WORDS OF DISTINCTION – “Persuade”
INTRODUCTION : We CONTINUE in our series on “Words Of Distinction”. We have looked at the words: “daily”, “adoption”, “rather”, “sleep”, “pleasure” and “mind”. TONIGHT we are going to look at the word “persuade”.
The English word “persuade” is mentioned 35 times in the Bible (in 1 form or another). It means: ‘to win over, to bring about a change of mind by the influence of reason’.
As I looked up these verses, I noticed that they fell into 2 major categories:
o Persuading Others
o Persuaded Myself
Let’s take a look at some of the instances where the word “persuade” is used in the Bible.
I. PERSUADING OTHERS
This heading can be sub-divided into two other headings:
o Persuading The Lost
o Persuading The Saved
A. Persuading The Lost
Let me say, first of all, that NOBODY can be PERSUADED to be saved. If they could, I would have spent most of my time on the DEBATING TEAM in college, and studied more PSYCHOLOGY. You can’t PERSUADE anyone to be a Christian. It’s not a matter of CONVINCING them that they are wrong, and you are right. It’s not a matter of OUT-ARGUING them concerning Christianity verses whatever they believe.
John 1:12-13 – all turn
You aren’t “born again” by:
o “blood” – i.e., because you were born into a Christian home, by Christian parents. Even though Uncle Buford was a Baptist preacher, that doesn’t make you a Christian. Any more than kittens being born in an oven makes them biscuits! Salvation isn’t handed down from generation to generation … it’s a PERSONAL relationship with Jesus. Sin, and depravity, and “lost-ness” runs in the blood … not salvation.
o “the will of the flesh” – i.e., because you DECIDED to become a Christian, as opposed to go to Hell. You didn’t just DECIDE one day to become a Christian … by “the will of the flesh” … because you thought that it was a good idea. OR … even because you WANTED to.
o “the will of man” – i.e., nobody talked you into being saved. Nobody “persuaded” you that this was the right thing to do. Nobody imposed their will on you, and MADE you become a Christian. You weren’t saved by YOUR “will” … OR … anybody ELSE’S “will”.
HOW THEN, WERE YOU SAVED? “”but of God”. It is the grace of God that made you willing to be saved.
WHAT METHOD DOES GOD USE? Romans 10:14, 17 – “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? … So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
REMEMBER the story of “The Rich Man And Lazarus” in Luke 16? The rich man died and went to hell. While there, he prayed and asked Abraham to send Lazarus to his family and tell them, so they wouldn’t end up in Hell also. Luke 16:28 – “For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”
LISTEN to what Abraham told him, Luke 16:31 – “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be PERSUADED, though one rose from the dead.” You can’t PERSUADE anyone to be a Christian.
SO, WHAT ARE WE TO DO? We are to give them the Word of God. THEN … the Holy Spirit has the tool to turn them to Him. It is not WE who “persuades” them … but the Holy Spirit, Who CONVICTS them of their sin, and CONVINCES them to turn to Christ for the forgiveness of their sin.
What did the Apostle Paul do? Acts 18:4 – “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and PERSUADED the Jews and the Greeks.” HOW DID HE DO THIS? By preaching the Word of God.
NOTE the word “persuade” in Galatians 1:10 – “For do I now PERSUADE men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Paul wasn’t trying to “win the favor of” (‘persuade’) men … but God. Paul wasn’t preaching what people WANTED to hear … BUT … what God WANTED to tell them. (It often got him into trouble with people!).
Paul was a gifted preacher … but he wasn’t a great speaker. 1 Cor. 2:1-5 – all turn.
“enticing” is the same word as “persuade” in the Greek. It wasn’t Paul’s skill in debate … OR his convincing arguments … OR his art of “persuasion” … that caused multitudes to turn to Christ. It was the grace and power of the Holy Spirit who planted his words (the “Word of God”) into the hearts of the lost.
Paul was ACCUSED of being very PERSUASIVE. Acts 18:12-13 – “And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, [13] Saying, This fellow PERSUADETH men to worship God contrary to the law.”
While, it is true that many were saved, it wasn’t by Paul’s PERSUASIVE words, or his convincing arguments. It was through the use of his preaching the Word of God.
o Acts 19:8 – “And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and PERSUADING the things concerning the kingdom of God.”
o Acts 28:23 – “And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.”
WHERE DID THE “persuasion” COME FROM? “he expounded and testified the kingdom of God”.
Paul preached the Word of God … and many were PERSUADED by the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:26 – “Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath PERSUADED and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:”
OFTEN TIMES, Paul was given credit for PERSUADING the people. REMEMBER when Paul went before King Agrippa? Paul first gave his testimony about how he was saved. THEN, he preached the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus … the Word of God. NOTICE what King Agrippa then said - Acts 26:28 – “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou PERSUADETH me to be a Christian.” There’s NO WAY Paul could “persuade” ANYONE to be a Christian. BUT, King Agrippa didn’t take Paul’s words (the Word of God) to heart, and didn’t allow the Holy Spirit, through the grace of God, to change his heart.
NOW … let’s look at:
(A. Persuading The Lost)
B. Persuading The SAVED.
Even though the LOST can’t be “persuaded” by anyone to be saved … the SAVED can be “persuaded” to follow Christ.
