Why I Don’t Share the Gospel

“And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved” – Mark 16:15-16

I talk about God, and church, and the Bible. I tell my coworkers about Bible studies, and worship band practices, and prayer meetings. They know my opinion on political topics, life after death, and the spirit realm.

But for all my talk no one has come to salvation. Why do I see no fruit from my labors?

Maybe because Jesus didn’t tell us to go and talk about church and bible studies and “our opinion” on life after death. He told us to preach the gospel.

 

The Gospel

That all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). That God demonstrated His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). That Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the scripture, that He was buried and rose again the third day according to the scripture (1 Cor 15:3-4). That Jesus Christ is the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). And as many as receive Him, to them He gives the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name (John 1:12).

Muslims talk about prayer and fasting, Catholics talk about church services, Jehovah’s witnesses talk about evangelism and god, Hindus speak of spirituality. Atheists talk about morality.

But no one talks about our sin problem. No one describes a personal relationship with their god except Christians.

I need to admit that I don’t share the gospel, at least not often. And so, I don’t see men and women saved. The law cannot make holy people. Church and Bible studies can’t open blind eyes. Spirituality cannot work salvation. Opinions on political and ethical issues can’t deal with the issue of sin.

Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can.

So why do I find it easy to open my mouth about religion and spirituality but so hard to lose my tongue to speak about the gospel?

If I’m honest, my tongue is tied because of fear.

 

I can’t share the gospel because I’m afraid.

I’m afraid of what people might think of me. I’m afraid of what they might say to me. I’m afraid I’ll mess the gospel up and people won’t understand and God will be disappointed.

I don’t know how to explain the gospel accurately. I don’t know how to start a conversation about Jesus. I don’t know what to say after “so do you believe in God?”

I don’t know how to answer hard questions. I feel like I don’t understand the science, the theology, or the history behind the Bible well enough. I don’t have the book of John or Romans memorized.

I’m afraid of losing friendships, and that people will think I’m judgemental. I’m afraid of being rejected.

I’m afraid I might lose my job if I preach the gospel with persistence and conviction. I’m afraid of creating division and tension in my workplace. My co-workers might revile me, my boss might fire me.

 

Dealing with our fear

The scripture tells us over and over again not to be afraid, especially in regard to the gospel.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.” – 1 Timothy 1:7-8

Our fears of messing up, of not understanding the gospel well enough, or lack of scientific knowledge need to be exposed for what they are – ugly excuses.

If we understand the gospel well enough to be saved, we understand it well enough to speak salvation to others. God has promised to fill our mouths with words as we open them in obedience. (Mark 13:11) And He never made a biology degree a prerequisite to talking about Jesus.

 

We need to obey God rather than men

But what about our fear of losing relationships and careers?

The fear of losing relationships has always existed in church history. But it is still just an ugly excuse that needs to be unmasked and called out for what it is.

Jesus said “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37) We must love Jesus Christ and the gospel more than all other relationships, willing to obey God even if it means losing the people we love.

However, for those of us living in North America, the fear of losing careers and failing exams has only recently become genuine and viable. The hard reality is that many Christians in North America have lost jobs and failed exams in recent years, simply for sharing the gospel.

Thought this fear may be new for us, the early church wrestled with the fear of losing, not just jobs or friends, but freedom and life. Yet they knew Jesus command to preach the gospel and chose to fear and obey God rather than man.

“[The religious leaders] called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” – Acts 4:18

 

Our fears might come true

Last fall a missionary spoke at our church who said he had around 10 different jobs in one year when he lived in Canada. He was fired from all except one of those jobs because he wouldn’t stop sharing the gospel.

If we started obeying the command of God and sharing the gospel, our fears might come true. We might lose our jobs. We might lose our friends. We might mess up our words, people might ridicule us, we might face questions we can’t answer.

But the commision still remains, “Go and preach the gospel to all nations.”

And right beside it stands this promise, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).