Evangelism
What we believe about God, conversion, and our job will affect how confident we are in evangelism.
Sin and Evangelism
Friday we discussed the 1689 ch. 6 Of the Fall of Man, Sin, and the Punishment Thereof. As we examined the state of mankind in light of our universal fallen state in Adam, I asked how the doctrine of the fallenness of mankind should affect our evangelism.
“no one understands;
no one seeks for God.”
Romans 3:11
Paul quotes the Psalms to make plain mankind’s state before Christ’s intervention. Because of sin, we want nothing to do with God. Scripture tells us that we are children of wrath, suppressing the truth. So what’s the point in evangelism?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power to save.
We believe that the Gospel works like a spear to pierce the darkened heart of the lost when the Holy Spirit illuminates the mind. The Good News that Jesus, the Son of God stepped down into creation, united with humanity in the flesh, lived perfectly, received the wrath of the the Father and died the death you and I deserve because of our sinfulness. Three days later He raised from the dead for our justification before the Father and ascended to the right hand of the Father in all authority and power. Now, He commands all to see His victory over sin and death, loath our sinful impotence to do anything to please God and to believe in and hide under His finished work for us. This foolish message (1 Cor. 1:27, 2:2) is the vehicle that brings a dead man back to life, puts a new heart where his wicked one once was.
So what does this have to do with evangelism? If all mankind is by nature and choice positioned against God and the only way to change that is through the plain and simple delivery of the message of the Gospel then our job is simply to deliver it.
This means that while apologetics and argument have their place, answering questions is helpful, it’s not what saves a person. Having eloquence or a PhD in philosophy will not save a person. The foolishness of the cross is what saves them. Not only that, but they must be made alive by the Spirit of the Living God, become aware of their sinfulness and Christ’s offer of substitution leading to repentance.
What we concluded, and I hope encourages you today in your explicit duty to declare God’s mighty works in Christ, is that our job is not as scary as it feels. If they think we’re dumb when we share the Gospel, may it be. If they are utterly unconvinced, very well. It isn’t an intellectual ascent of data points that makes a man alive. They weren’t looking for God before you shared the Gospel with them.
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?”
2 Cor. 2:14-16
That last line is helpful. Who is sufficient for this work? Nobody. You can’t save folks. Only Jesus through the Holy Spirit by the Gospel declared can one be saved. Is it helpful to have answers to common questions about Christianity? Sure. But, remember, a child can share the Gospel and God can save with it. You have a job to do, share the Gospel. Speak of their violation of God’s perfect law, the coming judgment, and the escape in Christ. Expect that people are dead in their sin, and that some will reject you. But, what did you expect? To some the fragrance of the Gospel is a stench of death. But, to those God is saving, it’s a sweet fragrant aroma.
Trust Christ, the King who gave us the command to go. That He will save some by our work of simply sharing the Gospel.
Parenting Conference
Conversations on Parenting was a great success! All the sessions went well and we had lots of thoughtful questions asked at the end. It’s wonderful work, knowing that nuggets caught from our talks can have a lasting generational impact on raising godly children in a hostile world.
The Voice of God
Sunday I popped into Psalm 29 and preached on the voice of God in the midst of calamity. We concluded with the reality that when we behold God’s mighty works we can receive His strength and peace. Check it out!
Prayer Requests
Pray for a meeting I will be having tomorrow with a prospective couple who are interested in joining the church plant team. We are very excited to discuss, however want to proceed prayerfully and with wisdom.
Pray for our church (RBC) as we just finished our adult Sunday school material (Daily Doctrine: DeYoung) and will begin our 6 weeks on biblical church leadership.
Pray for a dear sister Wendy here at RBC that is having some health challenges.
Pray for our brother Andrew who is planting Gospel Hope Church in Idaho. His most recent email update is full of encouragement and transparency as he sees God show us in unexpected ways and faces challenges along the way.
