by Pastor James Lee
Ephesians 4:15 says that God’s people are called to “speak the truth in love.” John 1:14 says that our Lord Jesus Himself is: ”the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Evangelism is a “both/and”, not an “either/or”, of truth and grace. We love on people, but we uniquely love on them with the truth, ultimately regarding what they need, not merely what they want or “feel” they need. John Piper challenged the hellish idea of withholding gospel good via substitution:
“The essence of loving other humans is exalting the glory of God for their enjoyment. That’s what love is ultimately. You can define love in other kinds of lesser ways – doing good things for other people, laying down your life for people, meeting the needs of people, and if you don’t get to this point, it is aiming at, aiming at their seeing and savoring the joy to the glory of God, you don’t love them. If you don’t want the people to whom you do good to see more of God and enjoy more of God and live forever in the enjoyment of more of God, you don’t love them! The world will say you do, but you don’t, because you don’t care about the ultimate satisfaction of their souls forever in God.”
In Part 1, I began my broader, biblical argument that we need to debunk the popularized idea that one can evangelize without verbal proclamation, further perpetuated by a popular quote, that has been falsely attributed to St. Francis Assisi, which says, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” Not really. Actually, just, “No!” There is no “if.” It is most necessary!
In Part 2, I began my refutation of the demon doctrine that says we have legitimately shared the gospel simply by performing acts of kindness. We did this by considering the most common prooftext used in support of the myth of non-verbal proclamation – Matthew 5:16, in which Jesus authoritatively declares, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” First, we don’t fail to shine because of darkness; we fail to shine because we refuse to shine. Second, it is not good works that save, but the good news that saves. In this last installment, let me continue arguing against non-verbal “evangelism” by stating:
3. Outside Verbal Proclamation, We Can Only Draw Attention to Ourselves, Not to God
Our good works can never be a method to save ourselves, let alone save others. The biblical pattern is twofold: God does all the saving through the means of His Word preached (Rom 10:17) and the sovereign work of His Spirit (John 3:7-8). Yes, good deeds should adorn our evangelistic words, and be the loving overflow of our new life in Christ. And there’s an exhortation for all of us in spurring each other on toward love and good deeds, because our practice does not always line up well with our profession. As a result, we should walk the talk, we should be credible in our witness, but the essential matter is making clear the message, not the messenger. In regards to the unadulterated gospel, the message is independently true of the messenger. So “boasting” about one’s works is really no better than the one who shares the gospel yet boasts about himself in sharing the gospel. In fact, one might suggest, it’s worse? Because in the latter, the message is declared, and in the former, the message is not declared at all. It’s why, despite the evil motives and hurtful rivalry from men who sought to afflict him while in prison, that Paul could happily declare in Philippians 1:18, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice!” The word “good” in Greek, which qualifies “works” in Matthew 5:16, is kalos, which speaks not of quality, which is important, but it speaks of the attractiveness or beauty God is working in us. And the divine purpose of our shining is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to God who is responsible for the good works in our lives. But without the gospel being proclaimed, our good works do not magnify God’s grace and power in the sight of those who suppress the truth in righteousness… but us?! It should be our evangelistic happiness when the attention is drawn to Christ, and our unhappiness when our good deeds stop short of an unbeliever’s interaction with Jesus. Jesus declared that the result of our good works should be glory to the Father, but that can’t happen without God being known, the gospel being proclaimed. Our prayer should be as David’s in Psalm 115:1, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, But to Your name give glory.” Soli Deo Gloria!
But when the gospel is not proclaimed, and all the watching world sees is our good deeds apart from the gospel, there isn’t anything distinctively Christian about them, anything to point people to Christ through them. As I argued in Part 2, then surely the Mormons and the Buddhists and our non-believing friends who serve the 3rd world through the Peace Corps or donate blood at the local ballpark, must be saving people too? No, that is not the case. We can’t say that, we should not say that. That’s obvious. So, there’s perhaps something more insidious going on in the hearts of those who perpetuate the myth of non-verbal evangelism. In fact, let me suggest that fear of rejection prevents many believers from evangelizing by shifting attention from Jesus to themselves. When supposedly people are big and God is small, man-centered fear and anxiety, then trumps Christ-centered trust and obedience. Conversely, let me suggest that’s one of the reasons why many people, being deceived by their hearts (Jeremiah 17:9), will justify their non-evangelism by saying they “evangelize” with their good deeds. They want to salve a guilty conscience, cover their disobedience, substitute external obedience elsewhere for heart obedience everywhere. In order to avoid evangelism, they’ll justify it with church ministry or philanthropy or sincerity or some past performance. In that vein, God admonished King Saul through His prophet in 1 Samuel 15:22-23, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD?” If you tell your son to mow the lawn, and he brings you a coke that you never asked for, as a bribe to not mow the lawn, do you call that obedience? No. But, that’s why people prefer the self-justification of good works, rather than the heart-obedience of evangelism. Not because good deeds are always easy, they’re not. But it’s easier to give our money than our life, it’s easier to rely on one’s legalistic “righteousness” than to admit our unrighteousness, it’s easier to physically feed the homeless than to spiritually confront fellow sinners, it’s easier to teach a Sunday School class than to share the gospel with our next door neighbor, it’s easier to pick a time for a few hours a few times a year than to devote every opportunity in every place to the Great Commission. If given a choice, we’d prefer that which is less daunting, over what is more needful. And part of the problem, is that we actually think we have a “choice” in which aspects of the Lord’s will applies to us, rather than to stop our excuses, repent, trust, and obey. The more God-centered a direction we’re growing, the less “self” will be in the equation, be it self-anxiety or self-boasting.
