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to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak
into the air." I Corinthians 14:9
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This verse is making an important point --that
we need to be understood when we speak. The most important message a person can
understand is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is what this page is all about.
Christians need to make the Gospel clear --crystal clear-- so
clear that there is no question in any unbeliever's mind as to what the Gospel is.
So, the first question to be answered is, "what does the Bible say the Gospel
is?" Simply this, that God took on flesh in the person of Jesus Christ, lived,
died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures (John 8:24; I Corinthians 15:1-4; II Timothy 2:8).
By believing that message, trusting Christ as the One who paid
for his or her sins, died, and rose again, a person is given eternal Life (Romans
1:16; John 6:47). No other message will save men's souls; there is only ONE
Gospel (John 14:6; Acts 4: 12; Galatians 1:6-9). There is one message that
is the "power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth."
Unbelievers need to realize that they can't work, pay, or join
anything to have eternal life or to enter Heaven. They can on!y do one thing:
believe (rely upon, trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior (John
3:16-18).
The problem of not understanding the Gospel will hinder
unbelievers from trusting Christ. Christians have a responsibility to make the
Gospel clear. The ministry of reconciliation has been committed to us (II
Corinthians 5:18); the Gospel has been put in our trust (I Thessalonians 2:4).
How can we expect to fulfill that ministry or that trust unless we make the Gospel
so clear that people understand the message? The difference between believing the
Gospel and not believing the Gospel may be simply a matter of understanding it. It
is Satan's purpose to blind men to the Gospel (II Corinthians 4:3, 4). It
only follows that it ought to be our purpose to help men know it, to help them understand
it. We are talking about the difference between Heaven and Hell, about the value of
a man's soul (Mark 8:36), about eternal destiny.
Many times Christians, sincere and well meaning, help to confuse
unbelievers with Christian sounding phrases. Examples of phrases are:
"Give your heart to Jesus"
"Let Jesus come into your heart"
"Encounter Christ"
These phrases are not true to Scripture, unclear and confusing,
often times leaving unbelievers thinking, "what does that mean?"
Other phrases used in witnessing are:
"Make Jesus Lord of your life."
"Put Christ on the throne of your life."
These phrases convey the idea that we must obey the commands of
Christ to be saved, thereby creating a false Gospel totally contrary to the Biblical
message (Ephesians 2:8, 9). Don't misunderstand, believers should be
obedient to the commands of the Bible, but unbelievers need first to be believers.
Christians need to copy the clarity of our Lord when He said:
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"He that believeth on me hath everlasting life."
John 6:47
"...that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting
life." John 3:16
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Because Scripture is clear, so must we be. Check
John 1:12; 3:I6-18; 6:47; 20:31. The New Testament is filled with verses that state
salvation is by faith in Christ ALONE. Romans 3:24, 25, 28; 4:5; Acts 16.31;
Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; etc.
Realizing this, the need to make the Gospel clear, we commit sin
if we don't.
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"Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it
not, to him it is sin." James 4:17
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To summarize: some reasons to make the Gospel clear are:
1. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Romans
1:16.
2. The value of the human soul. Mark 8:36.
3. We don't want to speak a false Gospel or speak
unclearly. I Corinthians
14:9.
4. The ministry of reconciliation is committed to us.
II Corinthians 5:18.
5. The Gospel is committed to our trust. I Thessalonians
2:4.
6. Satan is dedicated to blinding unbelievers.
II Corinthians 4:3, 4.
7. Scripture is clear and so must we be. I
Corinthians 15:3,
4; John 3:16-18; Ephesians 2:8, 9.
8. We know we should, and not to do so is a sin.
James
4:17.
Finally, for the cause of our Lord Jesus Christ, the furtherance
of the Biblical Gospel and the building of our Lord's Church, please make the Gospel
clear.
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