Witnessing methods

“Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear – hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” Jude 1:22-23
There are all sorts of resources available to Christians today to help guide them in witnessing to unsaved people. Unfortunately, most of these assume that ‘one size fits all’. But here Jude gives us three methods: to one person show mercy (those who doubt, i.e. they would like to believe but have some nagging questions they would like answered before they commit); to others, snatching them from the fire – telling them about the realities of hell and what they have to do so they don’t go there; to others showing ‘mercy mixed with fear’, that is, the fear of God that prevents you from wallowing in the sinful nature.
This highlights the need for us to be discerning when witnessing to unsaved people. Have they been convicted by the Holy Spirit of their need for a Saviour, but have been putting it off? These people don’t need to be threatened with hell; they need to be shown mercy and gentleness – they are close to salvation and we shouldn’t turn them away by portraying God as only a God of wrath and judgement. On the other hand, someone who says they don’t care how much sin they are into, needs to be shown the consequences of their lifestyle. They need to be confronted with the reality of hell.
Jesus didn’t use a ‘one size fits all’ approach when it came to dealing with people. To the woman at the well, who had had five husbands and was living with another man, He showed mercy (John 4). But to the Pharisees, He confronted their self-righteous attitudes head-on. So when you are wanting to witness to someone, ask the Holy Spirit firstly to do the convicting (because without this, they cannot be drawn to God, John 6:44), and ask Him secondly to show you how He wants you to talk to them.