As I read in Galatians this morning I began to think about how we engage the world around us. How do we, as Christians, make an impact in a world that is disengaged from the gospel. How do we face things like moral relativism and existentialism with the light of the gospel? I think it is much easier than we are trying to make it. Gods TrutH is timeless and constant, it does not waver nor does it change. We are called out to engage, to shift out of neutral and bring the message of Christ to a world that needs it!
OK, let me admit there are some very wrong ways to engage the world. If we understand that the cross is already seen as foolish to those apart from Christ (1 Cor 1:18) than there are ways to reach that do not work. For instance, people who expect non-Christians to act like Christians before coming to church – what sense does that make? Do we really expect people to change before they know Christ? It is Christ who changes peoples hearts, not us, we must reflect Christ, plant and water – not condemn, judge and attack those that are already perishing – - can you really judge them any further than God will? Can your judgmental words change their hearts or will it simply add more callousness to an already hardened heart?
So lets engage, shift out of neutral and meet people where they are. This is the method of Christ. Jesus didn’t stay in the temple and preach, He went out to where the people were – - to the Gentiles, Samaritans and Jews – - to the ones that needed healing (Matthew 9:12-13, 1 Peter 2:24). He did not limit His message to one specific group, race, color, or socio-economic class, He brought the message to ALL. His virgin birth, death on the cross, and resurrection offers an atonement and is the only way to God, but it is for Whomsoever will (Romans 10:13). We are called to imitate God (Ephesians 5:1) and Christ Himself stated that He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He gives us the command to GO in Matthew 28:19-20 and the heart of how to do it in Mark 12:29-31. So if we are to engage, let us live by the example of Christ!
Two great examples of engaging people where they were. First is the women at the well in John 4. Jesus meets her and lovingly draws her in, not with condemnation, but with sincerity and grace. She is already perishing and apart from God, Christ reveals TrutH to her and her sin is revealed – not by Christ telling her she is an adulterer who really needs to change, but change comes from the heart and love for a Savior. Paul in Acts 17:22-33 address the philosophers of Athens in the Areopagus. He doesn’t walk in and say “You filthy sinners are going to hell because your worshipping idols”. Paul reveals TrutH of the unknown God to them, the Nature of God and the hope of Christs resurrection. We must engage people where they are with the TrutH of the gospel and allow Christ to change their hearts.
Understand not everyone will believe. But we must still go. We must engage because many are being engaged with a false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9). Many are spreading hate and turning people from the TrutH. Many are telling people what they want to hear like there are many paths to heaven or that being good is enough (2 Timothy 4:3). We must GO, each of us, not just some of us, ALL of us that claim to follow Christ and bring the TrutH.
Do you feel unprepared? Spend time in prayer daily, time in God’s word daily, get involved in small groups, Sunday school, and worship – sharpen up and GO (Proverbs 26:17). Shift into drive today!
