Ch. 7 - Why Evangelize?
Ron Sider says in this chapter that while he is convinced that his niche in God’s kingdom work is to be an evangelical social activist, and he is also convinced there is a biblical mandate for his kind of work, he wishes he had done more evangelism all along, and is committed to doing more of it in the years to come. So, why evangelize?
The most important reason for evangelism is God’s astounding, overflowing love for a lost and broken world. The mission is not primarily ours. It is God’s. It is because God so loved the world that we follow in the divine steps seeking to share that love… In evangelism, we join the loving mission of the triune God who so loves the world that he does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9).
Why do we evangelize? Why do we not evangelize? What distortions of biblical evangelism have we bought into? What is the core of the message we share? How do we share the gospel? How should we share it?
Sider says it is important not to lose sight of the warnings in Scripture directed at those who reject Jesus Christ. But regarding those who die without ever being introduced to the gospel, he says it is a mystery he leaves up to the goodness and the justice of God. Regarding this controversial issue, but also applicable to all areas of our theology, he says:
That may seem like a timid cop-out. I would argue, on the other hand, that it represents proper theological modesty rather than timidity. Again and again throughout church history, confusion has arisen and heresies have threatened precisely because people went beyond the clear teaching of Scripture. The Bible leaves many intriguing and important questions unanswered. Cautious speculation is certainly legitimate, but we dare not teach what is not clearly biblical. What the Scriptures do tell us is more than sufficient to live as faithful people now. We should concentrate on that, get on with the tasks of teachings that are clear, and be humble enough to remain uncertain where Scripture has not clearly spoken.
What teachings have we added to Scripture in order to support our particular biases, priorities, and preferences? On the other hand, what have we left out? Are we humble and moldable enough to allow the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our hearts to blind spots, or are we more concerned with making Scripture support our own interests?