Tag: evangelism

They Need Scripture, Not Miraculous Evidence

pastortravislv

When we have friends, neighbors, or family members we want to see saved, we may find ourselves wishing for a supernatural occurrence to help them to believe. I’m not here talking about the work of the sovereign God on a heart to draw someone to Christ. Rather, I am thinking about something that is considered amazing, miraculous, and somehow a proof of the truth of the gospel. We want our family members to see a healing, to have a dramatic impression of the presence of God, or be miraculously preserved from a car accident. Then we think that they will let that evidence lead them to faith.

But such a belief is not in accord with the very words of Jesus. Our Savior did not say that the lost need a dramatic experience of evidence. Nor did he say that they need a really good argument. Jesus said that the lost, if they are to be saved, need Scripture.

In Luke 16, Jesus gives us the story of the lost rich man and the beggar, Lazarus. The rich man is in hell and Lazarus in paradise. The rich man has a conversation with Abraham, and that conversation represents the teaching point. First the rich man asked for relief from his torment, but that was not possible or proper. Then the rich man asked for Abraham to send Lazarus to be a miraculous witness to his brothers so they could avoid hell.

Luke 16:2931 – 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

Note what is said here. The rich man wants something miraculous, something dramatic, something that feels like irrefutable evidence. Abraham says they have Scripture. The rich man does not think Scripture is enough. Who would ever expect that just continuing to quote the Bible, continuing to preach verse after verse, would somehow have an impact.

But what does Jesus tell us through the mouth of Abraham in this account? If they will not hear the word of God in Scripture, nothing will make them believe. They will not believe, even if a person rises from the dead. Of course, Jesus knows a thing or two about people rising from the dead in front of the lost.

Christians, may we see that the word of God taught by the Son of God here tells us that what the lost need is not a sign. The lost do not need to talk with the dead. The Lost do not need an irrefutable argument. After all, you and I have all seen people ignore irrefutable arguments. What the lost need is the clear presentation of the word of God. Because, if they will not believe the word of god, they would not believe if they saw a dead person resurrected before their eyes. That is what Jesus said, and it is still true today.

No, this does not make me anti-apologetics. What it makes me is one who recognizes what apologetics can and cannot do. Apologetics might make someone stop yelling at you long enough to listen to you. Apologetics might make a person think you less of an idiot than they originally thought you to be. Apologetics might gain you a hearing in a person’s mind. But, friends, at the end of the day, the only thing that will bring a person to salvation is the word of God spoken and the power of God sovereignly bringing a dead heart to life.

Sovereignty and Evangelism II

pastortravislv

If you have wrestled with the issue of God’s sovereignty in salvation, election, reformed theology, or whatever else you may want to call it, you have surely run across different objections to the concept. Some struggle with the issue of why God might do things this way. Some struggle with the way that some verses in the Bible seem very clear on the topic while other verses do not. Some struggle with the fact that teachers they love or the denominations to which they belong oppose this teaching. And some wrestle with the question of how a belief in election will impact one’s view of evangelism.

 

That last objection crossed my mind as I read through Acts 16. Watch, and see if you can see with me how God’s word points to his sovereignty in salvation on the one hand while still making a global call to faith in Christ on the other.

 

Acts 16:14-15 – – 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

 

This account is the salvation story of Lydia. She had been a worshipper of God in the Old Covenant context. But any reader should see that she needed the gospel of Jesus Christ to be saved. Lydia heard, believed, and responded to her new faith with believer’s baptism. Lydia here is saved.

 

But notice the detail of the sovereignty of God. Why did Lydia believe? The word tells us, “The Lord opened her heart.” This is why Lydia believed, God did a work first in her heart to enable her to do so. God opened her heart so that she would pay attention to Paul, so that she would believe, so that she would be saved. Thus, the ultimate credit for her salvation is the Lord’s.

 

Now, the big question comes. Does such a view then make Scripture put the brakes on evangelism? Well, first we see that it does not, because Paul was openly proclaiming the gospel. Though Luke, with Paul at this point, saw that the salvation of Lydia was due to God opening her heart, that did not stop Paul from sharing with all he could.

 

And then notice what happens later, once Paul is in jail for preaching.

