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Evangelism is one of the most difficult facets of the Christian walk to get people involved in consistently. And yet the Great Commission applies to us all, whether or not we feel that we are called to evangelism
If the church (worldwide) fails to take up the challenge to reach the lost, we can hardly complain that our countries are sinking into further decline or being influenced by humanism or non-Christian religions.
It's up to us to gain and maintain an outward focus and to reach others for Jesus.
Mat 28:19-20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.
The great mission that Jesus has given to His church is to take the gospel to everyone.
Rom 10:14-18 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (15) And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" (16) But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?" (17) So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (18) But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed: "Their sound has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."
Unbelievers are not able to believe if they never hear the gospel preached.
Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
The Great Commission is everyone's responsibility.
As it would not have been possible for the original disciples to take the gospel message to all the world, it is clearly the responsibility of all believers.
1 Cor 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, (2) by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you; unless you believed in vain. (3) For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (4) and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
Gospel means good news, and the facts of the gospel are very simple: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead.
Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Believing in the gospel results in salvation.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
The gospel is the power of God for salvation, so no special ability is required since the gospel itself will do the work in people's lives.
Acts 3:22-23 For Moses truly said to the fathers, "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. (23) And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people."
John 8:47 He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.
People are responsible for their own decisions and will reap the results of their own choices; it is not our responsibility to make their decisions for them, but to make sure that they hear the gospel.
Rom 10:8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): (9) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The Lordship of Christ is an essential part of the gospel.
It is not enough for a person just to believe the "facts" of the gospel; there must be a heart response in which the believer yields their life to Christ as Lord.
If you like these Topical Bible Studies, don't forget to check out our Expository Bible Studies too.