Some time ago I said I would interrupt my “world-views” series to talk about the missions trip I went on. Well, now I’m done with the missions trip, so I guess I should go back to the world-views (Islam would be next)… But I don’t feel like talking about Islam at the moment…
So instead I’ll write a little bit about evangelism (I went to a Dare2Share conference a few weeks ago so this is prominent in my mind).
The whole purpose of Dare2Share is to ignite a fire in believers to spread the Gospel. Through skits, sermons, and music (Desperation Band played at our particular conference), this organization shows the need the world has for Jesus. It definitely impacted me.
Okay, enough of the sunday school stuff. Romans 1:14-15 states:
“I am under obligation both to the Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (ESV) (The King James has “bondage” instead of “obligation”).
In summary, Paul has a serious desire to spread the Gospel.
As Christians, we have the truth (Gospel) because the Truth (Jesus, not Paul Pierce) became flesh to save us. This is mind-blowing, earth-shaking, heart-piercing stuff. Do Christians have the same desire of Paul to evangelize?
Speaking from my vantage point, I would say no. I generally sit on a couch and do nothing about the power God has given me. Why? For the most part*, I am lazy and fearful. I don’t want someone to give me a dirty look. I also don’t want to interrupt my comfortable life for this dude named Jesus.
Contrast this to Paul. He looks at the Jews and Greeks and feels that he owes them the Gospel. As in, he looks at them and feels like he is obligated to them. He has to pay them the Gospel to be free. Romans 1:14 makes it clear that he has some serious motivation.
Have you ever done something so bad that immense guilt was weighing on you? I have, and it it truly is a bondage. The only way I could get rid of the guilt was to apologize to the person.
Paul feels the same way… about Jesus! Instead of an apology, however, he feels obligated to spread the Gospel. He is in bondage to spread the freedom of the Gospel to those in bondage to their sins (wait a second… read again).
But how can he do this? In the next verse (16) he states, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (KJV).
He can do this because he is unashamed. Jesus didn’t die so that Paul and I can turn around and be scared at someone cursing us out. Let’s spread the Word.
*The “other part” of why some Americans don’t evangelize could be because of the unconscious pollution of the hyper-calvinistic view “God will bring people into churches, we don’t have to outreach” that has trickled into the Church. I didn’t mention this because deeper theology would’ve killed the flow of the post.
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