You Can See It In The Eyes

It is easier to assess whether salvation has come into a soul than you might think.

We found this out when doing evangelism among the unreached who had never heard, or heard very little about Jesus Christ. We were surprised how simple this was.

First the Eyes Brighten

When true understanding comes, the eyes change because of a Spirit enlivened spirit that accepts the Gospel. This is the Gospel he never heard before, or she never heard it in this way before; it takes on a sudden and deep personal significance. 

They see Jesus exactly for who He is and the savior they need. The emotions are there with the understanding, but may not be visible to you. It is important to go to the next step and explore the Gospel together further, and gain greater assurance by greater faith.

Then the Mouth Speaks

That next step would involve them articulating what they know and believe about the Gospel. They are eager to share what they have found. Encourage their understanding and add to it. God has prepared, pursued and persuaded them. Just enjoy and marvel!

Show them some Bible passages about their new life in Christ. Being born again they will naturally hunger for more of the Word. What else do they need to know and do? You don’t have to think too hard because they will tell you what they want to know. 

Eagerness is Easy to Perceive

It just isn’t that hard to know whether a person has received the Gospel.  We make it too complicated to discern because we make the Gospel too complicated.

In the Gospel of Matthew there are two parables that illustrate this.

Matthew 13:44 ESV “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” 

Matthew 13:45–46 ESV “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

We make it complicated by poor explanations of the Gospel, exaggerated attempts at cultural integration or additions of parochial viewpoints. On top of this we often add behavioral expectations and lack personal transparency that would make our own transformation more observable.  

Stay focused: do your eyes glisten with the Gospel?