We’re not the message, just the messengers. But the messenger has a moral responsibility and spiritual stewardship to make clear the message of God, from God. Our job is not to draw attention to ourselves, but to the message, and our lives will either cause people to consider the message and hear the message and test the message, or our lives will tempt the watching world to disregard it, ignore it, trivialize it, and dismiss it. We can’t cause people to ultimately reject the message, but we can poorly communicate the message, or worse: not communicate it at all. Let me encourage all of us this way. Too many of us have accepted the myth that successful evangelism is only when people accept Christ. No, our success or failure in evangelism is measured not by converts, but by our obedience or disobedience. The results are ultimately all up to God, thus we rejoice and submit to the truth that God does, in fact, deserve all the glory! No kudos for us; we’re only doing our privileged duty. Paul declared in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” Evangelism is an act of worship, glad submission to the Lordship of Christ, and the fruit of growing in Christlikeness.
4. Shining is An Internal Reality With External Effects
Out of the heart proceeds life or death. We’re shown credible when we speak! Verily, verily, we’re shown credible when we speak! And to be ashamed of verbally proclaiming the gospel is, at some heart-breaking level, to discredit the gospel and dishonor Christ. It is to declare by our example that the gospel doesn’t have the glad grip on us we claim. Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Paul says it’s the omnipotent power of God, not the power of man. If we don’t believe it enough to share it, then why would anyone else? If we don’t stand in humbled awe to obey Him in proclaiming the message, why should they believe? Of course, we shouldn’t be mucking up the message, if our lives don’t back up what we preach. In some sense, perhaps it’s better to say nothing, only for the immediate moment, if our lives are a total and willful contradiction. On the other hand, we shouldn’t wait until we’re all cleaned up before we tell others about Jesus. After all, we’re sinners speaking to other sinners, and the fact we speak as fellow sinners lends credibility, clarity and consistency to our proclamation and the power of God in His message. We must live out what we believe, not just morally, as many Christians erroneously limit it to, but also theologically. Charles Spurgeon said, “We must have the truth burnt into our souls, or it will not burn on our lips.”
For example, dear parents, if we’re not evangelizing lost people, then we’re teaching our children who observe our lives something contrary to our profession. We’re part of a generation where droves of our children (over 90%) are leaving the faith that they never owned because it didn’t seem their parents owned it either. Why? Ultimately, each of them rejected God on their own terms, to which there is no blameshifting, but that was grown in many cases in the soil of parental hypocrisy. If we don’t believe the gospel enough to share it, then why should our children believe it, let alone share it? That inconsistency is killing off an entire generation. And it doesn’t help that in my observation, many pastors and seminarians, also are not visible examples of personal evangelism outside the safe confines of their ministries to their own congregations. Not the results, but the faithfulness. In contrast, Andrew Murray lived an exceptionally holy life. Among those on whom his influence was the greatest were his own children and grandchildren. 5 of his 6 sons became ministers of the gospel and 4 of his daughters became minister’s wives. 10 grandsons became ministers and 13 grandchildren became missionaries. Be the real thing! God’s grace is spoken powerfully by fellow sinners whose lives are observably being transformed! We’re credible only if we speak, clear only if we speak, compassionate only if we speak, Christian only if we speak, consistent only if we speak, obedient only if we speak. Let us speak boldly and lovingly, and in so doing, we will see the Lord work, even if only for the sanctifying means it is for us, as we walk intimately with Him.
