"Hello" and "Thank You" for subscribing to our e-newsletter!
 
 
In last month's newsletter, I mentioned that I had heard a woman ask "why do Christians always try to spread their beliefs to others?  Why can't they just leave everyone else alone?"
 
I promised to share my opinion of the answers to those questions as God has impressed them upon my heart.  Please note that I am not taking credit for my answers as they are a compilation of many Christian commentaries (by theologians much more educated than I am :-) as well as information I have studied in my journey.  However, I do take credit for anything stated incorrectly, I have written this and I am to blame for any deficiency you may find...here goes!
 
There are several reasons a Christian is intentionally vocal (or should be) about their faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world:
 
First and foremost, sharing our faith in the one true God is why we were created in the first place!  In Isaiah 43:7 and Colossians 1:16, we read that God is the Creator and that we are created for His glory.  In John 14:6, Christ Himself makes it clear that salvation is through Him alone.  The penalty for sin is death and every one of us is a sinner, so, without accepting Christ's sacrifice on our behalf, we will endure everlasting separation from God...eternity in Hell!  We all have a very specific and shared purpose for our life; to bring honor and glory to God by loving God and loving others.  If we truly love God, then we must truly love others.  If we truly love others, then we must tell them about God's saving grace through Christ!
 
In my Perspectives course, God's purpose is described in this way:  "For His glory in global worship, God purposes to overcome evil by redeeming a people who will love and obey Him within every people."  There are three directions to His purpose; toward God, for people, and against evil.  God desires all nations to worship Him; therefore, world evangelization is ultimately for God.  God intends to bring a redemptive blessing, through Christ, to all people, nations, tribes and tongues.  God has already defeated evil (sin, death and Satan) through Christ, but He will fully destroy evil in the end times and then His Kingdom will fully reign forever.
 
God intends to accomplish His mission of reaching all the nations through us!  Genesis 12:1-3, Psalm 67, Isaiah 49:6, Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20, all speak of our role in ushering in the fullness of the Kingdom of God by sharing Him with the world.  Matthew 24:14 clearly tells us that Christ will not return again until world evangelization occurs.  Obviously, no one accepts God but by the power of the Holy Spirit; we plant and nurture seeds of faith, but only God makes them grow!  I think Romans 10:11-15 coupled with Isaiah 52:7 provide a nice backdrop for world evangelization; we share the truth of God for Him, for His glory, to proclaim His Kingdom, and, in doing so, we also show compassion and love for others by sharing the way of salvation through Jesus!
 
As believers, God has mandated that we participate in world evangelization!!!  We are His ambassadors, His witnesses, His servants, and a part of His method to bring ultimate honor and glory to Himself, to usher in the fullness of His everlasting Kingdom, and to bring salvation to the ends of the earth...We are His Church!  I love the way Tim Dearborn sums it up:  "It is insufficient to proclaim that the Church of God has a mission in the world.  Rather, the God of mission has a Church in the world."
 
Authentic Christians must share the One True God with all the nations because we are commanded to, entrusted to, and blessed with the responsibility of doing so, by God Himself.  We have been blessed to be a blessing, so that God will receive glory and honor from our lives, so that His reputation will be increased by our existence, so that others may accept Him and be saved from hell, so that Christ will return to reign in everlasting justice; we share because we love God and His love for us has compelled us to love others.
 
As I have written this, I have been forced to ask myself, "Am I really a Christian?"  How about you?
 
May the Lord Bless you with wisdom and insight as you ponder Him afresh and may He make the garden of your heart bloom with salvation for your soul!!!
 
With his love,
Mark D. Halla
Steward