A number of people have asked me for more information about the Good Person Test. We first heard about the Good Person Test from Living Waters (Ray Comfort's Ministry) and he has additional information about it on his web site. What is interesting is that, as you begin using the test in sharing with others you'll find that the Holy Spirit will help you to customize the test.

The key principle is to start by sharing the law and then to share the gospel (if you go to LivingWaters.com, look for the teaching resource "Hell's Best Kept Secret").

Please remember that the “good person” test isn’t a script that must be followed, but more of a principle, and yet we’re amazed at how often the test follows the same pattern.

In talking with someone at the County Fair there were a number of ways to bring up the Good Person test. Perhaps we were handing them a tract that was titled “Are You a Good Person?” Or, we’d hand them a million dollar bill, and then say that it was a gospel tract and had a version of the Good Person test on the back. We’d ask if they have ever taken the Good Person test before. The usual response was that they hadn’t.

The Good Person Test Summary:

• Would they consider themselves a good person?
• Is it OK if I ask you a few questions to see how true that is?
• Are you familiar with the 10 commandments, God's measure of our goodness?
• The 9th commandment is "Thou shalt not lie"; I know I've told lies in the past, have you ever told a lie before?
• The 8th commandment is "Thou shalt not steal"; I know I've stolen in the past, have you ever taken something without permission?
• The 3rd commandment is "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain"; have you ever used God's name as a swear word?
• If you have time for the 6th commandment: have you ever murdered someone before? (They will probably say "no") That's good to hear, but God know ours hearts, and in Matthew and also 1 John we are told that if we are angry with someone, or if we hate someone, those are considered to be murder of the heart. Have you ever been angry with someone before?
• If you have time for the 7th commandment: the 7th commandment is that we are not to commit adultery. If you feel the Lord's leading, you can ask them if they ever have committed adultery. Other times I will simply say: and whether or not you have actually committed adultery, Jesus said in Matthew that if we look at someone with lust, we have committed adultery in our heart. Has there ever been a time in your life when you have looked at someone else with desire?
• Summarizing their condition before God: (shared gently and in love) John, I appreciate your honesty in sharing with me, and while others would look at you and see someone who is a good person or a nice guy, God would look at your heart and see someone who is a lying, thieving, blasphemous, murderer, and adulterer at heart.
• If you were to die, and God judges you based upon His 10 commandments, do you think you would be innocent or guilty?
  • If they say, "innocent", I will ask them, "How can that be? God would not even have to replay your whole life, every word, action, and thought, for others to see and Him to judge, all He would have to do is replay this conversation and hear you admitting the various commands you've broken. Wouldn't you be guilty?"
  • If they say, "Guilty" I go right into the next question:
• Then where do you think you'll spend an eternity? Heaven or hell?
  • If they say "Heaven", I'll ask them "Why?" If they have a false belief, I'll gently use analogies from the legal system to share the truth with them. If they have been born again and express faith in Jesus Christ I will encourage them in the Lord.
  • If they say "Hell", I'll ask them "Does that concern you?" If a person is headed for hell and it doesn't concern them, they will have little-to-no interest in the good news of the gospel (and I've had people tell me that it didn't concern them!). Most people will say that it concerns them, and I will then have the opportunity to share the gospel with them.

The Good Person Test on the Phone

Sharing the Good Person test over the telephone with a Customer Service Representative is a very simple thing to do. I've been amazed at how open and receptive people are to the test. I've shared the test with CSR's at cell phone companies, the IRS, banks, credit card companies, security firms, catalog/clothing companies, and more!

At the end of almost every customer service phone call, the person on the other end will ask the question, "Is there anything else I can do to help you?" We will answer the question truthfully, letting them know that they have helped us take care of all the business ("you helped me get my cell phone questions taken care of", or, "you answered all my banking questions"), but if they have a minute more before their next call comes in there was another question that we had. Sometimes we'll say that it doesn't relate to the business at hand (cell phones, the bank, etc.), and others times we might say it's more of a personal question. Some CSR's are allowed to answer a person question and others are not. I have found that most people are curious what the question is, and will say "Sure, I've got a minute, what do you want to know?"

I will then say, "Have you ever heard of, or taken, the Good Person test before?" Most people will say, "What?" and I'll repeat the question for them. 99.9% of the people I have ever asked will say "no, I've never heard of it."

I'll share with them, "It only takes a few minutes, and there's a great moral at the end; I think everyone should take the test at least once in their life!"

Following that you can start right into the test! If you begin sharing over the phone you'll be amazed at how many opportunities there are to share!

More information about the Good Person test on our Titus2.com/blog.