Category Archives: Evangelism

Gospel Definitions from Christians in the Past – No. 1

Posted by Dan C. on

Gilbert Beebe

Like so many Bible terms, the word GOSPEL has been given various definitions contrary to its original and proper meaning.

The word has its origin “in Christ before the foundation of the world.” This was contained in the “promise” God made before the foundation of the world. (Tit. 1:2) The “gospel,” the “good news” or “good tidings” is the declared fulfilment of that promise.

In Isaiah 61:1-3 is found the outstanding proclamation made by the Sum and Substance of the good tidings, — Jesus Christ Himself:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the meek, He has sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of
vengeance of our God, to comfort all that mourn. To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.”

The Redeemer repeated this same proclamation of Himself in the synagogue.

While this prophetical statement is often quoted, its full significance is rarely understood. In this one sweeping declaration, there is encouched – not the beginning of the gospel, not a part of its fulfilment, – the grand total of what the Son of Man declared on the cross: “IT IS FINISHED”!

The Greek word “evanggelion” is translated “gospel” in the King James Version. This word, together with its rendering of “good tidings,” glad tidings” and “preach the gospel” occurs some one hundred and eight times in the New Testament, none of which intimate anything less than “finished redemption” in Christ.

F.F. Bruce

“Only one saving message is attested by the NT. The “gospel to the circumcision” preached by Peter and his colleagues did not differ in content from the “gospel to the uncircumcised” entrusted to Paul (Gal. 2:7), though the form of presentation might vary according to the audience. Paul’s testimony is, “Whether therefore it was I or they [Peter and his colleagues], so we preach, and so you believed” (1 Cor. 15:11).

The basic elements in the message were these:

1. the prophecies have been fulfilled and the new age inaugurated by the coming of Christ;

2. he was born into the family of David;

3. he died according to the Scriptures, to deliver his people from this evil age;

4. he was buried, and raised again the third day, according to the Scriptures;

5. he is exalted at God’s right hand as Son of God, Lord of living and dead;

6. he will come again, to judge the world and consummate his saving work.”

What is Evangelism?

Posted by Dan C. on

“As Christian ‘evangelists’, we can no more persuade someone to receive/accept/believe in Christ, than we can coax a dead man to dance.”

That’s a paraphrase of something Mark Dever said in an evangelism conference. Evangelism is not our personal testimony, social action, Christian apologetics, or the results/fruit of evangelistic efforts.

Evangelism is to spread the good news of the gospel that Christ died for our sins, was resurrected according to the scriptures, and because of Christ’s death and resurrection, forgiveness and salvation are offered to the sinner.

That means that when share that gospel to those around us, wherever we happen to be at any given moment of our lives, we must include, before we share the earthly benefits of trusting in and following Jesus, we share the true condition of anyone living apart from Christ (dead in sin and facing judgment), offer God’s answer to that terrible and eternal predicament, and pray , trusting God with the results.

What are the requirements to be an evangelist? Simply three:

  • A deep love for obedience,
  • a deep love for the lost, and
  • a deep love for God.

Who should to be an evangelist? Every one of us who would name the Name above all names, Jesus Christ – our Savior and Lord!

Test Question: Are you an evangelist? If not, why not? Want to talk about it?

He is Risen!

Posted by Dan C. on

Perhaps the greatest testimony of the importance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is found in the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian church:

“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” – 1 Cor 15:14-20

Paul provides six disastrous consequences if there had been no bodily resurrection:

1) preaching Christ would be senseless (v. 14);

2) faith in Christ would be useless (v. 14);

3) all the witnesses and preachers of the resurrection would be liars (v. 15);

4) no one would be redeemed from sin (v. 17);

5) all former believers would have perished (v.18); and

6) Christians would be the most pitiable people on the earth (v. 19).

But Christ has risen from the dead and “has become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (v. 20), assuring that we will follow Him in resurrection.

Bad News, Good News?

Posted by Dan C. on

The Wrath of God and the Atonement

The bad news:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” – Rom 1:18 

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience–among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” – Eph 2:1-3

The good news:

“(Christ Jesus), whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.  – Rom 3:25a

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,” – 1 Cor 5:

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” – 1 Jn 2:2

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 Jn 4:10

The writer of Hebrews speaks of the priesthood of Christ, and compares Jesus’ sacrifice to the High Priest’s sacrifices in the OT:

“Therefore he (Christ)had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” Heb 2:17

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” Heb 9:11-12

Propitiation, as defined in Easton’s Bible Dictionary, is that by which God is rendered propitious (favorably disposed as opposed to wrathful toward), i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders it consistent for him to execise his love towards sinners. Christ is “the propitiation,” because by his becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the vicarious punishment which he endured.

It can be said that the ‘bad news’ (the wrath of God) is central to, and must precede, the message of the ‘good news’ (the atonement of Christ), when we who call ourselves ‘evangelical’ Christians present the gospel message to the lost and dying all around us.

How sad it is that many of us not only don’t precede the good news of the Atonement with the bad news of God’s wrath against sin, we don’t mention it at all!

