Responsibility in Evangelism

Here are a few thoughts on evangelism.

There is a key responsibility placed upon the unbeliever:

“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now hecommands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).

This is a command to all people everywhere. However,all people everywhere have not heard this command.

Let's look at the responsibility placed on the believer:

“For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will besaved.’ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And howcan they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hearwithout someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they aresent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring goodnews!’ But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says,‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ Consequently, faith comes from hearingthe message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans10:13-17).

“To open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light,and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness ofsins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:18).

“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupidarguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant mustnot be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant themrepentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come totheir senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captiveto do his will” (2 Timothy 2:23-26).

“Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatchingthem from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even theclothing stained by corrupted flesh” (Jude 22-23).

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation hascome: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciledus to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: thatGod was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sinsagainst them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We aretherefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal throughus. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians5:17-20).

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heavenand on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of allnations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of theHoly Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Andsurely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).

These few sections are very heavy on the responsibility ofthe believers. They are the ones who are sent to bring good news. They are theones who make disciples, who turn them from the power of Satan to God, whosnatch men from the fire, who are kind and gentle, who have the ministry andthe message, and who implore on Christ's behalf to be reconciled to God.

Please reconsider whether any of these responsibilitiesdescribe you.

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