Page 21 - True Gospel Evangelism

Proper vs Improper
Motive for Evangelism

3. Is. 40:1 “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfort-
ably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity

is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.” This
verse speaks of the Lord’s people engaged in fighting in a war, but unable to conquer.
This is the case with the Lord’s people who thru the conviction of sin try so hard to
establish their righteousness by whatever means they can. The message here is one of

comfort brought about by the messenger declaring to the Lord’s people that the war is
over and that their iniquity is pardoned. This is, of course, the true gospel message.
Christ has died for the sins of his elect people and their sins have been pardoned. The
efforts to try to establish ones righteousness are in vain as they have already been made

righteous with God through the atoning blood of Christ.

4. Matt. 9:35 “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and

every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved
with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep
having no shepherd. 37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will

send forth labourers into his harvest.” The purpose of a laborer in harvest is not to
make the harvest, but to gather the harvest into the barn or bin. In the above passage,
the Lord is exhorting his disciples to pray that He will send forth laborers to gather his
scattered flock into the proper location for them. The best and safest location for sheep

is in the holding pen under a shepherd’s care. Of course, this points us to the church
of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we preach the gospel we are encouraging people to
join the church and become disciples of Christ. This is consistent with the teaching of
Acts chapter 2 when it told us that the Lord added to the church daily those that should

be saved.

5. Through the teaching of God’s people of the word of God, they can save them-
selves from many errors, pitfalls, false worship, broken relationships, addictions to

many harmful things, etc.

continues