking wisely, considering those outside, and seizing the fit opportunity, though I doubt not the service of prayer such as we have seen, would have issued in their own blessing as truly as in good to others. "Walk in wisdom with those without, buying up the time. Let your speech be always in grace, seasoned with salt, to know how ye ought to answer each one." vv. 5, 6. Grace gives us the rich glow of divine favour to the undeserving, the display of what God is in Christ to those who belong to this guilty ruined world; salt presents the guard of holiness, the preservative energy of God's rights in the midst of corruption. It is not said, "always with salt," seasoned with grace, but "always with grace, seasoned with salt." Grace should ever be the groundwork and the spring of all we say. No matter how much we may differ, righteousness must be maintained inviolate.

It is this combination of divine love in the midst of an evil world, with uncompromising maintenance of what is due to God's holy and righteous will, that teaches the Christian not merely what but how to answer each one as he ought.

Besides this inner circle of the interest of Christ, there are those without. They were to walk in wisdom towards them. This was to be their general bearing, but they were to seize any opportunity (which is the true sense of "redeeming the time") which might be given them, through circumstances or otherwise, in order to use it on Christ's behalf towards those still characterized as "without"; but always the speech is to be with grace, yet not grace in laxity, but seasoned with an inward preserving power (for we are to have salt in ourselves, Mark 9:50) which will keep us from being affected by the evil around, and enable us by an inward consciousness to answer every man graciously and holily.