Christ’s mission to the world – Part 2

One of the proofs that you are following Jesus Christ’s mission is to walk in His footsteps, to possess the same passion He had for saving men from sin, and granting them access to heaven. Actually, most people who attach themselves to the Lord, who identify with Him as their Saviour, engage in some form of evangelism. But not all follow the pattern handed down by the Lord Jesus Christ. He came to seek and save the lost, by dying on the cross for them. Those who engage in un-Christlike evangelism do not attract the recognition of heaven; they are engaged in a waste of time, energy and resources.

Such people are like the Pharisees of Jesus’s days. They were very zealous; they “compass sea and land” to bring people to their fold. But they did not talk about repentance, confession and forsaking of sins because they did not know or believe it. Their converts learnt their ways and became “twofold more the child(ren) of hell.” Such evangelism make people seem to change outwardly, “but within they are full of extortion and excess (and) … all uncleanness … hypocrisy and iniquity.” We cannot bribe anyone to enter the kingdom of God or broaden the narrow way for any sinner, so, we can offer them cheap salvation.

A misguided preacher may water down the entry requirement into the local church, but the deceived, self-satisfied members will miss heaven. Local church growth is not necessarily kingdom growth. Addition to the local church is not necessarily addition to the Book of Life. The destiny of any evangelist who is brainwashing sinners in the hope of acceptance without repentance, faith, salvation and new life in Christ is at stake. Having a healing or deliverance ministry is not a substitute for repentance either. Only those who have repented and believed in the Lord Jesus (whose birth the world is celebrating this season), with the evidence of gracious transformation in their lives have their names written in heaven.

Christlike preaching produces real transformation. The message, when received and believed, leads to conviction, prayer, confession and forsaking of sins. If our message is Christlike and calls people to repentance, it will produce a new life by the grace of God and willingness in the converted to continue to walk with Christ. The Lord calls us to evangelise with truth. When there is truthful and Christ-centred evangelism, people will turn from darkness to light, from sin to the Saviour, from evil to goodness and unrighteousness to righteousness. Our converts will show real transformation.

As the year gradually comes to an end, and we contemplate the portends of the coming year, we must be inspired to engage in Biblical, New Testament and Christ-centred evangelism. This is soul-winning done in fulfillment of Christ’s mission on earth, which should of necessity direct sinners to the Lord. It must also create a hunger in them for a closer walk with Christ, and a deeper experience with Him. The Christians in the church in Thessaloniki are proof of the fruits of such evangelism. (1 Thessalonians 1:9,10). After their conversion, we read of their deeper experience of sanctification, by which they were made holy and acceptable to God. We too can receive the grace to do what the apostles and true evangelists of the New Testament have done through the ages.

• Further reading (King James Version): Matthew 4:17; 9:13; 1:21; Luke 19:10; 1 Timothy 1:15; 1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 2:10; Acts 15:14,28,29. Mark 1:14,15; Luke 13:2,3,5,23-29; 24:47; John 8:11,12,30-44; 2 Peter 3:9. Matthew 23:15,25-28,33; Acts 8:13,18-21; Titus 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:5,7; Revelation 3:1-3; Matthew 7:21-23. Luke 19:5-10; John 17:6,14-16; Acts 2:37-42; 19:18,19; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10.