Tag: Evangelism

Morning Musing: Romans 15:20-21

Leave a comment

“My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, but, as it is written, ‘Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.’” (CSB – Read the chapter)

The last thing Jesus said before returning to the Father’s right hand was to commission His followers to proclaim the Gospel. This call wasn’t something that was only for those special few who were called to be missionaries, though, it was for all of His followers. All of us are to be involved in proclaiming the good news and making disciples. That this is happening should be a given. How it happens, however, is a much more open question. Paul here talks about how He was called to that. Let’s talk about how we might be.

Read the rest…

Morning Musing: Romans 15:17-19

Leave a comment

“Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus regarding what pertains to God. For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

What is it that causes the Gospel to grow and spread? If you look much into it, you’ll find all sorts of evangelism methods and programs. The most popular of them are marketed well and cost a pretty penny to get your hands on. But while these aren’t entirely without merit—and indeed, some of them are pretty helpful if implemented well—these aren’t the things that cause the Gospel to grow. Paul speaks to some of what does here. Let’s take a look.

Read the rest…

Morning Musing: Romans 15:14-16

Leave a comment

“My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the gospel of God. God’s purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Humility is one of the fundamental virtues necessary for growth and development in the Christian life. Embracing the Gospel begins from a place of humility—we must humbly accept that God is God and we are not. Along the way, though, ever more humility is required both to learn and to teach others. We see both sides of this humility in what Paul says next as he begins to turn much more personal as he is winding down this great letter.

Read the rest…

Morning Musing: Romans 12:17

Leave a comment

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

One of the principles kids tend to operate by is that turnabout is fair play. If someone has wronged you in some way, it’s only right, it’s only fair, it’s only just that you get to do it back to them in return. This principle lies at the heart of one of the foundational ideas in the history of jurisprudence: an eye for an eye. The idea that we should respond to others in kind has been baked into the cake of humanity from nearly the start. And then came the Christian worldview to turn that idea on its head. Let’s talk about what Paul, borrowing from Jesus, had to say about it to the church in Rome.

Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Romans 11:23-24

3 Comments

“And even they, if they do not remain in unbelief, will be grafted in, because God has the power to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from your native wild olive tree and against nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these—the natural branches—be grafted into their own olive tree?” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Is there anyone too far gone for God to save them? That’s certainly a question believers have wrestled with over the centuries of church history. We wonder this objectively. We muse on it when thinking about public atheists and whether it is possible for them to finally come around. We agonize over it when the individuals in question are family members. What Paul says about Israel as a genetic people here speaks some to the question. Check this out with me.

Read the rest…