What Hangs In The Balance Of Evangelism?
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! – Psalm 96:3
Several years ago, I came across a statement from Penn Gillette. He is a magician, comedian, and an atheist. He said, “I've always said that I don't respect people who don't evangelize. I don't respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and a hell and people could be going to hell, and not getting eternal life, you should tell them. If you think that it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward, an atheist might say people should not evangelize. They might say, ‘Just leave me alone and keep your religion to yourself.’ How much do you have to hate somebody not to evangelize?”
He goes on to say, “How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them? If I believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn't believe that the truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you, and this is more important than that.”
What blows my mind is that Penn said this and he is an atheist! He doesn’t even believe in God, heaven, or hell. But that doesn’t keep him from understanding the importance of evangelizing if you do believe in God, heaven, and hell.
If this doesn’t convict you and challenge you to share the gospel with others, I don’t know what will. Worrying about the thoughts and opinions of others or trying to avoid social awkwardness aren’t good enough reasons not to tell people about Jesus. Someone else’s eternity hangs in the balance of your boldness to share Jesus with them.
Nothing is more powerful than when believers share Jesus with people who have not yet come to faith in Christ. I pray that you would be faithful in sharing the gospel with this in mind moving forward.
Several years ago, I came across a statement from Penn Gillette. He is a magician, comedian, and an atheist. He said, “I've always said that I don't respect people who don't evangelize. I don't respect that at all. If you believe there is a heaven and a hell and people could be going to hell, and not getting eternal life, you should tell them. If you think that it's not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward, an atheist might say people should not evangelize. They might say, ‘Just leave me alone and keep your religion to yourself.’ How much do you have to hate somebody not to evangelize?”
He goes on to say, “How much do you have to hate someone to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them? If I believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn't believe that the truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you, and this is more important than that.”
What blows my mind is that Penn said this and he is an atheist! He doesn’t even believe in God, heaven, or hell. But that doesn’t keep him from understanding the importance of evangelizing if you do believe in God, heaven, and hell.
If this doesn’t convict you and challenge you to share the gospel with others, I don’t know what will. Worrying about the thoughts and opinions of others or trying to avoid social awkwardness aren’t good enough reasons not to tell people about Jesus. Someone else’s eternity hangs in the balance of your boldness to share Jesus with them.
Nothing is more powerful than when believers share Jesus with people who have not yet come to faith in Christ. I pray that you would be faithful in sharing the gospel with this in mind moving forward.
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May I be bold to share the gospel of salvation to the unbelievers
I pray to the Lord that I may be able to share the grace of God with other people. Amen