Should We Witness for Christ? (Part 5)
SubscribeMatthew 12:30a says: “He who is not with Me is against Me…” This is the uncompromising assertion of the text. What we may call the unmistakable amplification of these words comes next: “and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” The implication that every Christian must and does have a heart and concern for evangelism finds indisputable confirmation in the rest of the New Testament. 1 Cor. 10:33-11:1 says: “Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”
All of this then requires that we think about the unavoidable application. It is this: Every Christians must and does have a heart for biblical evangelism. This heart must be at the center of the lifestyle of every Christian. Let me mention several specific applications of this.
1. Biblical evangelism is an important responsibility of every Christian.
No Christian can exempt himself from the requirement of our text. Each of us—the text clearly implies—have the responsibility to be gathering with Christ.
2. Biblical evangelism is an identifying mark of every Christian.
The main point of our text is not, however, that Christians should gather with Christ. It is that Christians do gather with Christ. Every Christian gathers with Christ. That is to say, biblical evangelism is his lifestyle. He has a heart to see men gathered to Christ. His heart is manifested in some efforts in his life to gather men to Christ.
Now I do not say what I have just said lightly. I say it carefully. I say it trembling for myself and for those I love. Having a heart for biblical evangelism is a necessary mark of being a Christian. If you rarely or never think about the salvation of the lost, if you have no concern for them or for the glory of Christ in their salvation, if you have no heart to gather with Christ, then I may tell you, I must tell you, straightforwardly that you are no Christian.
3. Biblical evangelism is a means of grace for every Christian.
Some struggle a great deal with assurance of your salvation. One reason may be that you are not giving yourself to this responsibility and grace as you ought. Start doing something to gather with Christ. John Piper once articulated at “Together for the Gospel” the common experience of Christians when they have an opportunity to speak for Christ: He said after such an opportunity which God had given him that he went home thinking: I really am a Christian!
4. Biblical evangelism may not be what you think.
The text defines evangelism as gathering with Christ. Passing out tracts or going door to door may be good for some people. “From scratch” evangelistic conversations may be possible for some gifted Christians. They may not work out well for the rest of us. They may not be societally or culturally effective ways of promoting the gospel of Christ. So let me give you some advice about how to do biblical evangelism.
- Biblical evangelism is consistent with and promoted by the diligent pursuit of your callings. Some think of their jobs as a hindrance to evangelism or even as an alternative to evangelism. For some the best way to do biblical evangelism is to do as well as you can at your vocations and professions. This will open doors to gather with Christ to you.
- Biblical evangelism means cultivating relationships with unconverted people. One good way to do that is by showing mercy to people and ministering to their felt needs.
- Biblical evangelism means plugging your gifts into an evangelistically minded local church and supporting others with better evangelistic gifts than our own. This thought has often encouraged and motivated me to use whatever gifts I have for my local church. I end on the point which I made in my first blog. We must not think of thee work of evangelism individualistically, but as the work of the church, the body of Christ. We can gather with Christ by using the gifts God has given us in the church which is His body.
Dr. Waldron,
I would like to know your opinion regarding a phrase that you may have heard: “every disciple [should be] a disciple-maker.”
As you see the Great Commission being given corporately to the church and not at an individual level, I would like to know if you see any problems with this assertion.
In Christ,
-Bob
Bob,
Thank you for your question. Generally, I agree with this assertion. But I believe it must be interpreted in terms of community of the church and not individualistically. We are not charged to make disciples all by ourselves. Indeed, many Christians might be overwhelmed by such an idea and pressing it upon them this way–individualistically–would not help them, but only make them give up in despair. They should be encouraged to nurture a heart for the lost, take every opportunity to speak to the lost, understand that the limitations of their life situation are taken into account by the Lord, to do this in terms of their unique gifts in the body of Christ, and to do it as part of the body of Christ. I think this approach is more helpful and more true to the nature of the Great Commission as given first to the Apostles and through them to the church corporately. The commission is for a community to gather a community.