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Last week I started a series of devotionals on Fridays about the subject of Evangelism by saying it takes more than sharing a tract (you can read that post here). My point was a tract is the first (not last) step in evangelism, it with prayer opens the door for us to give a direct proclamation of the Gospel.

But it isn’t enough the proclaim the Gospel with Scripture…..

We must prove it with our lives.

1 Peter is one of the best known Scripture passages regarding our defense of the faith. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” It’s interesting that I believe many Christians emphasize the wrong thing in this passage.

Many focus on the phrase “be ready always to give an answer to every man.”

This is a good thing of course, but it overlooks the thing that they are actually asking about.

The Hope that is in you!!

The hope is what draws people. I believe this doesn’t refer to just confidence, but a transformed life and integrity. This becomes clear when we add context from 1 Peter 3:16.

1Pet. 3:16   Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

So what draws people is a transformed life of Holiness.

Let me be clear, the Gospel will draw hearts to Christ. But it’s power is greater when we not only proclaim, but live God’s Truth.

In other words, Scripture must be backed up by action.

A few weeks ago I was passing out tracts when a man stopped me and started a conversation about his problem with the Bible. I actually knew what his problem was…..a very common form of false doctrine that could never be proven with Scripture.

In that moment I could have easily pulled a Bible out of my bag and proven him wrong…..but he wouldn’t have listened to it because his mind was clouded by false doctrine.

As we continued talking he began to agree with some of my beliefs. Not because Scripture teaches it, but because he saw me living out that truth.

That experience was a reminder we must never stop proclaiming the truths of Scripture. But we must make sure to live those truths out publicly as well.