Motivations Towards Evangelism
Evangelism is a dying art in the Church today. Gone are the days of faithful witnessing, preaching, and motivation to see lost souls saved for eternity. We simply have no passion or desire to declare this essential message.
This is sad to witness today. Our hearts should be on fire to proclaim this message to the lost. Sadly, many Christians are indifferent. We should be moved, knowing that countless sinners are on their way to Hell. Instead, we focus on ourselves and our own comforts without much thought to eternity. The lost keep running into the fiery embrace of Hell. Meanwhile, our motivation seems to keep descending lower and lower. What can we do to regain lost motivation towards evangelism?
Souls Saved for Eternity
Doing evangelism is how souls find their way to heavenly mercy. Imagine you were poisoned. What if the only person with the antidote withheld it from you? That is what happens when we have an opportunity to evangelize and convince ourselves not to speak. The fate of the lost is worse than death. They are on the path to eternal suffering. Why would we suppress the solution to their destiny when it is so readily free and available to give?
The only way unbelievers will come away from this path is by God’s grace. This grace is found in the message of the Gospel. God has appointed His people for the task of sharing that message. Such says the Apostle Paul: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Rom. 10:14-15). You and I are, therefore, instruments towards the proclamation of the Gospel. People can come to faith through the Gospel words we speak. Knowing this, we have to be willing to go and speak heartfelt words of truth. Eternity is on the line for these souls. Will you watch sinners march to Hell without trying to help them understand where they are going?
If you take up this call, then imagine how Heaven will look. You can peer down the halls of that glorious Kingdom, seeing numerous souls. Some may well be there because you took up this call. Taking up this call, you said: “I will beg and plead with sinners to repent and come to Christ.” Assuming some of them did, you will see that fruit in eternity. What a motivation to push us to get out there and to do evangelism.
Christ’s Glory
That does not mean, however, that all our efforts will see the fruit of conversion. Isaiah was clear: “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Is. 55:11). This means that wherever the Gospel is proclaimed faithfully, it will not miss its mark.
That does not mean all who hear will come to faith. It means that God’s purpose in our evangelism will be accomplished. It is important to realize that evangelism is not directly about saving souls. Rather, it is about showing people Christ (Rom. 10:17). Some people will respond with repentance and others with a deeper hatred for the Gospel. What their response is is not our guide. We are concerned with glorifying Jesus through proclaiming His message.
It is our call to do so: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). None of us are free from this call. Christ is glorious and He desires the nations to see His glory (Is. 52:15). You and I have both been woken from our state of spiritual death and decay to see this glory (Eph. 1). If we have truly been enraptured by this glory, then we will live and breath to show it to others. We have no problem recommending music, movies, and books to people. Why would we think twice before we share Christ’s glory?
May this encourage you to tell people about our wonderful Savior. We have a magnificent calling. It should be our delight to partake in its demands of us. We can also be thankful, because that Word never misses its mark. Christ will always be glorified by a faithful proclamation of the Gospel. Whether a sinner is pushed further to Hell or brought to repentance, Christ’s glory will shine forth. You and I hold the treasure of this message within us (2 Cor. 4:7). He is glorified by His feeble and fragile people being the instruments of His powerful message. Will you and I go and do this work? Will we take up the mantra of the Great Commission, apply it to our lives, and seek to see Christ glorified amongst the nations?
It is a tough call. We can expect to be slandered, mistreated, and abused for taking this Gospel to the world. We can take comfort, however, because Jesus has promised that He is with us (Mat. 28:20). We also know that the hatred we get when we give this message is because the world hates Jesus (Jn. 15:18). Knowing this, when we are persecuted for our message, let it serve as an encouragement. Our lives shine so much with Jesus that they see Him in us. Persecution for evangelism, then, only serves to make the Gospel more real to us. Why would they hate us if we did not remind them of Jesus? How amazing is it that God turns such hatred into a benefit for our souls.
Are you motivated now? Does the Gospel call resonate with your soul, calling you to go out and proclaim His message? Are the lost in your heart? Has the glory of Christ enraptured you with a desire to get out there? May these things be true for Christ’s church today as it has been in days past.
R D. Norman is a missionary in Romania. He is married to Ema and serves most predominantly through evangelism and counseling. He is also the author of two upcoming books; Phenomenal Grace and Restraint and Freedom: Biblical Advice for Self-Control.
