What must happen for the gospel to be proclaimed
completely? What our Head tells us is
that it must go boldly (with no holding back) and must go to all people.
·
The gospel must be proclaimed by all means
(1 Cor. 9:19-23; 10:33). Paul said that
he sought to please everybody in every way, not for his own good, but so
that (hina) many would be saved.
o It
should be obvious, but Paul added and thus so will we: he did not use or allow
for methods of preaching the gospel that were inconsistent with the
gospel. For our exhortation did not
come from error or uncleanness nor was it in deceit … not as pleasing men, but
God … neither at any time did we use flattering words … nor a cloak for covetousness
… nor did we seek glory from men (1 Thess. 2:3-6). He also reminded the Corinthian Church that
he had not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom (1 Cor.
2:1). He later said, in his defense of
his apostolic ministry, we did not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal
but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (2 Cor. 10:3-5).
o Does
our Head give us some idea of various “means”?
I think He does when we read the testimonies of Acts. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, testified
and exhorted the crowd (Acts 2:40).
Later, as a crowd gathered Peter responded (3:12) by doing what
the Sanhedrin considered teaching and preaching (4:2). The word speak in 5:20 indicates simple conversation.
Again, in 5:42 they taught that Jesus was the Christ, and the preaching
was the Greek term for “gospel preaching.”
Phillip “preached” in Samaria (8:5) but the word is the term for “proclamation”
of a message. Paul was often more “apologetic”
in his approach, proclaiming (9:20) and proving that this Jesus is the Christ (9:22). Later he reasoned in the synagogue of Thessalonica (17:2). The means of testifying appears
frequently in Acts. We are simply saying
that, in different situations, as the Spirit led, there might have been
different approaches. Each was
appropriate for the gospel.
We should summarize by saying that two things
contribute to the means by which the preaching of the gospel takes place. The first is the righteous character of the
preacher himself; he does not use the common methodology of the world in trying
to twist people’s arms or convince them to adopt some opinion. Second is the leading of the Holy
Spirit. We do not really find a “playbook”,
so to speak, of the best approach in proclaiming Christ. What we see are people who are walking in the
Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, our Head.
Thus the Head is leading them to the places and people and means that He
deems appropriate for the situation.
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