Here are 10 reasons why a Christian should share their faith using the word EVANGELISM:
E – Because of the EXAMPLE of CHRIST.
The Lord set the example as the supreme evangelist. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus’ mission on earth was to sacrifice His life so that we could be saved (John 3:16-17). In Luke 4:43 (ESV), Jesus said, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.”
V – Because of the VALUE of BEARING FRUIT
Every believer is commanded to bear fruit. John 15:16 (ESV) says “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit.” “Fruit” includes such things as godly attitudes, the fruit of the Spirit, exercising our spiritual gift, and definitely includes sharing our faith in Christ (Romans 1:16). Evangelism assumes we will bear fruit as the Holy Spirit can use us whether we sow or reap.
A – Because the believer will receive an AWARD
There will be an award for being an Ambassador for Christ. The apostle Paul said to the Thessalonian believers, “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy” (I Thessalonians 1:19-20). When Paul preached in the city of Thessalonica, his greatest joy was seeing people come to Christ and knowing that he would be rewarded someday for this when Christ returns. Whether we sow the seed of the Gospel or reap and see people come to Christ, the Lord will reward us for our efforts in sharing the good news!
We are AMBASSADORS for CHRIST. We are to be a messenger representing the King of the Universe with the Gospel to plead with people to be reconciled to God. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20, ESV). Just as an ambassador is a highest-ranking diplomat who represents his or her own country in a foreign country, we are appointed as a representative of the King of Heaven to share the good news of the Gospel. We as citizens of Heaven are dispatched to share Christ with those on earth.
N – Because of the NATURE of a WITNESS
A witness may be defined as a person who has knowledge of an event or who has been changed from personal experience; one who has personal knowledge of something. We who know Christ as our personal Savior and Lord have first-hand knowledge of how the Lord has transformed our lives. We’ve “been there”; therefore, we can testify from first-hand experience of what the Lord has done in our lives. Our subjective experience is based on tremendous objective historical facts.
G – Because of a GUARANTEED HARVEST.
A great motivation for sharing our faith is that there is a guaranteed harvest Jesus said, “Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper may rejoice together” (John 4:35-36, ESV). Sharing the gospel involves sowing and reaping and takes preparation and planting but in God’s perfect timing there can be a harvest. The more we sow, the more opportunity for people to come to Christ whether it be immediate or whether it takes many years before a person we’ve shared Christ with comes to Christ (cf. Matthew 9:37-38).
E – Because of the ETERNAL CONSEQUENCES.
People are lost without Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 says that “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God.” Paul recounts his conversion before King Agrippa where Jesus commissioned Paul: “I now send you to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sin and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:17b -18, NKJ).
Sharing our faith has eternal consequences. “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4). The two-fold result of sharing the gospel is that some will come to Christ and receive eternal life while others will reject Christ and experience eternal separation from the Lord forever. Hell is an eternal reality.
L – Because the LOVE of CHRIST
The love of Christ motivates us to share our faith in Christ. The believer is constrained by the love of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:14 (NIV) says that “For the love of Christ compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all.” Christ’s loving, sacrificial death should motivate us to share our faith and live for Him. We are simply one beggar telling another beggar where to find food. Apart from Christ, people have no hope (Ephesians 2:12). We are Ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). As an ambassador of the King of Heaven and earth, we are sent to a foreign country (earth) to represent the Good News (the Gospel) of Christ’s Kingdom. As we go through this world, we represent another Kingdom (John 18:36).
I – Because of the INTENDED RESULT
The motive for sharing our faith is because it honors the Lord for which we will be rewarded. We are to do this out of reverential awe of God. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). Because of how great God is and how He has delivered us from judgment, we persuade people to come to Christ. We should passionately desire that men and women come to Christ. See also Revelation 7:9-12 where a great multitude who are saved give glory to God for salvation!
Believers are given the ministry of reconciliation. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation … and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19, ESV). It is our Lord’s desire for those who are estranged from Christ to return to Him and for those who don’t know Him to be reconciled to God. He has called believers to proclaim the gospel of reconciliation so that non-believers can be on friendly terms with God (see Ephesians 2:1-4).
S – Because of the SHORTNESS of TIME
We should witness because the time is short. Jesus said, “Night is coming when no one can work.” Paul in Romans 13:11 said, “Our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” The return of Christ is drawing closer with each passing day, and Matthew 24:14 says when the Gospel is preached throughout the whole world, the Lord will come. The return of Christ is getting closer every day and the only opportunity to witness is now before our Lord returns in glory. There will be no witnessing in Heaven!
M – Because of our MANDATE
If for no other reason, the Believer is commanded to witness for Christ by our Lord (Matthew 28:19a; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; Luke 24:46-48). In all four Gospels, the Great Commission is given by our Lord as a command. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19a, “Therefore go” which assumes evangelism! Jesus commanded every believer to witness or share the Gospel. It’s not an option. The Great Commission has unfortunately been called the Great Omission.
Right before Jesus’ ascension into heaven, he commanded his disciples to be His witnesses: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Ask yourself these two questions
- “What is the greatest thing that has happened to you?” The answer should be “coming to know Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.”
- “What is therefore the greatest thing that you can do for another person?”
Answer: To share the greatest news of the Universe (the Gospel) with those who don’t know Christ.
What is the Great Commission?
- Text: Matthew 28:18-20.
- The Great Commission has two great promises that inspire faith and victory!
- The first promise is a promise of His Authority. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
- The promise of His presence – verse 20b: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
- There are 4 action words of the Great Commission. They are:
- Go
- Make disciples
- Baptizing
- Teaching
- The main verb is “Make disciples” which is a command.
- Go. The very act of going assumes evangelism. Jesus is saying “as you go” or “while you are going”, make disciples. After people come to Christ, they are to be baptized and taught the Word of God.
- The Great Commission has:
- Presence: Believers are to establish a presence with the lost to win them to Christ.
- Proclamation: We are to “preach the Gospel” to the whole world (Mark 16:15).
- Persuasion: We are to persuade people to come to Christ and to follow His commands.
- Incorporation: Baptism breaks the ties to one’s former life and incorporates them into the visible body of Christ, the church.