"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. "
Mark 16:15
WINNING THEM IS JOB ONE
Read It: Colossians 1:28-29
We haven't gone far in our study of the transformation of culture, but I need to clarify something. When you talk about Christians' responsibility sibility to the culture, some people start getting nervous. They're afraid you're going to obscure the Gospel in favor of social concerns. Most of America's churches tried that in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when the social gospel was the rage, and it failed. To forestall such thought, let me say that when it comes to the lost, evangelism must be first. I'm not talking social gospel. We must win people ple to Christ. Without Him it doesn't matter how much money they have or how good the job is. If they die without Him, they die without hope. I'm not saying that we downplay evangelism to favor economic development opment or other programs to transform culture. But I'm saying that we still have to live in this world. Since we have to live and raise children and grandchildren here, we are responsible to recapture our society for Jesus Christ, point people to Him, and promote His righteousness in society. - -- - - - - - - -- - - - Jeremiah told the exiles in Babylon to forget the false hope that they would be back home in two years, for if they believed that, they would sit around doing nothing, making no difference, waiting for their liberation. tion. Does that scenario sound familiar?
Some Christians' attitude toward the culture today is, "Hey, the world is falling apart anyway, and Christ is coming back soon, so let's just sit here and wait for the rapture." Some people ask me, "Evans, don't you believe this world's getting worse and worse? Don't you believe things are falling apart?" I say, "Yes, I do." They say, "Then why polish the brass on a sinking ship?" My answer is, "For the same reason you eat and bathe and jog even though you know you are going to die." Just because you are going to die someday doesn't mean you sit by and hasten the process by neglecting ing your body. Actually, I have a much stronger reason than that. Jesus commanded us to be salt and light. That says it for me! Think About It Are you making anyone around you thirsty for Christ? Are you shining your light into their darkness?
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