As I have observed how others have approached sharing the gospel and have reflected on my own attempts to do so, it has become increasingly apparent that we Christians are neglecting some things in our focus and approach. I think this has led to and helped perpetuate some misconceptions about what being a disciple of Christ entails. It is always good to take a moment and remind ourselves of why we live for Christ and share the good news about Him with others, but in doing so it is equally important to be reminded of the three things Jesus mentions in the verses above. The one thing we seem to focus on chiefly is the act of baptism. While I in no way want to minimize the importance of the way we die to sin and are raised in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4), that is not all Jesus tells us to focus on. What of His command to “make disciples” and emphasis on “teaching them?” What does failing in these areas mean for the conversion of a lost soul and how can we better address these needs?
Remember the Goal
To “make disciples,” we need to be aware of what a “disciple” is. We ought to understand this if we ourselves are disciples of Jesus, but it can help to remind ourselves that we are not merely sharing our opinions to persuade people to live their lives in a relatively healthier manner. We are not glorified motivational speakers with the feel good message of the moment. We are spokespeople for the Lord Himself, bringing a message of eternal significance to a world that is estranged from a Holy God. It almost goes without saying, then, that this is and always will be the most important and most personal thing we can discuss with someone. We are talking about the way people interpret the entirety of reality. That being said, we ought to recognize how sensitive of an issue it is when we discuss with people some of the most personal things in their lives and the reason they ought to change. How comfortable are you with discussing your thoughts, perspectives, and opinions with someone who is a complete stranger that you have no reason to trust? How about someone who antagonizes you, looks down on you, and belittles you for the thoughts you express? Should we expect any different response from others? How do we talk about the lost in the company of our brothers and sisters? Do our attitudes reflect a Christ like compassion for the lost or a Pharisaic contempt for and self-righteous judgement of those drowning in sin? Do we seek to “get them baptized” to feel good about ourselves, like we did them a favor, and move on to the next “poor foolish soul” that “needs our help?” I hope not.
I hope we take the time to reflect on what it means to be a disciple of Christ. The focus is on another’s relationship with God, not me. It is on sharing the truth I have sought and found, not the opinions I have thought and formed. It is on showing others the need for Jesus not the need for them to listen to what I have to say. There is a very important distinction here. And what better way to demonstrate man’s need for Christ than by acknowledging my own dependence and demonstrating my own faith in Him? Do we fail to “make disciples” because we fail to be disciples? Do we fail to encourage others to seek the Lord by avoiding using His name in everyday conversation? Do we fail to encourage the faith necessary for obedience by failing to show our faith and confidence in the Lord when times are rough? Do we fail to convince others that following Christ changes a disciple for the better when we fail to change ourselves or, worse yet, fail to even acknowledge our shortcomings and need to continually be refined by His words? What message do we send to those who need Jesus but have not yet submitted to Him? We follow Jesus because He is the only way to God, the source of all goodness, and because we want to avoid His just wrath and punishment for sin. We want others to follow Him for the same reason, and yet our hiding, our hypocrisy, and our lack of humility can communicate something else entirely. When was the last time you made a point to talk to someone about something you were studying or the blessing of being a part of the Lord’s church? When was the last time you mentioned praying about a difficult decision you had to make? When was the last time you shared the reason for calling yourself a Christian, that you are a sinner that God has saved? Think about it.
Being a Christian does not make me more than human, but it ought to make me more humble and honest. We would do well to remember the need to be real people who deal with real problems as we serve a real God, else we may communicate a very unrealistic concept of Christianity to an already highly skeptical world.
The Good, The Bad, and The Unconvinced
The goal of making disciples is not limited to showing people a realistic picture of what being a disciple entails. It also includes helping them see their own need for God, and there are three areas in which this can become difficult.
The good news about Jesus is always preceded by the bad news of sin and condemnation. (Acts 2:36-37)
There is a push by many for Christians to be silent about the wrath of God, to ignore the passages (like Romans 1:18; 3:23 and John 3:18-20, 36) which clearly teach that man is not ‘a-okay’ with God Almighty. This is a great failure. It is also completely absurd. What message does a Christian proclaim if there is no real danger due to sin? From what are we telling people they need to be saved? Every person feels guilt and shame as a result of sin, and Christians are no exception. God does not save people from feeling bad, but from the deeper and weightier problem to which such feelings ought to direct our attention. The fact is, people who have not submitted to Christ must be convicted in their hearts and mourn their sins before they can seek the comfort available in Christ. I should not want a lost soul to feel comfortable in that state. My deepest desire for anyone estranged from God is that they would be vexed and disturbed to the point that they would be open to seeking deliverance. We ought to be prepared to deliver the bad news before we begin trying to share the good.
