Christianity is a life that is built upon faith AND good works. Biblical Christians would be quick to see that both faith and good works are enabled by God because he is the one who changes the hearts of men and gives them the right desires. Good works don’t save us but they are a byproduct of being saved.
In order to be saved one must hear a certain biblical message woven through the bible starting in Genesis 3:15 but contained within both the old and new testament.
The theme of the bible if I could summarize it in one word is redemption. God made a world that was perfect in all it’s ways fully pleasing to God, yet man with opportunity, chose against God, sinned and his nature as well as the world became cursed (not fully cursed) but in need of redemption (rescue through a purchase). Today the message that Christians share with others is called the gospel. Jesus has rescued us with his blood sacrifice and perfect life.
The gospel is made up of two greek words, one meaning good and the other relating to a message. Gospel means good message. The great message in the bible is that while we have been born with a sinful nature, live sinfully and are at enmity with God, God chose to save some. His means is the gospel, and his messengers are his people.
When a person is born again (made spiritually alive) they now want to love God, the word of God, Gods people and Gods message (the gospel) and will want to share it.
So why do we evangelize? We evangelize simply because God has changed our hearts so that we love Him and people who don’t know him.
The first reason we evangelize is out of obedience. Jesus told us to go to people (Matthew 28:16-20) with the gospel because it is the means of being saved, and God has positioned his people with faith to share it. He has commanded us to go out of the church into the world and share the good news (Luke 14:23).
Second we do it for his glory. The most glorious message we could share is that which reconciles people to God. We can help people, provide for them,care for them, BUT if we never share the gospel, and people don’t hear it, they will go to hell (Matthew 16:26). The most important person people need to know accurately and salvifically, is the God of the bible and his work of salvation.
Third we do it because we love people. The two great commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor. (Mark 12:30-31). Your neighbor is every human being. The most loving thing we can do to anyone who has not been reconciled to God, forgiven of their sins and declared righteous is to share the gospel so that they might hear and believe and be saved (Romans 10:9).
If we believe all of the bible and understand the bible then these reasons above ought to motivate us to share the gospel with people.
Be encouraged, learn the word, learn the gospel and share it, and see the joy of your salvation in giving away freely what was given to you.