 

Acts 16:30-31 – 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

 

Assuming we accept that verse 14 speaks to us of the sovereign hand of God at work in Lydia’s salvation, it is then instructive to see how Paul speaks to the Jailer. When the man asked how to be saved, Paul’s answer was very direct and very simple. Believe in the Lord Jesus. That is how we are saved. Paul does not make any extra qualifications that the Lord chose to record for us. Paul does not tell the man that this belief requires the hidden hand of God to cause. I think Paul knew that God must do a work in the heart of anyone who is saved. But Paul, when speaking to the man, simply told him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

 

There is one gospel. The good news is that if we believe, we will be saved. Genuine faith in Christ, faith that changes us and leads us to repentance, is saving faith. Yes, we believe that God causes such faith. But we also honestly and boldly tell the world, everyone we can, that God commands the world, all people, to repent and believe. And we tell everyone that all people who repent and believe will be saved.

 

I believe that these 2 passages show us that there simply is no way that there is a biblical case that the sovereignty of God prevents evangelism. Verse 14 shows us that God’s sovereign hand opens hearts. Verse 31 shows us that all who believe are saved. The actions of Paul and his companions show us that the call of God is to take the message of Christ to all people, indiscriminately, to call them to faith. 

Sovereignty and Evangelism I

pastortravislv

In Acts 13, we see a beautiful scene. Paul preaches the gospel with clarity. People become curious. Some rebel against the word of God. But some believe and are saved.

 

In the middle of that scene, we have the biblical explanation of what happened, and the wording of the text is significant.

 

Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

 

There are many questions that must be answered from that verse which will help us to consider the sovereignty of God in our salvation, human responsibility, and evangelism.

 

Who believed? The answer is that as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. Who appointed them? There is nothing that indicates that these people appointed themselves to eternal life; that would make no sense. The ones who were saved are the ones God appointed to eternal life. There is a clear claim of the sovereign election of the Lord here. The chosen were saved.

 

How were they saved? People were saved when they believed. That is still true and still significant. The command of God is for people to believe in Christ for salvation. The word of God tells us that all who believe will be saved. All who do not believe do so by their free choice. All who do believe also believe freely, but they have been granted that ability by the Lord who appointed them to eternal life.

 

So, is God sovereign here, or is man responsible? The answer is both. God sovereignly elects, appointing people to eternal life. But the people are fully responsible for their choices. God did not prevent anyone from believing in this passage. It was the sinfulness of the individual that prevented many from believing. But those who did believe did so by the grace of God. God is sovereign. Man is responsible.

 

Does this doctrine prevent evangelism? Did it prevent evangelism for Paul? Of course not. The apostles boldly declare the gospel. The gospel is the call of God that tells us all that everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus will be saved. The gospel includes the command to all people to turn to Jesus in faith and repentance for salvation. That call is genuine and important. And, any person who loves the Lord and loves the word of God will obey God’s call to share this gospel with others. The idea of election has never been a genuine reason to avoid being evangelistic. If you love God, you share. If you love people, you share. If you obey the word of God, you share. You do not have any insight as to whom God has elected, so you share. You know, however, that God has the ability to grant faith to people, even people you would never expect to believe, so you share with all the people you can.

 

Isn’t this an unimportant doctrine that just causes conflicts? I do not think so. I think the question of who gets the glory for salvation is extremely significant. And I think the question of glory in salvation is the question we answered earlier: Who appointed people to eternal life? Ultimately, you either have to say that people appointed themselves to eternal life by their own choice to believe or you must say that God appointed people to eternal life by his sovereign election. You must either give the final bit of credit for salvation to the one who believes or to the Lord who elects. I think it is clear that giving the final glory to God magnifies him more. Thus, I think this doctrine is important, as I do not desire to take to myself any glory that rightly belongs to the Lord.

 

What if we disagree? I hope that, if we disagree on this doctrine, we can do so graciously. There are many mysteries here. There are many parts of election that are not easy to explain. At the end of the day, God still calls us to love him, follow his word, share the gospel, and make disciples. So, if this doctrine is not something you love, I would happily talk with you about it if we could do so in a kind way—that means in person, not on Facebook. And if you do not embrace this doctrine, I will not be nasty to you or put you down. I would ask the same of you as we all seek to honor the Lord according to his word.