In one way, this is a trick question. Certainly, we who were enemies of God could not begin to imagine that we would be worthy to spread the Gospel of Christ. And yet, Christ’s death on the cross has given us His standing before God, and He commissioned us to go and tell the world about what He did.
However, how we conduct ourselves and the testimony we have directly impact that message that we’re supposed to give.
I’m sure you’ve run into it about as many times as I have. That moment when you find yourself in a position where you have to try to explain or defend a fellow believer that has taken a stand which may be Biblical, but their testimony is such that it is difficult. Or how about having to explain why what you believe is different from the last Christian that the person talked with.
I’ve recently been talking on an atheist blog because they were mourning the death of someone who was running a blog that basically disparaged anyone who believed in God and they particularly took aim at a fellow believer. I felt like wading in, and as a voice of reason I tried to discuss what Christians believe about people’s eternal soul, and why we need to tell others about Christ– but I was handicapped to some degree by not knowing how the person they were talking about presented herself and in seeing some of her sites briefly she may come off more abrasive than sharing the Word with love.
In any case, listen to what A.W. Tozer says about this topic:
The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. Her first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it. (Of God and Men, 35)
Paul spends a lot of time talking about Christian leaders (and to extent all Christians) and how they should be blameless. This is for a reason. We need to be people that reflect Christ. You’ve heard it said that you may be the only Gospel tract that some may ever see.
What do people see in you? What reputation do you have? If you haven’t been talking about the Bible or run away from conversations about God how will people react if you try to share the Gospel?
How is the testimony of your church? Do they have high standards? Do they have a good reputation? Do people look at your church as a place where God is or as a club?
Are we worthy to share the Greatest Message Ever Given?
I think that you have a good point, Colleen, in that we as a body are supposed to be building each other up– and criticizing each other definitely isn’t doing that. But to some extent we need to be concerned about who we are in our relationship with the Lord and take criticism in the best way we can– comparing it to what the Word says.
It’s my hope that people will see that I have a caring and loving heart. I have a long way to go, but each day He is teaching me new ways in which to love on people. I think I have a pretty good reputation, but I know and God knows where I’ve faltered in being more like Christ. He’s has shown me a lot of grace and mercy, as I continue to wade through this life for eternity with Him. In regards to my church, I think they have a pretty good reputation, but I did meet someone who criticized me for only being part of a women’s small group because “i’d never get married that way”. In a church the size of mine, I’m sure there are several other comments that are made – I just hope that people who are really searching for a relationship with Christ are able to find that through the people I’m associated with through this church.