By Pastor Chad
In my message Sunday morning, I mentioned three different responses to the life and call of Jesus. Some respond to the call of Christ with simple intrigue or interest, but they are not willing to submit to His Lordship. With this response, people are far more interested in what Jesus can do rather than who He is. Others reject and hate Him; not because Jesus has done something wrong, but because of who He is. And, then there are those who respond to the call of Christ by believing in Him.
The two negative responses above tend to spark staunch emotions from Christians. It is important with every gospel opportunity to react in a way that is conducive to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and in accordance with the character to which we are called. I can think of two improper reactions Christians should avoid when people shun Christ.
First, sometimes, when we see individuals intrigued by Jesus, or interested in His teachings, we are tempted to waterdown or twist the call of the gospel to make the message more acceptable to the lost. We must resist the urge to distort the truth just so we can be liked. Additionally, we must avoid twisting the truth of the gospel just so the lost will like Jesus more. Truth, shared in respect and love, must be maintained at all cost. Your integrity is at stake. To jettison truth for the sake of worldly acceptance is to jettison the God of Truth. Truth is important. Your integrity is important. In fact, your integrity is more important than your life.
Remember, a false gospel cannot save. The only gospel that saves is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. In evangelistic opportunities, strive to present the gospel fairly and accurately.
Next, Christians may also be tempted to get angry or mad when people reject Jesus. I understand. Rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ seems nonsensical to those saved from sin. How can someone reject the opportunity to be saved? How can someone reject the love of Christ? It is helpful to remember: Apart from the grace of God, we all would despise Jesus. Apart from the grace God gives us, we cannot stand the idea of making Him our Lord. In other words, “but for the grace of God,” we would all reject Him. Our hearts are so stained by the impact of sin that none would turn to Jesus apart from the grace He offers. The power and enslavement of sin is so great, outside of God’s mercy, we would all reject Him. Christians tend to be a little more patient and a little more gracious when our own sinful condition comes into picture.
Furthermore, keep in mind, your anger will never be an effective evangelistic tool. The Holy Spirit uses reason, situations, truth, love, Scripture, and more as means of grace to draw people to Himself, but the Holy Spirit has never used belittlement and accostment to win people to Christ. In other words, your anger will do no good at pointing people to Christ. In fact, it will likely have a negative impact on any evangelistic endeavor.
To hear the full sermon, click here.