We have to be ready at all times to speak to every man! 1 Peter 3:15 says, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” That’s why I believe every Christian needs to be able to share the gospel on the spot, not “if”, but “when” called upon. There’s a Satan-inspired evangelically respectable sin, that in false humility seeks to simply pass that evangelistic readiness to ministry “professionals” or more “gifted” people. It’s why, in my opinion, cold-turkey evangelism is non-negotiable training and equipping for every Christian. We might not be as comfortable as others when it comes to street evangelism, or have the same opportunity or passion, but we can be faithful when an opportunity comes (even actively cultivate those very opportunities). We have to be ready at all times! We can’t be biased for some people and not others, and if we’re on missions, we don’t wait for people to come to us, we go to them.
As a personal principle, true maturity of church members is evidenced not when it gathers, but when it scatters. As a pastor, it means far less to me, regardless of all that you might be doing at church or are gifted at or all that you’ve learned thus far, if your character isn’t developing and your discipleship isn’t translating out into the marketplace, home, and the real world. Contrary to what many people think, as a painfully introverted person myself, let me suggest that street evangelism is not the hardest form of evangelism. Which is harder? Sharing the gospel with strangers or friends? Usually it’s easier with strangers because there’s more of a “cost” for us with people we already know. The hardest thing is most often the most neglected thing. Therefore, if we can’t do the easier, we’re already probably aren’t doing the harder. The heart to obey the Lord will surface regardless of the context it’s placed in. We should encourage genuine outreach wherever it exists, so this isn’t to lay down a guilt trip or nullify whatever gospel proclamation we’re engaging in or to wrongly establish one form of legitimate evangelism as being superior or preferred over any other equally legitimate expression. Nevertheless, it’s rarely ever the case, that one is sharing the gospel consistently, when one isn’t equipped and willing to share the gospel anywhere. This isn’t to say street witnessing is easy. It’s not. And the harder path isn’t always the best path, just ask any sinner who suffers badly because of some sin. But, avoiding the harder road when God calls you to it, isn’t wisdom, it’s disobedience. At the same time, for those of us who might be functionally limiting our evangelism to street witnessing, we have to go far beyond that. We have to learn to share gospel in every circumstance, including through ongoing friendships. And that takes patience and wisdom, as well as boldness and intentionality. Evangelism in the workplace or among fellow soccer moms, has nuances that are different than evangelism on a college campus or with a person sitting next to you at the bus stop.
In the end, we can’t be salty in the lives of others if we’re still stuck in the saltshaker. We can’t be light it if we’re locked up in the room with the shades closed or in some monastery. We have to love others, and we have speak words of gospel truth, in that love of others. John Stott commenting on Matthew 5:16 says it well, “It seems that good works is a general expression to cover everything a Christian says and does because he is a Christian, every outward and visible manifestation of his Christian faith. Since light is a common biblical symbol of truth, a Christian’s shining light must surely include his spoken testimony… Evangelism must be counted on as one of the good works by which our light shines and our Father is glorified.” Thus, we should be people who are kind, honest, compassionate to defend victims of abuse, quick to lend a hand to hurting strangers. We should tip very well, work excellently to the Lord at the office, and have lots of joy. Why? Because we’re genuinely following the Lord Jesus Christ and grateful for His grace! Yet, we don’t do good deeds as some method to save people. We do so, because we really do love them, as Christians. And in that, we might do so, to strategically draw their attention, for the opportunity to speak the gospel, but we do not replace verbal proclamation with some supposed “non-verbal gospel.” Good works flow from us because that’s what we’re saved for and prepared for (Ephesians 2:10). Again, we don’t do good works to get saved, we do good works because we’re saved. That demonstrates the reality of the message. The biggest hindrance to shining brightly for the gospel is not a failure to know apologetics better, not a failure to be more creative or funny, not any personal lack of eloquence, nor some failure to apply the right techniques. It’s not any of those things. You see, evangelism is not the whole of life or part of life, but the issue in evangelism is Christ Lord of your life! There are many things I regret, things I should have said, but didn’t say, things I shouldn’t have said, but said. Yet, I never ever have regretted sharing the gospel! Nor have you. Nor will you. But, there are also few things more regrettable… than not sharing the gospel. Let’s speak the gospel!
We need not be ashamed! No need to be ashamed! No excuse for being ashamed! When you are tempted like I am to be ashamed of the gospel, and it’s very often for me, then preach the Word to yourself and remember His grace to you. As His ambassadors, we’re becoming like Him, and we are sure, in Christ, to prevail! The day is coming when darkness will be gone. We’re on the winning side! Let’s not act otherwise! Mark Dever weaves exhortation and encouragement into one biblical fabric, “We do not fail in our evangelism if we faithfully tell the gospel to someone who is not subsequently converted; we fail only if we do not faithfully tell the gospel at all.”
Therefore, strive for biblical success in simply being faithful to live in a manner worthy of the gospel. Obey your calling to herald the good news! Be ready, in season and out of season, “to preach the gospel at all times”, for it IS necessary, to use words.
