As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. (John 17:18)
“Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude 22-23)
These
words in Jude are focusing on the way we treat others. Not just in
walking in love towards them but in reaching out to them to help them
find God.
“Be
merciful to those who doubt” is also translated, “have
compassion, making a difference.” What is interesting about this
definition is that the word doubt or making a difference is diakrino,
Strongs #G1252
and it also means to contend earnestly.
It
is the same word used in Jude 9 where he says, “But
Michael the archangel, when contending [diakrino]
with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring
against him a railing judgment, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”
Reminds
me of a poem I wrote many years ago when I was a new Christian. I
was seeking God on what He would like from me. In a poem, a line I
remember from it said, “Reach out to those who have lost their way,
don't stand back with nothing to say.”
At
the time, this verse in the poem was convicting to me and I was not
at all quick to express my faith to others. I felt God was speaking
to me to not only walk in love and hope people notice, but to reach
out and speak up when opportunity arose.
In
the context of Jude, he was more than likely not speaking about
evangelism in general but to the church about those who were being
lead astray by people who had 'slipped in among them' leading people
astray from the truth to a false doctrine of grace.
Commentary
on Jude 22-23 notes, “A certain
measure of spiritual discernment is necessary in dealing with victims
of apostasy. The Scriptures make a distinction between the way we
should handle those who are active propagandists of false cults and
those who have been duped by them. In the case of the leaders and
propagandists, the policy is given in 2 John 10, 11: “If anyone
comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him
into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his
evil deeds.” But in speaking of those who have been deceived by
false teachers, Jude counsels making a
distinction
and gives two
separate courses of action. [1]
Part
of being able to help others and are not led astray ourselves is
that we have spent some time in God's presence ourselves and know
Him. Jude says in the verses just before this, “But you, dear
friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and
praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God's love as you wait
for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.”
(Jude 20-21)
Also,
being able to help others who have lost their way also involves
reflecting Christ in our own lives. When we do not reflect godliness
in our own lives, we most likely will be considered hypocrites by
those who see our actions and we will lack influence with them.
Jude
warns the church not to follow hypocrites who claim to be of the
faith but pervert the grace of God into a license for immorality and
in doing so, deny Jesus. He calls them “blemishes” and
“shepherds who feed only themselves.” (Jude 12) In Jude 16 he
writes, “These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow
their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter
others for their own advantage.”
As
has been true throughout the ages, some people look to use the gospel
for their own gain. They end up choosing to exalt themselves and use
it as a tool to manipulate others rather than genuinely trusting God
and growing in relationship with Him. Here is a poem about this
choice of life in God by trust or giving into temptation as I was
meditating on Adam and Eve in the garden in Genesis:
Life
sprung up to provide
All
that was needed for man to be satisfied
A
surge welling up from the ground
watered
the land so life could abound.
Man
and God walked as one
Man needed no clothes as they were covered in love
The
Tree of Life in the midst of it all
in
the Land of Delight, before the great fall
The
Tree of Knowledge also had a place
Leaving
open a choice to trust or seek their own ways
One
provided life from His hand
the
other the knowledge of good and bad
The
temptation to be exalted got in man's way
Dwelling
on their desires led them astray
The
fruit was desirable to taste and hold
no
longer innocent, sin entered their souls
then
fear and shame caused them to hide
a
place of emptiness stood where once His glory did abide
When
we are living for Christ and trusting Him to provide for us rather
than striving for our own way or significance, it radiates out in our
lives. His glory shines through us. People see that there is
something different about us and are more likely to be drawn to us
and want to know more about it.
Before
I came to know Christ, I remember meeting a Christian that radiated
Him. She glowed with a joy and a peace that was different than
others around her. She stood out. I was very interested in this
glow she had that I knew I lacked. I was open to what she had to say.
However, when we talked, I remember all she told me about her
church and how they were called “holy rollers” by some people...
I had no clue about any of it and was totally confused by what she
told me. I think she was self-conscience about her faith.
However, her difference in appearance and overall demeanor was a seed
that was sown in my life.
Evangelism
in general is called soul-winning, witnessing, and outreach. It is
defined as reaching those who do not know Christ and 'bringing them
to the Lord' -helping them establish a relationship with Him by
sharing about Him.
The
New Testament is filled with Evangelism. Over and over, Jesus was
sending His people out to witness Christ to those who did not know
Him. As an example, in Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus sends His disciples
out in the great commission to make disciples and baptize people in
the name of Jesus.
And
in Acts 1:8, Jesus told the disciples that they would receive the
power of the Holy Spirit so they would be witnesses. He said, “But
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and
to the ends of the earth."
Sometimes
we (speaking of me here) can think that evangelism is only for
certain people who have this gift. However, Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:18
that believers were not only reconciled to God, but given this
ministry of reconciliation. When he speaks about gifts, he says
“some have been given', but with evangelism, he is inclusive of
all. He says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Here,
reconciliation is defined as “the restoration of the favour of God
to sinners that repent and put their trust in the expiatory death of
Christ.” [2]
Ed
Silvoso writes, “We often miss the evenglistic nature and focus of
Paul's teaching... Paul directs Timothy to keep a certain commandment
that he may fight the good fight [1 Tim 1:18]. What is the good
fight? The good fight, in this context, is not so much a matter of
personal growth but, rather, the struggle to open the eyes of the
lost to the fact that Jesus came into the world to save them. Paul is
talking here about a strategy for reaching the lost; he is explaining
to Timothy how to reach a city or a region for Christ.” [3]
Paul's
first ministry priority was that others would know Christ. He put
his whole heart and life into this. In Acts 20:24 he says, “I
consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the
race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of
testifying to the good news of God's grace.”
Ed
Silvoso goes on to note that early Christians made the marketplace
the focal point of their evangelistic ministry. They both conducted
business but their priority was presenting the gospel to those they
encountered and did business with. He notes that “witnessing was
not an occasional activity but a lifestyle.” [4]
It is so easy to settle in our lives around our comfort zones. Sometimes we can be like Abram's father Terah and have good intentions as we start out but only make it as far as Harran. The move to the promised land costs too much because it involves leaving what is known behind for following God through trials, famine at times, difficulties.
However,
the gain in this is knowing Christ better. God told Abram, “Do
not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
Lord,
I long to know you better. But I find myself very settled in my
life. Perhaps I am more like Abram's father who settled in Harran.
Forgive me. Help us to be more alive to Your kingdom purposes
around us. Let us be like Abram who was willing to leave places of
routine and comfort to know You more.
3-4. Silvoso, Ed. Annointed for Business. 2002. Taken from “In Christ's Image Training: Growing in Christ Level 2, Variety of Ministries.
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