My friends, to not address the issue of sin, God’s hatred of it, and wrath against it, is tantamount to standing at the foot of theCalvary’s Cross and grinding the  Savior’s blood into the dirt!

"Just as I Am"

Posted by Dan C. on

Comments about this grand old hymn by Dr. John MacArthur

“I’m sure that most of us are very familiar with Charlotte Eliot’s old hymn entitled “Just as I am.” That hymn more than any other hymn in the Christian world has been an invitation hymn in evangelistic meetings for years and years. It was penned in 1836 so it’s been around for quite a while. It has been sung and re-sung. In fact, probably is being sung almost every hour of every day somewhere in the world among English speaking people. Billy Graham for one has used that hymn at crusades for over 40 years, designed to move people forward at the invitation after his preaching.

The most familiar verse of that familiar hymn, “Just as I am,” is the first verse and it goes like this: “Just as I am without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me; and that Thou bidst me come to Thee, O Lamb of God I come, I come.” The thoughts that those words meant to cover are a biblical reality. It’s simply a call to sinners to come, to come to Christ who shed His blood for them. They are to come just as they are. That’s what “Just as I am” means. Solely on the basis of faith they are to come and He will save them. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” And Jesus said, “Him that comes unto Me, I’ll under no circumstances cast out,” John 6:37. And the hymn is meant to state that the sinner who wants to come can come just as he is by faith to embrace Christ.

Interestingly enough, however, the erosion of the gospel in our day has given that particular verse and hymn a rather insidious twist. The language of the modern message sounds vaguely similar to “Just as I am,” but the difference in meaning is quite profound. Sinners today, you see, are hearing not only that Christ will receive them just as they are, but also that He will let them stay that way. Many erroneously believe that they can come to Christ, receive absolution from their sins or forgiveness, be granted the gift of immortality, or heaven, and then walk away to continue living life anyway they please, even choosing…as one well-known Bible teacher, author and theologian says, quote: “To leave God out and live according to the old nature.” Beloved, that is the gospel we hear today. Come just as you are and go away just as you are. Jesus will take you just the way you are. In fact, He will let you stay that way.”

The emphasis placed on the last paragraph is mine. It’s a critical and sadly accurate assessment of much of today’s Christian evangelism, and excellent teaching concerning the kind of faith that saves a man and the kind that does not. The entire sermon is available here, and available free of charge for download in audio and PDF formats.

WHY does anyone choose Christ. . .

Posted by Dan C. on

. . .and why is it important as long as we choose?

These days, if you even ask the first part of that, you might be told that it’s not important or that you are just being divisive. The only thing that matters is that a ‘decision’ was made. Some of those who do not think it’s an important question might accuse you of being divisive and maybe even being ‘lost’ and not saved at all! You’re just all into theology and book learning, and since you didn’t provide a testimony with the ‘theology’, about how you went downtown to feed the homeless, you’re just not saved!

My friend, I am here to tell you this morning, as God is my witness, that the answer to that question is of critical importance, and has eternal consequences! It’s the difference between eternal life in the presence of God and an eternity in the everlasting torments of hell!

IF you came to Christ for any other reason than because you realized your desperate straights apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ, that you are a spiritually dead and lost sinner; and realized that God sent His beloved son to die in your place – to suffer the just wrath due your sin; and based upon that realization, you believed in Christ, it is entirely possible that you believed in vain and are as destined for hell this morning  as before you walked an aisle, signed a decision card, or said a special prayer!

Many, if not most invitations to Christ that are offered these days from the stages of alleged ‘churches’ these days are all about having lives ‘fixed in’ one way or another, and never bring up the sin issue, the central and perhaps only issue of biblical evangelism! .

To omit the single most important issue of the gospel message, is to have NO gospel message! To leave out the issue of sin is to be a fraud and a charlatan – a spiritual ‘snake oil’ salesman. To save the sin issue for later (after they like you a lot) and invite people to Christ to have their lives ‘fixed’, is a spiritual ‘bait and switch’ con game.

So this old man is going to continue to ask the question. Eternal lives are at stake!

I am saved because GOD SAVED ME! He gave life to a dead man and opened his ears to hear the gospel and his eyes to see Christ. And when he saw Christ, he desired Him so strongly that there was no way he would not end up at the foot of the Cross. It was ALL God.

Friend, examine your heart this morning. WHY did you choose Christ? IF it was for some other reason, any other reason than for the forgiveness of your sin, you have cause to be concerned about your eternal destiny. Search your soul, search scripture, asking God why He sent His Son to die or you.

This is my plea.

 

‘

life and death

Jesus Christ – Is He Your Savior or Your Judge?

