Evangelism

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Paul gives a beautiful definition of what love is.

As Christians we should conduct ourselves in such a manner to non believers, to reveal the love of Christ in us to them, despite who they are, circumstance or the sin they are in, after all "love covers a multitude of sin" says Peter in 1 Peter 4-8. What does Peter mean? In Hebrew the word 'cover' means to forgive. Essentially Peter is saying that our love allows us to forgive the offending brother or sister.

Jesus demonstrated his love for us on the cross by dying for us. He shed his innocent blood to wash away our sins and ultimately forgave us. The wonderful thing about this is that Jesus did all this for us whilst we were still sinners and enemies of God. God didn't wait for us to change to demonstrate his love for us. He did it anyway because he loves us so much. In the same way we need to show sinners love, just as Christ did for us.

(John 13.34-35)

Loving one another plays a very important and relevant part in evangelism. Whether it is our enemy, friend, family member or neighbour, we are commanded to love regardless Love needs to be firmly rooted in the foundations of evangelism in order to win souls for the kingdom. Once we have mastered how to love and mirror how Jesus loves us, only then will we be able to evangelise effectively.

If you haven't guessed it already love is the bridge between the believer and the non believer. Through steadfast unwavering love towards them they will come to know who Jesus Christ is.

In Matthew 28, before Jesus descended he left us with a commission and this was made explicit. We are to make disciples of the nation and to the very ends of the earth by helping people to believe in him, learn of him and obey him in all that he had commanded.

Concluding that none of us are exempt from the call of evangelism, this is a basic and important element of being a Christian, which is to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.