Approved to God

The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and was raised on the third day, and that everyone who repents and believes in Him is forgiven, declared righteous by God, and saved by His power. It is the good news of God’s saving grace. It reveals the righteousness of God received by faith from through trust in Jesus Christ. See 1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Romans 1:16–17; Romans 10:9-10. Read more here: “What is the Gospel and Why it Matters?”

Repentance is an agreement with God that you are sinful and a turning from sin. James calls us to be sorrowful for our sin. Repentance leads to a decisive break from our desire to sin, not mere regret of it. Faith is trusting Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior. Through faith and the working of the Spirit in us we chose to sin no more. This does not mean we will be perfect – we are still broken people living in a broken world and we will sin – but a repentant heart will confess that sin and be restored to God. See 1 John 1:9; Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21; 2 Corinthians 7:10.

Keep it Christ-centered and Scripture-shaped: briefly describe your life before Christ, how He saved you through the gospel, and how He is changing you now; make the cross and resurrection explicit and call the listener to repent and believe. Speak with gentleness and respect, avoid glorifying past sin, and show how Jesus is the hero of the story; use Scripture as Paul did before Agrippa. See Acts 26:9–23; 1 Peter 3:15. See an example of a brief testimony here.

Be faithful and keep your conscience clear; some will refuse the truth because the god of this age blinds minds. Do not argue endlessly; speak the truth in love, pray, and move on when appropriate while leaving a gracious witness behind. God alone opens hearts; our task is to sow the seed and trust Him with the results. See Matthew 10:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3–6.