The Gospel Mandate

 August 1, 2024

Thursday

I read a newspaper article that spoke of trying to get non-believers to become believers was like getting them to join an organization or club. The article criticized Christians giving the gospel and praying for groups to become Christians. It seems the writer thought that you can be anything you want and you'll be okay.  The writer seemed to think that what you are is your own culture which must not be tampered with. The writer either believes in universalism or thinks that our faith is just a personal experience that we should keep to ourselves.

But, how can we? We were commissioned to go into all the world and make disciples. We were called to tell the gospel to those who have never heard it. The first converts were Jews who upon hearing the gospel gave their lives to Christ. The gospel story was expanded to the Gentiles who had a myriad of beliefs before they heard the gospel. Many of these converts were persecuted, imprisoned and killed. Do people think this was just some initiation rites that were being observed? They were treated harshly because they would not back down from their belief. They would not stop sharing the gospel with others.

More people will face condemnation and hell if we do not share the gospel. It is not intended to steal their culture. It is intended to change their ultimate destination. God created us for eternity. He has an eternal place for us. Otherwise, even keeping a culture foreign to Christianity makes no sense. What is the value of posterity to a people who have no value?

God paid the ultimate price so that people could join Him in eternity. Letting your only Son be sacrificed is the ultimate price. Jesus showed the greatest love by giving His life for all of us. We would be devaluing God's love for us in His sacrifice if we didn't share the gospel.

I am sure that this writer doesn't know any of that. I just wish he or she wouldn't write a newspaper article on something which was not known by him or her. This just shows us how far we must go to share the gospel. Most people today in America do not know what it is to be a Christian. We have a long way to go in telling them. Let's get after it.

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NASB 2020) ² For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.