In my younger years, I spent a lot of time at sea as a commercial fisherman. When you are in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, the Dover Straits of England, you get to see all kinds of boats and ships designed for various purposes. But for us fishermen, our goal was to catch fish. It would have been easy to waste time doing all sorts of things out at sea instead of focusing on what our fishing boat was meant to do. Now that God has called me to work on His net, I don't want to reach the end of my life only to find that I invested my time, energy, and money in pursuits that were trivial. What I am called to do must be the priority! What is the main thing the Church of Jesus Christ is called to do? Paul said that it is the Gospel:
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile (Romans 1:16).
When presented correctly and believed, the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings about a profound transformation in the believer's inner being. Paul, in the passage above, called it the power of God. Without this encounter with Christ, there is no change within. Jesus said,
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
The primary aim of our lives should be to share the Gospel to inspire change in people's hearts worldwide. Some individuals believe that if they focus on reforming their lives and act like Christians, they are Christians. Let me emphasize something important: You cannot become a Christian by merely living a Christian life. To truly live a Christian life, you must have the Spirit of Christ residing in you. He is the only One capable of living the Christian life. Here is how Merrill Tenney put it,
“Christianity is not a system of philosophy, nor a ritual, or a code of laws; it is the impartation of divine vitality. Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; without the life, there is no living.”[1]
You must have Christ in you, living and seated in the throne room of the temple of your life.
God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).
We can help feed people, teach them to have better marriages, and bring them into a community with others. However, if we do not help them recognize their most critical need—to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20), our efforts will fall short of the life-changing impact of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The essential task for us believers is to do what we can to help each person around us be born again of the Spirit and live Christ's life. Sharing the Gospel is not just the responsibility of professionals or gifted leaders; it is the duty of all Christians. I am convinced that if we can help all believers learn how to share the Gospel, a revival will break out worldwide.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15).
As Christians, we should always be ready and prepared to share the essence of the Gospel and help our friends and relatives find peace with God through what Christ has done for them. That is the main thing. Keith Thomas
[1] Merrill C. Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief (Grand Rapids, Mich: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1948) Pages 215-216.