This is part 3 from a series of articles. Last week, the article was about Christ’s soul winning approach with Nicodemus the Pharisee. This week, the article continues from these examples of Jesus. Another approach in the conversation with Nicodemus was the use of illustrations. John 3:8 says, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” This verse teaches that salvation is like wind. It cannot be seen, but the affect may be perceived. By using the common knowledge of wind, Christ used it as an illustration. Another illustration that Christ used was darkness. Christ began saying that men like darkness because their deeds are evil. Everyone that does evil hates the light. Christ continued by saying, “he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that His deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” Jesus used this as an illustration to teach that evil and truth are as darkness and light respectively. The purpose of using illustrations as a soul winning approach is given in verse 12. “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” Christ used earthly things to comprehend and transition into heavenly things. The use of illustrations can be helpful and effective in soul winning.
The more well-known verses in the discourse with Nicodemus are John 3:15-18. John 3:16 is the most commonly memorized verse in the world. The reason that it is so well known is because of its clarity on the subject of salvation. Jesus first told Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.” However the statement was not easily understood, Christ got down to the point of a clear plan of salvation. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” By believing in Christ, we can receive everlasting life. Whenever there are soul winning opportunities, we need to come back to the basics. Illustrations may be helpful, but the basic truths of salvation are the best way of witnessing. We should never talk over their heads. We need to communicate the simple plan of salvation to the lost.
(By Matthew Shold)
