I saw a Facebook status some time ago which said 'how much
must you hate someone to not share the Gospel with them?' The Holy Spirit used
this to make me think much deeper about evangelism and to search the scriptures
for help in it. After having meditated on it for some time I have become
ashamed of the number of people for whom I have displayed hatred - all the
people with whom I could easily have shared the Gospel, but I didn't due to my
being ashamed of my Father of Heaven. Now I say no more tomfoolery in
evangelism, this is a serious matter!
We often get excited at the thought that when we evangelize
we might be used by God to bring people to salvation. Truly, this is a glorious
thing to be excited about. But consider this, perhaps when we fail to
evangelize someone God uses our lack of 'Gospel action' to condemn them to an
eternity of suffering. God uses means for many things. I say again, this is a
serious matter.
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how
are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to
hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:13-14)
The fact is that no one who does not hear about what Christ
has done for sinners will call upon the Lord and ask Him for salvation. The
responsibility is ours as 'God's fellow workers' (1 Corinthians 3:9). Jesus
Christ himself commanded those He taught to spread the Gospel (Matthew
28:18-20). We are commanded to share the good news of Christ's death,
resurrection and ascension to 'all nations'.
"...Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel." (1
Corinthians 9:16)
Indeed we should speak the same way of ourselves if we do
not spread God's Word. Let us "endure anything rather than put an obstacle
in the way of the Gospel of
Christ." (1 Corinthians 9:12) May we not be obstacles.
In order to be moved to do this we must greatly appreciate,
no, adore the Gospel story and what it has done for us and our fellow brothers
and sisters in Christ. We evangelize to all kinds of people all for the sake of
the Gospel because of the most wonderful blessings we already share in (1
Corinthians 9:19-23). If we truly care for Christ and what He has done for us
then surely we would love to see more and more people loving and adoring Him
with us - having the same joy and peace as we. Before continuing in this text,
let us stop and ponder again the amazing gift of salvation we have received
because of this very Gospel.
How can we now keep this silent? How can we still be
ashamed? Friends, we do not have to have eloquent speech or clever words to
share the Gospel. We dare not boast in ourselves as we share Christ's works (1
Corinthians 1:17). It is Christ's power that saves not our measly words and yet
He chooses to use our words! Perhaps we are shy to evangelize because we believe
the Gospel's power can be limited to how well we can present it. We must repent
of this at once! But still we must strive to be well prepared:
"...but in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy,
always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for
the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15)
Perhaps we do not share God's Word because we are afraid of
ridicule. Live for Christ and share your hope in Him with respect even to
slanderers and they will be put to shame (1 Peter 3:13-17). There is no reason
to keep silent about God's Word.
Therefore, let us boldly demonstrate God's love through
evangelism rather than cowardly demonstrating our own sinful hate for those
around us through inaction. And let us be ever in the Gospel ourselves so that
we may never lose our love for it. We might just find that sharing the Gospel
with others preaches peace and love to our own souls as well. This is the power
of Christ through His Gospel. Let us say with Paul:
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the
power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16)
