1) Webster- Persuade: To cause someone to do something
especially
by reasoning, urging, or inducement; to convince.
2) Some are opposed to the use of persuasion, believing that we
should
merely present the gospel and then let the sinner make up his own
mind
about obeying or rejecting it. Yet these same people do not
apply this
same line of reasoning to other areas of their lives. If
persuasion is
wrong then it would be wrong for a young man to try to
persuade a young lady
to marry him, or for parents to persuade their
children to make better grades
in school or to behave. Salesmen
would go hungry if they didn’t
persuade.
3) Which is worse, to over-persuade or to
under-persuade? Either way
they are still lost. I had rather be
guilty of over-persuading than under-
persuading.
4) Before we try to persuade the individual must have
been properly
taught. We must make sure the individual understands what
they
need to do to obey the gospel and why.
5) 2 Corinthians 5:11 "Knowing, therefore, the terror of
the Lord, we
persuade men". We should not want anyone to be
lost.
6) Acts 2:40 "And with many other words he
testified and exhorted them,
saying, Be saved from this perverse
generation." When Peter
preached the gospel in all of its power and
simplicity, he did not sit
down at the end of his presentation. Peter
was trying to persuade
them to accept the gospel. Why? Because
they were lost and
doomed to the fires of an eternal burning Hell. We
must use every
legitimate means at our disposal to rescue those who are lost
in sin.
7) Jude 22-23 "And on some have compassion, making a
distinction;
but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,
hating even the
garment defiled by the flesh."
8) Luke 14:16-23 (Parable of The Great Supper) "Then the
master said
to the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel
them to come in, that my house may be filled."
9) Acts 13:43 "Many of the Jews and devout proselytes
followed Paul
and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded
them to continue in
the grace of God." (This was at Antioch in Pisidia. Here we see
persuasion is accomplished through
speaking.)
10) Acts 18:4 "And he reasoned in the synagogue
every Sabbath, and
persuaded both Jews and Greeks." (Paul was at
Corinth.
Persuasion is also accomplished through reasoning.)
11) Acts 18:13 "Saying, This fellow persuades men
to worship God
contrary to the law." (We today should persuade people to
worship
God correctly.)
12) Acts 19:26 "Moreover you see and hear
that not only at Ephesus, but
throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has
persuaded and turned away
many people, saying that they are not gods
which are made with
hands." (Persuasion can be accomplished through
seeing and
hearing. The lost can be persuaded through seeing the sincere
interest of a Christian who cares enough to go and teach them.)
13) Acts 26:28 "Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost
persuade me to
become a Christian." (Not all efforts of
persuasion are successful,
but none will be if persuasion is absent.)
14) Acts 28:23 "So when they had appointed him a day,
many came to
him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified
of
the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both
the
Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening."
(Paul was at
Rome persuading the Jews)
15) Acts 21:14 "So when he would not be persuaded, we
ceased,
saying, The will of the Lord be done." (This is Agabus trying to
persuade Paul. There comes a time when people will not be
persuaded,
then we should stop for the time being.)
16) Acts 24:24-25 (KJV) "And as he reasoned of
righteousness,
temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled,
and answered,
Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I
will call
for thee." (Paul persuaded Felix the Roman governor to the
point
that he trembled.)
17) Acts 18:28 "For he vigorously refuted the Jews
publicly, showing
from the Scriptures that Jesus is the
Christ."
