Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Results and Evangelism


I am often asked; “What are the results of your preaching?” My favorite movie is “Facing the Giants”. There are many great quotes in that movie; two of which especially stand out:

“Your actions will always follow your beliefs.”

“I resolve to give God everything I’ve got and I will leave the results up to Him.”

This statement made by the Lord; “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (John.14.15.NASB) is often very badly misinterpreted one of two ways:

1. There are those who completely ignore this passage; thinking that they can live life however they see fit.

2. There are those who focus on this passage; thinking that they must prove their love for Christ by keeping His commandments.

Neither of these is true!

Keeping the commandments of Christ is not obligatory; it is the natural byproduct of your love for Him. The Lord is stating a fact, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” This isn’t a call to make a list of the commandments of Jesus, so that you can be sure and keep them. If you love Jesus you will keep His commandments, it will be natural for you. It is like saying; “If you are hungry, you will eat.”

We are all sinners, as it is written; “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom.3.23.NASB) We all deserve death and Hell, but by the grace of God, the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. As it is written; “For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom.6.23.NASB) We are saved solely by the grace of God through faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ. As it is written; “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph.2.8-9.NASB) Jesus said; “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John.10.9.NASB) “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John.11.25-26 NASB) Being that we are saved solely by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, and being that the scripture says that faith comes from hearing, as it is written; “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Rom.10.17.NASB) Biblical evangelism is therefore not results driven. I preach out of love for my Lord and belief in the scriptures. The results are not mine, mine is to give the Lord everything that I’ve got and leave the results up to Him.


A slave of Jesus Christ