The true gospel is under relentless attack, and it is often hidden under a sticky cobweb of religious words. Today there are many who agree with the reformer’s cry of “faith alone” theology in theory, but deny it in presentation. We need to examine our gospel words.

God wants people to have everlasting life! He gave His only Son to die and pay for the sin of the whole world. He gave the Bible to explain it. Then He sent Christians all over the world to tell the gospel. Why then, are so many people confused? Because most people have never heard a clear, understandable presentation of the gospel! They have heard “churchy” sounding phrases that made no sense to them and left them feeling condemned.

The very words we use in sharing the gospel are crucially important. This guide to gospel words is a plea for Christians to say the gospel clearly.

Confusing Clichés

“Ask Jesus into your heart.”

I never ask someone to “ask Jesus into your heart” because the phrase is unclear and confusing. It does not express the gospel message. Many people (especially children) have asked Jesus into their heart without actually understanding that Jesus died on the cross to pay for their sin! No one in the Bible ever told anyone to ask Jesus into their heart. (Of course Christ does indwell believers, but this is an automatic result of their faith). Those who shared the gospel in the Bible told people about the death payment and resurrection of Jesus Christ – then asked them to BELIEVE in Christ. If we want people to believe in Christ we need to simply tell them to believe in Christ. “… He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” - John 6:47

“Give your life to Christ”

This is a man-made cliché also. It is never found in the Bible’s gospel verses. It brings up confusing questions like: “Doesn’t He already own my life,” and, “How will I know if I’ve really given all my life to Him?”

Does the gospel tell us to pay God for our sins by giving Him our lives? No, He tells us to Believe in the One who gave His life! Eternal life is God’s gift to us, not our gift to Him. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” -Romans 6:23

Christian discipleship is the continuing challenge of giving ourselves to the Lord. Salvation is God’s free gift.

“Repent of your sins”

This phrase is never found in the Bible’s gospel presentations either. When used in gospel presentations today, this phrase usually is explained as “turning from your sins.” The word “repent” is found in the Bible, and is mostly spoken of God and saved people. Lost people are never told by anyone in the Bible to “repent of your sins to be saved.” Why are many lost people told this today?

The word “repent” found in the New Testament is a greek word (metanoia) meaning to change the mind. Unsaved people need to change their mind by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. They have no spiritual power to turn from sin until after they are saved by grace through faith.

Be honest. If turning from all your sin is required for salvation, are you saved? This would be an impossible salvation, and no one could ever know for sure if they were saved or not. Thank God that the Bible says, “…while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

“Make a commitment to Christ”

You guessed it! This phrase is not in the Bible’s gospel presentations either. There are many wonderful commitments that should be made to Christ, but lost people just need to believe in Him to be saved into eternal life. God is not asking them to give up, give in, give away, turn around, join up, stop, start, pray, or pay for salvation. He asks them to, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” - Acts 16:31

We have the greatest truth in all the world. The gospel is the best news, and the most wonderful love story ever told. It is music to the ear to hear, “...Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by Him, all that believe are justified from all things…” - Acts 13:38,39a

But we have failed miserably in presenting the good news clearly to a love-starved world. They needed love, but we gave them condemnation. They needed grace, we told them to work. They needed mercy; we gave them rules that not even we ourselves have kept. They needed to understand, but we gave them confusing phrases. They were in darkness. We hid the light.

Gospel Words of the Bible


“Believe”

The overwhelmingly dominant gospel word in the Bible is the word “believe”. It was the preferred word of the gospel preachers of the Bible. John used the word over 90 times in his gospel, the one book of the Bible written expressly for evangelism (John 20:31). Interestingly, the word “repent” is never found in John. Belief in Jesus Christ is the single cause of everlasting life being giving by God. What ever happened to this word? And why?

“Faith"

The word “faith” is a valid gospel word. It is the same greek root (pistis) as “believe” (pisteuo). “Faith” is used as a noun and “believe” is used as a verb in the english translation.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith (pistis); and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” - Ephesians 2:8,9

“…He that believeth (pisteuo) on me hath everlasting life.” - John 6:47

The words “faith” and “believe” are interchangeable and biblically sound gospel words.

“Receive”

“Receive” is a valid gospel word found in the Bible.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power to be the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” - John 1:12

Receiving Christ is defined in the last line of this verse as believing.

“Trust”

This too is a valid biblical word for gospel presentations.

“…who first trusted in Christ. In whom you also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise.” - Ephesians 1:12b, 13

Trusting Christ is used interchangeably in this verse with “believe”.

Make it clear!

The key to sharing the gospel clearly is to explain salvation as a gift given by grace through faith in Christ alone. The clichés tend to glorify man, not Christ. They mix works with grace. You will fail to be clear if you use words that make it seem like salvation depends on the person’s good behavior. When we use God’s words in evangelism, the focus is kept on Jesus Christ, not on man!

We want people to be good, but first they must believe. They can only believe when we share a clear gospel of good news. So tell them. And always make it clear!

“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air.”

- 1Corinthians 14:8,9