Evangelism: Why Should We Preach the Gospel?
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him,
saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom
to
Acts 1: 6-8
When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith.
Abraham Kuyper
The “Dominion Mandate”
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Gen. 1: 28
God commanded Adam to fill the earth with humanity and to be a caretaker of every living thing, to God’s glory and creation’s benefit. Obviously, this was not a command Adam and Eve could accomplish alone. The command was given to individuals, but the scope indicates that God meant it for all humanity.
Then the eleven disciples went away into
Matt. 28: 16-20
The Great Commission of Jesus echoes the Dominion Mandate. This, too, is a command given to individuals, and some of the people He is commissioning have doubts! But the scope of the command is so great that the whole Church must attend to it.
Earlier, Jesus had given the command that His Church was to be a loving and worshiping community.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13: 34-35
But the purpose of His Church was not to be a “warm and fuzzy” family of devout souls, content to maintain itself. The Church was set apart for a task which was to glorify God.
Question 1: What is the chief and highest end of man?
Answer: Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.
The Larger Catechism
Christ’s instructions to His Church did not end with just loving each other and "keeping the doors open." Christ wants His Church to be a conquering community. Our task is to multiply disciples who will fill the earth with covenant communities made up of baptized men, women and children from every race and nation.
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Rev. 7: 9-10
Our task is to teach people the great doctrines of God’s grace which have been entrusted to us and to urge all peoples everywhere to obey all that the Lord has commanded us in His Word. Teach and urge... not coerce and compel. Trust the power of the Gospel. Trust God's irresistible grace.
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;
Christ is the one great head of the Church, with absolute dominion over all creation. But in commanding His Church to evangelize the world and make disciples, He is giving us the responsibility to preach the Gospel effectively.
lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Just as the Dominion Mandate seemed impossibly hard for Adam and Eve, so the Great Commission seems impossible for us. But Jesus has promised to be with us.
In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Col. 2: 11-15
The battle will not be easy, but the outcome is assured.
These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
Rev. 17: 14
What are we to teach?
God’s Plan of Salvation: How do lost sinners become eternally secure saints? People may enjoy listening to Bible stories, but they are starving to learn that their lives have meaning, their struggles are not in vain, and that their place in Heaven is assured.
1. Total Depravity (or Inability) of man
a.
Every mere man since Adam is born with a sinful nature
(Rom.
b.
No man understands the things of God (I Cor.
2. Unconditional Election
a. Left to themselves, all of fallen mankind would choose to reject God; the end result would be that all would end up in hell.
b. But God graciously elected (chose) to draw some to himself through the Holy Spirit.
c. This election was "unconditional" in that there was nothing in us to merit this election.
d. Scripture proof: Jn 6:37-39; 15:16; Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-30; 9:11-23; Eph. 1:4-5; II Thess. 2:13.
3.
Limited (or Particular) Atonement
a. Having thus elected some to eternal life, God sent forth His Son to secure their salvation by His death for their sins.
b.
Both Calvinists and Arminians agree that the atonement
is sufficient to pay for the sins of everyone in the
world (it was an infinite payment), and that it is
efficient only to those who accept Christ (only their
sins will be forgiven that they may be in heaven).
Where they differ is on the intent of the atonement.
The Arminian says that Christ died to make it possible
for all men to be saved, but not guaranteeing that any
would actually be saved. The Calvinist states that
Christ died to secure (guarantee) the salvation of God's
elect (see Gal. 1:4; Matt.
c.
Scripture proof: Christ died not to merely make
salvation possible, but to actually save particular
sinners (Mt.
4. Irresistible (or Efficacious) Grace
a. When God does something the result is certain. When the Holy Spirit inwardly calls a person to believe, that person comes to Christ. We should not picture the person coming against his will. The Holy Spirit gives a new heart and so changes and motivates the man's will that he now desires and loves that which he before hated.
b. Shorter Catechism Question #31: What is effectual calling?
"Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds to knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, He doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the gospel."
c.
Scripture proof: Jn.
5. Perseverance of the Saints
a.
Those whom the Holy Spirit regenerates and brings to
faith in Christ, will be kept by Christ (Jude 1; I Jn.
b.
Scriptural proof: Jn.
c. Those passages which speak of "Christians" falling away and being lost have reference to mere "professors," not true "possessors," of the faith.
And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
II Tim. 2: 2
The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.
Theodore Hesburgh
How can Christ’s people expect to obey His command if they don't know the Gospel well enough to teach others? The Lord has called His Church to the task of making Him known to the world. If we don't know why He came, what He did, and where He is now, how can we be credible witnesses?
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
John 14: 1-3
All saints deserve to know that this promise is true for them. Teaching the Gospel is teaching people why this true. “Evangelism” is simply sharing this good news and leaving the results to God. We are not called to “save souls.”
Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts
“Evangelism” is not offering more enticements than other religions. “Evangelism” is teaching people God’s Plan of Salvation, and not worrying about those who reject it.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
I Cor. 1: 18
We will never convince some people. Trying to is the surest way to lose our sense of purpose.
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
II
Tim. 4: 1-5
It is every Christian’s responsibility to be prepared to share the Gospel.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
II Tim. 2: 15-19
Sin is the enemy
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the
truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of
God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
For since the creation of the world His invisible
attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the
things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because,
although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God,
nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts,
and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to
be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of
the incorruptible God into an image made like
corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and
creeping things.
Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the
lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among
themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie,
and worshiped and served the creature rather than the
Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
The Church’s call to take the Gospel into the world is intended to combat sin, not accommodate it. In the name of tolerance, too many in the Church today find themselves condoning the very things which destroy life as God meant it to be lived. Sin is the cancer which eats at humanity and all creation.
Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
James 4: 1-3
Taking the Gospel into the world means
combating injustice, and hatred, and actively seeking
peace and righteousness.
Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave
them power and authority over all demons, and to cure
diseases. He sent them to preach the
Luke 9: 1-2
Some times the most effective “sermon” is a helping hand.
The Ongoing Battle Within
I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one
who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God
according to the inward man. But I see another law in
my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in
my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver
me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus
Christ our Lord!
So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God,
but with the flesh the law of sin.
The 12 Suggested Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Christians are redeemed sinners. Our sinful nature remains with us until we reach the place Jesus has prepared for us. The best way to combat the sin within is to actively engage in evangelism. It works just like AA. The best way to stay focused on the Gospel is to share the Gospel with others.
Sharing the Gospel requires us to exercise the means of grace – study, prayer, worship – and equips us with a way to avoid sin. Through evangelism, God empowers us to live for His glory. By teaching others to obey all that the Bible commands us, we demonstrate how God enables His redeemed children to overcome sinful temptations of the world, our flesh, and Satan. Through the discipline of evangelism, we experience His transforming power in our lives.
Conclusion
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Through evangelism, we:
*Make disciples;
*Make the world a better place;
*Overcome the passions which rob life of its joy;
*Are transformed into the likeness of Christ through the renewal of our minds.
Eternal God, who committest to us the solemn trust of Life:
Purify our lives. Help us each day to know more of Thee,
and by the power of Thy Holy Spirit use us to show forth Thyself to others.
Make us humble, brave, and loving;
make us ready for whatever work Thou hast for us to do.
We do not ask that Thou wouldst keep us safe,
but that Thou wouldst keep us ever obedient to Thy holy will for us.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen