How Will They Know?

Jesus’s whole earthly ministry was primarily about bringing His disciples to faith in Him and then teaching them to share their knowledge and faith in Him with others. His last command before rising to heaven was to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” (Matthew 28:19a)

Although there are some people who are called into full-time, paid ministry, we are all called to share the good news about Jesus with those around us. We are not to be silent because it is easy or because we think only the pastors and missionaries are needed to share the gospel.

for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” (Romans 10:13-15) {emphasis mine}

Although God is capable of calling people to Himself without our help, like He did with Paul and like I’ve heard sometimes happens in places like the Middle East where Jesus appears directly to a person, normally a person must be told about sin, death, and Jesus in order to believe. They cannot believe in someone about which they have never been told. We should love those around us enough to be willing to share our knowledge of Jesus with them, so they also can believe.

“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, warn them from Me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself. Again, when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. However, if you have warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself.” (Ezekiel 3:17-21) {emphasis mine}

We are not judged on whether a person responds positively, but on whether we shared the truth with them. Our job is to plant the seed, while God’s job is to bring forth the harvest.

Sharing truth about Jesus and His commands is not limited to those who don’t believe, but is also applicable with respect to those who have trusted in Jesus, but who have been led astray.

My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20) {emphasis mine}

Sometimes turning a brother back from sin is helping them with self control issues regarding an acknowledged sin by acting as an accountability partner. Sometimes turning a brother back from sin is correcting an error in belief when they were misled either by their own pride or by false teachers. (Of course any time we are correcting theological error, our entire argument should be based on scripture and not on our own opinion or the words of a person, no matter how well thought of.) Whatever the case, we do need to find the right opportunity to speak up for the truth and against sin in a loving way. It isn’t about punishing, embarrassing, or winning the argument against the sinner. It is about turning the sinner from their error and to faith and fellowship with Jesus.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Romans 1:18-23) {emphasis mine}

Our holy God hates sin, but even worse are those who suppress the truth leading others to greater sin. We need to not withhold the truth from anyone.

Although the basic characteristics about God — His goodness, power, and creativity — are obvious to all of His creation, whether they admit it or not, they cannot truly know Jesus unless someone shares Him with them. This is our primary purpose: to point people to Jesus.

May we hunger for God’s word, so you can know the complete truth and rightfully share the truth of God and what Jesus did for us to everyone we come in contact with us. Give us courage to speak up when it is difficult. Help us to stop and notice the opportunities that You give us. Give us wisdom to know how and when to speak up and speak the truth in love. May the whole world acknowledge the glory of God!

Trust Jesus