Muting the Gospel by Minimizing Missions

When Paul mentions in Romans 1 that God has clearly revealed Himself through creation so that man is without excuse, he is not trying to make a case for the saving knowledge of General Revelation (God revealing Himself in creation Ps. 19:1-6). Instead Paul wants to portray how people without the Special Revelation of God (God revealing Himself in Scripture Ps. 19:7-11) are justly condemned for not worshiping the creator of the universe. He wants to show that Gentiles (all non-Jews), like Jews, sin but in a different way. Jews sin because they disobey the Special Revelation God has given them in the Law. On the other hand, Gentiles sin when they disobey the created order that has been revealed through creation.

But some will ask what if a people group who has never heard of Christ acknowledges God through creation and starts to worship Him? Paul goes on in 3:11-20 to show that universally all Jews and Gentiles are under sin (held captive by its power) in such a way that they without exception do not seek God. And lest we think these people are just universally neutral toward God, Paul says they have "all turned aside." So does this mean that those who die apart from the Special Revelation of God found in the Gospel will eternally perish? I admit that this is a tough question, but it's a question that implies that God would not be fair if it were true. And if fairness is what you want from God, you’re begging Christ to undo what He did on the cross. Because when Christ bore our sins on the cross, He paid for our fair and right penalty and purchased eternal everlasting grace for those who believe. So let us not mute the cross by trying to maximize fairness.

But this still leaves the question “Do people need to hear the gospel to be saved?” In Romans 10:13-17, Paul addresses this same question after showing that the gospel message is for all people, whether Jew or Gentile. He starts in verse 13 by citing Joel 2:32, which says "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Then, Paul poses a problem by asking four rhetorical questions: (1) How are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? (2) And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? (3) And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (4) And how are they to preach unless they are sent? In these questions Paul not only poses a problem, but he also proposes the solution by mapping out the process for the spreading of the gospel.

First, someone needs to be sent to preach Christ. Second, that preacher needs to preach Christ so they can hear Christ. Third, when they hear Christ they need to believe in Christ. Finally, they need to believe in Christ by calling on Christ. There is no other way around it. And that is why Paul says at the end of v. 15, after all his rhetorical questions, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" The feet are beautiful because they bring what is missing! The feet are beautiful because they bring the news of Christ.

If after this we still say that it is possible for people to get saved apart from the gospel being preached, we are entertaining the thought that there are people out there who are neutral toward God and on their own have the ability to seek God and gain a righteousness the earns them Heaven. But if this is true, then missions isn't really all that essential. And then it turns out that the American church has got it right after all; we can just stay home and relax because we don't need to go. And if we do go and try to reach people who have never heard about Christ with the gospel, we will actually be doing them a disservice. Because if we bring the gospel of Christ to them and ask them to believe in Christ but they reject it, we have now brought judgment upon them, whereas before we came and preached they were neutral with God. With this perspective, by preaching the gospel to them, we have just become the instrument that sent them to Hell.

My point is this: if we believe that people can be saved apart from the gospel, this is absurd at best and destroys missions at worst. The gospel of Christ is good news to everyone because everyone is opposed to Christ. The gospel of Christ is good news to everyone because everyone is in need of Christ. Missions is essential because sin is universal. Missions for Christ is necessary because Worship of Christ is non-existent. The message of the gospel is good to everyone because the work of Christ is glorious for everyone. We need to be ignited in our passion for missions because the gospel is the power of God to turn Hell-bound haters of God into Grace-bound lovers of God.

I end with this admission by Lecrae:

"You hold the truth that saves so run and shout it to the world;
They can't believe in something they ain't never heard;
Go and run with those beautiful feet."

For the sick

My fiancée and I always wanted to do a mid-term missions trip to India to help spread the gospel. But I could not help but have fear in my heart and second guess my desire in light of the persecutions within the last couple of months and with the recent attacks in Mumbai this week.

Well a friend who has immediate family and loved ones who do mission work in India said something convicting to me this week. He said “These events are even more evidence that the gospel needs to be spread in India!”

My heart broke that instant. I was reminded of a simple yet straightforward verse which I need constant reminder.

And Jesus answered and said to them, It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Luke 5:31-32

look.

"When Jesus was traveling to Samaria, He met a woman getting water. She told the people in her town about Jesus. As the people from the town came out to meet him, He said to the disciples," :

"Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages, and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows, and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." (John 4:35-38)

"The disciples were reaping the results of other people’s labor. Those people did not see all the result of their labor, but their efforts still bore fruit.

William Carey spent thirty-five years in India before he saw one convert. Some people think he led a fruitless life. But almost every convert in India to this day is fruit on his branch, because he translated the whole New Testament into many different Indian dialects. He was not the one to reap directly what he had sown, but his life’s legacy bore much fruit.

One of the most fulfilling experiences in life is to bear fruit for God. If it isn’t happening in your life, the reason is simple—you are not abiding in the Vine."

-John MacArthur

harvest time.

Matthew 9:36-38:

"Then He said to His disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.'"

the honor of suffering

"At thirty-two [John G.] Paton accepted the call to missionary service in the New Hebrides in the South Pacific. In March of 1858 he married Mary Ann Robson, and on April 16 they sailed together for the cannibal island of Tanna. In less than a year they had built a home and Mary had given birth to a son. But on March 3, 1859, one year after their marriage, Mary died of the fever, and in three weeks the infant son died. John Paton buried them alone, and wrote, "But for Jesus... I'd have gone mad and died beside that lonely grave."

One of the gifts that Jesus had given him to sustain him in those days were the words his wife spoke before her death. She did not murmur against God in her final sickness, or resent her husband bringing her to the New Hebrides. Rather she spoke these incredible words: 'I do not regret leaving home and friends. If I had it to do over, I would do it with more pleasure, yes, with all my heart.' "

- The Pleasures Of God (by John Piper)

Philippians 1:29

"For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake..."

the task remaining.

matthew 24:14

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

romans 15:20-21

"and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, Those who have never been told of him will see,and those who have never heard will understand."

revelation 5:9
"And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the scrolland to open its seals,for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for Godfrom every tribe and language and people and nation"


number of unreached people groups = 6,442
(www.joshuaproject.net)


"His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success. And His presence with us leaves us no other choice."
-John Stott

reaching the unreached.

If you have time, check out this interview with Access Partners. Their goal is reaching the unreached by helping missionaries not only get into restricted/dangerous countries, but also help them establish businesses to support themselves on the field.

the call

Revelation 7:9

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,"

Matthew 24:14
"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

Revelation speaks about every tribe, tongue, and nation will be represented in heaven. To this day there are still many unreached people groups. In fact there are many people groups who have yet to have the gospel translated into their language. If this is the case, how can Christ return and there be a representative from every tribe, tongue and nation in heaven? I believe that Matthew 24:14 is the answer to that question. I believe that this gives the church a great responsibility accompanied with a great urgency.

Obviously the church hasn't really stepped up to the challenge/responsibility. Only .0001% of Evangelical Christians go into missions!!! And only 4% of them actually go to a people group that is unreached! I think too many Christians think that they are called by God into full-time secular careers. They feel that serving in church once a week (maybe), and sharing Christ with their co-workers once a quarter (maybe) is fulfilling God's great commission.

Luke 9:23-24

"And he said to all, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."