Paul and Barnabas had just preached in the synagogue. Acts 13:42-43 – “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. [43] Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, PERSUADED them to continue in the grace of God.”
They had been SAVED by “the grace of God” … AND NOW … Paul is encouraging them to CONTINUE walking in His grace.
WHY DID PAUL DO THIS? 2 Cor. 5:11 – “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we PERSUADE men;” Paul knew that they would one day have to face God in judgment.
We could all stand a little “friendly persuasion” now and then, couldn’t we? That’s what I try to do every Sunday (and Wednesday nights).
o When I preach the Word of God to the LOST, the Holy Spirit can use it to “persuade” their hearts toward the grace of God and His gift of salvation.
o When I preach the Word of God to the SAVED, it is to ENCOURAGE them to continue to walk in the grace of God as a Christian.
It’s NOT through WHAT I say … or HOW I say it. It’s the Holy Spirit using God’s Word to speak to hearts and lives and minds.
The writer to the Hebrews said in Hebrews 6:9 – “But, beloved, we are PERSUADED better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.”
(I. Persuading Others)
II. PERSUADING MYSELF
Although Paul wasn’t a man of “persuasive” words, he himself was very PERSUADED. This is a different word in the Greek for “persuaded” … which means ‘to be completely assured, to know fully’.
Paul speaks of the faith of Abraham. WHAT WAS ABRAHAM FULLY “persuaded” OF?
A. Romans 4:18-22 – All turn
Abraham had NO DOUBT that God could do what He promised to do … in spite of the physical impossibilities. THEN … God rewarded him for his faith.
We have a hard time believing that God will keep His promises … even when it doesn’t seem like an impossible task. WHAT ARE SOME OF GOD’S PROMISES THAT WE SHOULD BE “fully persuaded” OF?
o Matthew 11:28 – “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
o 1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
o James 1:5 – “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
o Philip. 4:19 – “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
o Hebrews 13:5 – “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Are you FULLY PERSUADED that God will keep His promises? OR … do you think God was only making you promises that He never intended to keep? You will receive ONLY those promises that you are willing to believe God for.
B. 2 Tim. 1:12 – “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am PERSUADED that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
WHAT HAVE YOU “committed unto Him”?
o Your SOUL … which He will never let Satan take away from Him.
o Your ETERNITY … which He will safe-guard for all eternity.
o Your LIFE … which is in God’s hands … to use as He sees fit. Philip. 1:21 – “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Paul was “fully persuaded” that everything he committed to Christ, was safely in His hands.
C. Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am PERSUADED, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Paul was “fully persuaded” that nothing could keep God from loving him. WHY? BECAUSE … as long as God loved His Son Jesus, He would love him! (“the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus”.)
The only way God could stop loving you … is to stop loving Jesus. WHY? BECAUSE … you are “in Christ”. You and I are so closely identified with Christ, that, when God looks at you, He sees His Son, Jesus. AND … when God looks at Jesus, He sees you! That’s how much He loves you!
Paul was fully PERSUADED of this. Are you? OR … do you ever DOUBT God’s love for you? NOTHING that ever happens to you … NOTHING that ever comes into your life … should make you doubt God’s love for you. NOTHING that you can ever do … can separate you from God’s love. Paul was FULLY PERSUADED of this.
CONCLUSION:
We aren’t SAVED by human PERSUASION … by our own, or anybody else’s … ONLY by the GRACE of God.
AND … we are to live our Christian life … FULLY PERSUADED that God is faithful to keep His promises … AND … love us no matter what.
This is a word (“persuaded”) that we can find hope, comfort, and peace.
STAND - PRAYER
OUTLINE FOR HANDOUT:
WORDS OF DISTINCTION – “Persuade”
INTRODUCTION: “Persuade” – ‘to win over, to bring about a change of mind by the influence of reason’.
I. PERSUADING OTHERS
A. Persuading The Lost – No one can be “persuaded” to be a Christian – John 1:12-13
- It is the grace of God that makes you willing to be saved.
- God’s method … the Word of God - Romans 10:14,17 – “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? … So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
- Acts 18:4 – “And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.”
- Galatians 1:10 – “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
- Paul wasn’t a great speaker – 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
- Acts 18:12-13 – “And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat, [13] Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.”
- Acts 28:23 – “And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.” - Acts 19:26 – “Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:”
- Acts 26:28 – “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
B. Persuading The Saved – The saved can be persuaded to follow Christ.
- Acts 13:42-43 – “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. [43] Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.”
- 2 Cor. 5:11 – “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;”
- Hebrews 6:9 – “But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.”
II. PERSUADING MYSELF
• That God keeps His promises - Romans 4:18-22
- Matthew 11:28 – the promise of rest.
- 1 Peter 5:7 – the promise of His constant care.
- James 1:5 – the promise of wisdom.
- Philippians 4:19 – the promise to meet your needs.
- Hebrews 13:5 – the promise of His presence.
• 2 Tim. 1:12 – “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”
• Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
CONCLUSION:
o You aren’t saved by human persuasion … only by the grace of God.
o You are to be persuaded to live the Christian life.
o You are to be fully persuaded that God will keep His promises.
PRISCILLA BAPTIST CHURCH – Ray Scott, Pastor
