COV LIFE BLOG

The Church Is On Mission Together – Evangelism

Ultimately, our motive in evangelism must be a desire to see God glorified. This was the end of all of the Lord Jesus’ actions (see John 17). Again and again throughout Ezekiel we read the phrase “then they will know that I am the LORD” as God’s explanation for his actions with his disobedient people (e.g., Ezek. 12:16; 20:20; cf. verses about intra-Trinitarian love: John 3:35; 5:20; 14:31). Jesus taught that the actions of those who follow him would bring glory to his Father: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8). So we share the gospel to glorify God, which happens as we declare the truth about God to his creation.

God is glorified in being known. To see others truly come to know him glorifies God and honors him. To tell the truth about one another does not necessarily convey honor. We have all done things that bring us shame rather than glory. But God is perfect. To tell the truth about God is to praise him, to glorify him. When others come to know him, it tells the truth about his desirability.

The call to evangelism is a call to turn our lives outward from focusing on ourselves and our needs to focusing on God and on others made in his image who are still at enmity with him, alinated from him, and in need of salvation from sin and guilt. We bring God glory as we speak the truth about him to his creation. This is not the only way that we can bring glory to God, but it is one of the chief ways that he has given us as Christians, as those who know him through his grace in Christ. It is not a way that we will bring him glory eternally in heaven; it is one of the special privileges of living now, in this fallen world.

Paul exhorted Christians in the first century toward the glory of God: “Live such godly lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Pet. 2:12). Peter knew that the Christian life that bears witness to God and the gospel will be a ground for God to be glorified in the last day. This is a never-ending motive to evangelize.

Mark Dever

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Heart Preparation
Read Romans 10:13-15. Consider the questions of this verse. How can you be involved in seeing the people hear the gospel? What relationships are opportunities to share the gospel? What steps can you take towards sharing within those relationships?

Song for this Week
Nothing But the Blood by Chris Tomlin