We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)
The way we live does not affect the truth of the gospel. A Christian living well does not make the gospel truer; a Christian living badly does not make the gospel less true. But a Christian living well does make the gospel more plausible.
We live in a self-loving, self-serving, me-first world; and where people see a community of people who love Christ and humbly serve others for his sake, the gospel will get some attention.
Someone will object, “What’s the point of proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord to people who can’t see the light of the gospel? Isn’t this a formula for frustration?” The church is always under pressure to talk about everything else except Christ, “We must talk about the family. We must talk about money. We must talk about purpose. We must talk about the things that the unbeliever understands, everything except Jesus Christ as Lord.”
Through the gospel, God shines his light into human hearts. Here is the great paradox: If we preach what the unbeliever can see, he won’t see. We must preach what the unbeliever can’t see, so that he will see. Jesus said, “As I am lifted up, I will draw people to myself” (John 12:32).
Not everyone who hears the gospel will be saved. Some remain in darkness. But God shines his light into human hearts through the gospel. Thank God for shining his light into your life. Pray that he will do it for others. Let’s give our lives to a humble gospel ministry.
React to this, “We must talk about the things the unbeliever understands, everything except Jesus Christ as Lord.”