Posted by Dan C. on

We evangelicals make a really bog deal about having a “personal relationship” with Christ, as if those who have not received/accepted Him as Savior have no relationship. Consider the following:

nWhoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not obelieved in the name of the only Son of God.  – John 3:18 (The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001)

The instrumental means of salvation is believing in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. But people who reject the light of the Logos are in the dark (1:5; 8:12) and are therefore already under God’s judgment. They stand condemned. They are like those sinful, dying Israelites who willfully rejected the divine remedy (Num. 21:4-9). A believer in Christ, on the other hand, is under “no condemnation” (Rom. 8:1); he “will not be condemned” (John 5:24). (Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 2:282)

The above passage, words of Jesus in His dialogue with Nicodemus, speaks of two kinds of people, those who are not condemned (under judgment) because they believe in Christ, and those who are condemned already because they do not believe in Christ. The Apostle Peter, during his visit to the household of Cornelius, told his listeners:

And ahe commanded us [the Apostles]to preach to the people and to testify bthat he [Christ] is the one appointed by God to be judge cof the living and the dead.  Acts 10:42 (The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton : Standard Bible Society, 2001

Is it a stretch to say, from these passages, that all men do in fact, at this very moment, have a ‘personal relationship’ with Christ?

Some would say that we missed the point here – that when we evangelize and talk about ‘personal relationship’ we are speaking about a ‘saving’ relationship. True, and that point was not missed. What we do often ‘miss’ in our evangelizing is the relationship of ‘already condemned’. We don’t like to mention it, or if we do, we talk about being ‘eternally separated’ or something ‘milder’ than condemnation, because that might cause people to feel badly about themselves, lose their self- esteem, and run away. 

We propose that the person with whom we share the whole truth about ‘relationships’ with Christ, who has been regenerated  by the Holy Spirit, will be more likely to run to the Cross of Calvary!

n ch. 5:24; [Mark 16:16]

o See 1 John 5:13

 a See ch. 1:2

b ch. 17:31; 24:25; John 5:22, 27; 2 Cor. 5:10; See Matt. 16:27

c 2 Tim. 4:1; 1 Pet. 4:5; [Rom. 14:9, 10; 1 Thess. 4:15, 17]

Give Your Heart to Jesus?

Posted by Dan C. on

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” – Act 16:14 

Why do we often hear it said in personal testimonies “I gave my heart to Jesus. . .” or “I asked Jesus into my heart. . .” ? That’s a rather rhetorical question. Probably because invitations to the Cross of Calvary are phrased the same way, asking those who might be seeking God to ‘do’ one or the other, rather than more biblical approaches that would invite them to simply repent of their sin and believe in the Son, who died in their place and rose again, that they might also be raised from the dead and live.

A few short comments about today’s popular invitations to ask Jesus into one’s heart, or give one’s heart to Jesus:

  • Neither one is to be directly found, or implied in all of New Testament evangelism.
  • On their own, they can dangerously imply that the individual ‘contributes’ to his/her own salvation, impugning the sovereignty of God in salvation.
  • They both give rise to the ‘boasting’ prohibited by Eph 2:8-9:

” For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

And by the way, another question:

If God opens hearts to pay attention to and trust the Gospel message, wouldn’t it mean that ‘giving one’s heart to Jesus’ or ‘asking Jesus in’ are, on some level, redundant acts?

Food for thought. . .

Why Does God Save Sinners?

Posted by Dan C. on

We would love to see a survey of professing Christians in which the above question appeared, either as a stand alone question, or with multiple choice answers.

Does these passages give us a clue to the main reason God forgives and saves sinners?

I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great. (Psalm 25:11)

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake! (Psalm 79:9)

Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you. (Jeremiah 14:7)

We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against you. Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake; do not dishonor your glorious throne. (Jeremiah 14:20-21)

God put [Christ] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25-26)

Your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. (1 John 2:12)

As evangelical Christians, we are charged with spreading the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The manner in which we carry out that charge, the reasons we give for trusting in and receiving Christ as Savior and Lord, will always communicate to the hearers why God desires to save their souls. After all, we all have reasons for why we do what we do and for the decisions we make. We will always give reasons why our hearers should choose Christ. 

The challenge for all of us who are carriers of the good news of Christ is to communicate the right WHY. It is even possible to determine if we in fact are communicating the right ‘why’. We can examine how we present the gospel and ask ourselves if our how communicates the why.

Food for thought. . .

Your Changed Life is Not the Gospel Message

Posted by Dan C. on

It is a ‘given’ that a relationship with God, through the crucified and risen Christ will drastically change one’s life.

It is also a ‘given’ that a life changed life is an important part of what we share with non-believers when pointing them to the Savior.

A changed life, in and of itself, is however not the core message that we must share with those we would lead to Christ. The Apostle Paul declared:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” – Rom 1:16

Paul also declared:

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” – 1 Cor 15:1-4

No matter where Paul traveled and preached, he always centered on this core message. The only thing in question is exactly when the core message was delivered during an evangelistic encounter.

Often, we believers make a ‘changed life’ the centerpiece of our ‘gospel sharing’, followed by an invitation to Christ based on personal benefits to be obtained in this life, rather than Paul’s core message of the death and resurrection of Christ for our sin – the message that actually contains ‘the power of God for salvation!

Been there, done that!

Food for thought. . .