Ephesians
2: 3-5 « among whom also we all once
conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the
flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the
others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He
loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved). »
Galatians
3: 26-28 « For you are all sons of God
through faith in Christ Jesus. For as
many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither
Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor
female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. »
This text is an
invitation to introspection for those of us who evangelize our brothers and
sisters as Jesus Christ recommended. The following questions will form the
basis of this introspection:
-
Do I preach the love of
Christ or the fear of God's wrath and hell?
-
Do I judge and condemn,
or preach forgiveness and salvation?
-
Does my approach draw
souls to Christ or push them away from Him?
-
When I meet someone who
hasn't accepted Jesus yet, do I present the gospel as if I'm the only righteous
person in Sodom, or as a sinner who's been saved by grace?
Often,
non-Christians see us as guardians of the law who judge and condemn others.
They see us as righteous people who have never sinned, doing them a favour by
preaching the gospel. Sadly, this is the image that most of us present. This
image is not that of someone who brings people together for Christ but rather
someone who instigates frustration and confrontation, fueling revolt and
rebellion against Christianity.
This lack of
humility has always been counterproductive, as it leads us to believe that we
are infallible and that we deserve salvation more than others. However,
everything we have is the result of God's grace. We sin every day, even after
accepting Christ. And nowhere in the Bible have I seen that murder is worse
than lying, so all acts that are contrary to God's principles bear the same
name: “sin.”
God was not
looking for someone who had sinned less than all the inhabitants of Sodom and
Gomorrah, but He was looking for a “righteous” person. God did not find one at
that time to spare those two cities from destruction, and even today He would
not find one, because there still is not one anywhere on earth. Hence, the need
to be justified in Jesus first to have eternal life, for it is reserved for the
righteous. Titus 3:7 “that having been justified by His grace we
should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Therefore, it is important
that our approach to evangelism be based on the transforming love of Christ and
not on a punishing God. We must also demonstrate the love we preach by showing
patience and empathy during the transformation process of our brothers and
sisters. For this depends on the will, plan, and timing of God, who works
through the Holy Spirit. This transformation
can be instantaneous or gradual, depending on God's plan. We have all had a
vice or addiction that has lingered in our lives simply because we loved the
object of that sin more than the truth in Jesus. The indispensable help of the
Holy Spirit is what enables our love for Jesus to grow stronger than our desire
for sin, allowing us to overcome it. Everyone has experienced or is currently
experiencing this battle of the spirit against the flesh. It helps us be humble
because it reminds us that our walk with God in holiness is an ongoing process
supported entirely by the Holy Spirit. We depend on our communion with the Holy
Spirit and obedience to his instructions; otherwise, we are guaranteed to fall.
Let us always
remember that we have all been called by Jesus for His plan of salvation, His
Church, His work. No one has been called for our personal glory. We are merely
instruments God uses to spread His word. Therefore, it is not our role to judge
and condemn others. However, this is not an invitation to alter the truth of
the Gospel to appease others. Deuteronomy 4: 2 « You shall not add
to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the
commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. »
In order to help
others discern good from evil, truth from falsehood, and what glorifies God
from what does not, we must speak clearly, without adding or subtracting
anything. We must call sins by their names. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).
However, it is
essential to remind them continually that in Christ, there is no condemnation. Let us
stop harming the body of Christ by dividing it with our behaviour as moralizers
without blemish who condemn others. Instead, let us preach the love of God, who
removes all condemnation and has transformed us—and can still transform us!
We should stop trying
to replace the Holy Spirit!
2
Corinthians 4 : 5-7 “ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ
Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the
God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of
the power may be of God and not of us.”
