Paul states clearly in 2 Corinthians 5:14 that Christ’s love compelled him to obey the Lord. The word describes a pressure that produces action. It is not enough to say you love what Jesus loves. You must take the next step and prove it by how you live your life. In the area of evangelism Paul did not just talk about sharing his faith; he shared it faithfully. He speaks of his eagerness to go to Rome, Corinth, and other places so that he might share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. He even says he would gladly be cursed so that Israel would be saved.
Paul the apostle was quite different from Saul the Pharisee after his conversion on the road to Damascus. Before he met the Lord he was prejudiced, judgmental, and his heart was full of hatred. He saw Jesus Christ as a just another itinerant preacher who was a self-appointed messianic imposter. Jesus and his followers were seen as an enemy to the Judaism that Saul loved. Now Paul saw Jesus for who He really is as the Lord of heaven, the true Messiah, God incarnate, and the only true Savior.
As a new creation and because of Saul’s miraculous transformation his assessment of Jesus changed. When Christ changed Saul his assessment of everyone else also changed drastically. When you see Jesus for who He truly is then you begin to see others through His eyes. Jesus saw the multitudes and was moved with compassion. He wept over Jerusalem because of their unwillingness to accept the gospel. Peter says the Lord is not willing that any should perish. Does your heart break for those you know who are far from God?
Has Christ’s love for you produced the action of sharing Him with others in your circle of influence? When your heart is right and your relationship with Christ is right then you see people in need of a savior. You have a passion to see others find Christ and to discover who He really is just as Paul did. Because you are a new creation in Christ you have a new creation perspective. Saul at one time hunted down Christians to imprison and even execute them. Now Paul desired to have a fruitful ministry among them.
II Corinthians 5:15, “And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the One who died for them and was raised.” Jesus said He came to seek and save those who were lost. Are you living for that same life purpose? Something is wrong when we are not passionately striving to reach others with the gospel. There is much confusion today about our primary purpose as a church when you focus on a variety of methods and strategies. It is easy to become enamored and consumed more with forms than your primary function.
John MacArthur says, “But there is no confusion in the scripture about what the church’s mission is to be—evangelism.” No, it is not all that matters; but make no mistake about it, nothing matters more. Jesus made our purpose clear when He acknowledged that the Father was a missionary God when He said, “As the Father sent me,” and He gave us our marching orders by saying, “even so send I you.” Evangelism still matters because God’s mission still matters, lost souls still matter, and the Great Commission still matters.
First, make a list of those in your circles of influence (work, school, family, friends, hobbies, etc) and begin praying for them daily. Set a goal to come up with 12-15 people to have on your list. Second, see them through the eyes of Christ who died for them. Paul stopped evaluating people who were far from God from a human point of view. He even said he became all things to all people so that he might win some. With a new creation perspective you do not just see a sinner but a sinner in need of a Savior.
Third, begin loving them the way Christ loves you and work at building a relationship with them. Dedicate yourself to loving them unconditionally while still standing for truth. Jesus ate with sinners and was a friend to sinners, are you? Don’t allow their lifestyle and their viewpoints to keep you from reaching out to them and seeing them from an eternal perspective. Fourth, be ready to share your story. Set a Godly example and regularly demonstrate the love of Christ in a practical way but also be ready to share the gospel in a clear and precise manner.
Fifth, get ready to share your story of redemption by writing out your testimony of how Christ made you a new creation. Memorize it and practice sharing it until it becomes natural and flows in a way that it comes from your heart. Last, think through the process of listening to their story, sharing your story, but of always making sure you share His story. Search the scriptures for passages that focus on evangelism. Lead your church to utilize a schedule of scripture readings over a month to allow God to begin building a culture of evangelism.
When your heart and your relationship with Christ is right then your purpose will be crystal clear and there will be a natural expansion of your missionary witness. Churches are full of programs and activities but evangelism still matters. Is it really a kingdom win if all we are doing is recycling Christians?