How does God usually lead people to salvation?
God ordinarily leads people to salvation through human instruments, not angels. He uses one person to share the Word with another, opening hearts to attend to the message. Believers should be skilled in Scripture to explain it clearly when opportunities arise.
Les explains that God did not leave the Word in the hands of angels but in the hands of people. He has almost always used one human instrument to lead another human to a knowledge of salvation. That is the way God works. Les urges believers to become skilled in Scripture so they can share it clearly when opportunities come. In the example of Lydia, her heart was opened, she attended to the things Paul said, and she became a believer when she was baptized. Les notes this occurred in the transition period, where baptism accompanied conversion, though he maintains its importance later drops away as Paul's revelations deepen.