Why do we do evangelism? The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5, says these surprising words.
“Since then we know what it is to fear the Lord, we seek to persuade others.” (v11)
We need to imitate his attitude because where people stand before God is a serious matter. Paul had his life turned around by the gospel, when he felt it’s full force on the Road to Damascus as he encountered Christ. And not only had he met Christ in all his grace and his forgiveness, he’d also seen something of God in all his glory. As a result he understood the sheer significance and importance of mission, because we stand before a God who is holy, and nothing actually matters more than our relationship with him.
There’s a sense in which Paul’s fear of God led him to simply obey Christ’s great commission to go into all the world with his message. Paul’s deep and reverent respect for God – and sense of His power and goodness meant that disobedience was never really an option for him.
However, I think there is more to it than that! If we fear God, if we respect Him and understand who he really is, we should be deeply concerned about those around us. That necessarily entails not merely walking in righteousness and faith and seeking forgiveness ourselves, but longing for other people to encounter his grace and his forgiveness too. Paul says, as we know what it is to fear the Lord, we seek to persuade others.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to revere you, and hold you in such awe that I seek to persuade others that being forgiven by you , and in a right relationship with you is the single most important thing in life. Amen
