“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” – Romans 1:16
If you’ve investigated the New Testament, you understand how the power of the gospel message. It’s not just good advice or a religious slogan – it is the life-giving truth about how sinners can be made right with a holy, morally perfect, all-powerful God. The message of Jesus’ substitutionary atonement for our sin, his crucifixion and resurrection, isn’t just one option among many; it’s the only hope for a lost world.
But here’s the question: If the gospel message is so powerful, why do we see Paul and the other apostles working so hard to reason, explain, and contextualize their message for different audiences? The answer is simple: The power of the gospel doesn’t negate the need for persuasion.
Yes, the gospel message is the power of God that brings salvation, but the Biblical authors also understood the need for persuasion and argumentation. Solomon, for example, described it this way:
“The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness. The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”- Proverbs 16:21-24
Solomon understood the power of truth, but he also called us to be persuasive in how we communicate it. Wisdom isn’t just about having the right answers – it’s about delivering those answers in a way that reaches people’s hearts. “Sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.” In other words, truth must be delivered with discernment, grace, and relevance if it’s going to be received. Persuasion isn’t manipulation; it’s the art of making truth accessible and attractive, so that people might actually listen and respond.
Yes, the gospel message is the power of God that brings salvation, but the Biblical authors also understood the need for persuasion and argumentation. Share on XIt’s sometimes tempting to treat the gospel like a magic set of words – just recite the right formula, and God will do the rest. But that’s not how the apostles operated. The Book of Acts is filled with examples of the gospel being contextualized and communicated persuasively, depending on the audience and setting.
As a cold-case detective, I’ve learned that truth, no matter how powerful, still requires careful communication. The message never changes: Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and rose from the dead. Through Jesus, God offers forgiveness and new life to all who repent and believe in Him. If you turn from your sin and trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, you will be forgiven, restored to God, and receive eternal life.
This message, however, as simple as it is, was contextualized and persuasively presented by the apostles in the Book of Acts. Why? Because the apostles understood the power of the gospel is not diminished by persuasive communication; in fact, it’s just the opposite. God’s Spirit works most powerfully through wise, contextualized persuasion.
Contextualization isn’t about watering down the gospel or making it more comfortable. It’s about clarity. Paul was willing to give up his own rights and preferences if it meant removing obstacles to the gospel’s advance. He didn’t compromise the message, but he did everything possible to make sure it was heard and understood:
“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” – 1 Corinthians 9:22
Paul understood the importance of knowing his audience, speaking their language, and presenting the gospel in ways that connected with their deepest questions and needs. This was not just a communication strategy – it was biblical wisdom in action. And Paul wasn’t the only disciple who understood this. The Book of Acts provide many examples of apostles and early Christians who shared the gospel in a variety of situations and contexts. Their approach was anything but one-dimensional. Instead, they tailored their message to fit the context and the audience, using every tool at their disposal to persuade their listeners:
They Connected with Shared History in Large Gatherings
Peter’s sermon at Pentecost was a masterclass in contextual communication (Acts 2:1-21). Speaking to a crowd of devout Jews gathered in Jerusalem, Peter didn’t launch into the gospel immediately. Instead, he started with what they knew: the Hebrew Scriptures and the recent events in their city. He quoted Joel and David, showing how Jesus fulfilled ancient prophecies. Peter’s message was persuasive because it met his audience where they were, addressing their expectations and calling them to repentance in light of what they already believed. Peter appealed to shared Jewish history and prophecy, showing that Jesus was (and still is) the fulfillment of their deepest hopes.
They Built on Common Ground in Religious Settings
When Paul entered a new city, he headed straight for the local synagogue. There, he reasoned with Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, explaining and proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 17:2-3). Paul didn’t just preach the gospel – he first engaged in dialogue, answering questions and addressing objections. He tactically persuaded his audience by building a bridge from the familiar (the Law and the Prophets) to the new (the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus). Paul started with shared beliefs and used Scripture as common ground, making the case for Jesus as the promised Messiah.
They Spoke the Language of the People in the Marketplace
Paul’s presentation at the meeting of the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17) was a textbook example of cultural awareness. Standing before the philosophers and idol worshipers, Paul didn’t begin by preaching the gospel or quoting the Old Testament. Instead, he observed their religious practices, referenced their poets, and started his presentation with the concept of a Creator God. He adapted his message to the worldview of his audience, eventually introducing Jesus as the risen Judge and Savior. Paul’s approach was persuasive because it was relevant – he spoke their language, both literally and culturally. Paul contextualized the gospel for a Gentile, philosophical audience, using their own culture as a starting point.
They Responded to Individual Needs in Personal Conversations
Not every gospel encounter in Acts happened in front of a crowd. Sometimes these presentations were in the form of personal conversations. Philip, for example, met the Ethiopian eunuch on a desert road (Acts 8), and Paul shared the gospel with a woman named Lydia by a riverside (Acts 16). In these moments, didn’t simply jump to a gospel presentation. Instead, they listened, answered questions, and explained the gospel in a way that was personal and immediate. These examples of personal encounters demonstrate that persuasion is often most effective in the context of relationship. The apostles tailored their gospel presentations to the individual’s questions, background, and needs.
They Made the Case Before People in Authority
When the apostles were dragged before councils and governors, they didn’t shrink back. They were, instead, thoughtful about the way they presented the gospel. Rather than simply launch into a gospel presentation, they offered reasoned defenses, sharing their testimony and appealing to justice and truth (Acts 4, 24–26). Paul was particularly relentless, explaining his conversion, citing prophecy, and challenging his accusers to consider the evidence. Even in the face of hostility, the apostles are persuasive in the way they structured their presentations, showing that the gospel can stand up to scrutiny. Their message was tailored to educated or powerful audiences, emphasizing reason, justice, and personal transformation.
They Sometimes Simply Moved On
There are several times, in The Book of Acts when the apostles wisely moved on when audiences persistently rejected the gospel. In places like Pisidian Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome, Paul and his companions shifted their focus from resistant groups – often encountered in the synagogues – to more receptive Gentile audiences. This wasn’t out of frustration, but out of discernment, ensuring the message of Jesus reached those who were ready to listen and respond.
The Book of Acts makes it clear: the gospel is powerful, but it is not simply a magic phrase to be presented without discernment or persuasion. Whether preaching to crowds, reasoning in synagogues, dialoguing in the marketplace, or sharing over a meal, the early Christians adapted their approach without compromising the message. They understood their audience, addressed their questions, and made the case for Christ.
So, the next time you share the Gospel with someone who doesn’t seem interested in anything you’re saying, don’t simply shrug it off, thinking, “Well I guess it just wasn’t God’s will for them to believe…” Instead, ask yourself, “Did I responsibly think about the context here?” “Did I listen and observe the situation well enough to choose the right approach with this person?” “Did I contextualize my presentation or conversation to make sure I was speaking their ‘language’?”
There’s no doubt that the gospel is the “power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes,” but this doesn’t give us an excuse to ignore our responsibility to be “judicious” and “add persuasiveness to our lips.” The power of the message doesn’t excuse us from the responsibility to persuade.
Lester C Verigan Jr
June 27, 2025 at 8:09 am
In your article, you said “Surrounded by philosophers and idol worshipers, Paul didn’t preach the gospel immediately or even quote the Old Testament.” That is technically incorrect. Act 17:17 says, “Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.” Act 17:18 goes on, saying, “Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.” Paul preached the same message that Peter preached on Pentecost, but didn’t get the same response. Only then did he shift his approach to “meet them where they were”, as you pointed out.
Debbie Livingston Villarreal
July 12, 2025 at 7:34 am
In article on Gospel and persuasion, you noted that the gospel has to be delivered with some sweetness to be absorbed. If we are too insistent and adamant with unbelievers, they tune out. I am a Christian and watched 1000s of podcasts on YouTube and read hundreds of books and articles. Glad you noted that. Turek isnt quite as polished in speaking in that manner as you are, Jim. Just his manner. I do like his book I Dont Have Enough Faith…. co-authored with Geisler. Old saying states “you can catch more flies with honey…” not that unbelievers are pests, but it does fit how we speak. Keep up the good work!