It is dangerous, however, to take the stance that, “Since a sinner by definition practices evil, he is incapable of doing good.” This is just not true. An atheist may deny that goodness is defined by God’s character and still happen to obey James’ instruction to visit orphans and widows in their affliction. (James 1:27) It is not the lack of good works which condemns him, but the presence of sin without faith in God and contact with Jesus’ blood to cover him, having refused to submit to God through Christ, which dooms him to destruction. It is not our job to go around making people feel bad about themselves and encouraging them to doubt the objective goodness of every action they have done prior to believing—God’s word pierces the willing heart. It is our job to share with those who seem perfectly content what God says and encourage them to think about it for themselves.
Perhaps our unwillingness to do this shows our lack of faith in the real power contained within the truth of God’s Word. Consequently, when we attempt to ‘harass the heathens’ into obeying, rather than attempting to defend the truth and persuade them out of a fear of God ourselves, we see what we mistake as the power of God’s truth fail and justify our lack of confidence in its power. Perhaps we are similarly rejected simply because people whom we encounter have already made up their minds about the ‘unreasonableness’ of faith in Christ. Have we forgotten the words of our Lord, “For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” (Matthew 7:13) And again, “‘If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.’” (John 15:18-20) The words of God through Christ are “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) God hits men where they live, and we must remember that those cut to the heart by God’s word can always respond in two general ways: They will either be broken or attempt to break us. (Acts 2:37; 7:54, 57-58) ‘Good’ people will not like to be told that God sees them any other way, but, “The nature of truth means that it is objective...truth does not change to fit the whims of fallible people.” (Doy Moyer)
Sinners do not need to be met with reminders of their badness and brokenness when they are already sincerely seeking the truth. (Luke 15:1-2)
If I know I have done something wrong, been brought low by the consequences of my sin, and have come seeking help, the last thing I want to hear from someone is how dirty I am and how foolish I have been. The last thing I need for people to attempt to do is to try to figure out what in their lives help them “understand what I am going through.” You may never understand, and that fact is still a pointless one to raise. Just as God shows no partiality, His grace has no limits. There is no sin so heinous that it cannot be forgiven and no sinner who benefits from my trying to judge whether he has the capacity to truly turn away from the sin which has ensnared him before I share with him the blessed gospel message of salvation.
On the other hand, a sinner seeking the truth about himself and the God from which he has severed himself is almost certainly going to be turned away by a group of people who pride themselves on convincing everyone that nothing is ever wrong. While the sin for which God has granted me pardon through Christ may never help me truly understand the sinner seeking God’s salvation, acknowledging my sin does let that person know that Christianity is not about being perfect, but about being perfected. It lets the wandering soul know that God’s plan is to bring salvation to the undeserving, not the elite. It demonstrates that the church is a group of saved people who are sanctified, not one of superior people who are isolated. One of the most powerful things I ever experienced was having a man I dearly respect and admire confess to me that he is far from immune to struggling with sin and temptation. It made being a disciple of Christ seem possible to me, even when my sin had convinced be that I was a hopeless case.
Contrition is essential, but Christianity is not about convincing ourselves that we are the scum of the earth everyday. Christ died so we would not have to suffer in that way, so that we would have new life and new purpose. While the ‘good’ people need to hear the bad news about sin to accept the good news of salvation, sinners who have acknowledged their ‘badness’ need to be shown what a blessing it is to truly have the guilt of sin washed away. This means being known and loved in the ugly and helpless state in which they humbly and courageously come for help. How else will someone know the love of God if we do not show it to them? (Romans 5:6-11; John 13:34-35) The contrite sinner needs compassion and forgiveness, not condemnation and contempt. (Luke 7:37-48)
Sharing the truth means meeting people where they are, not where we expect or would prefer them to be. (Acts 17:22-34)
What is our natural response to someone who asks of us a question to which we think they ought to already know the answer? What are we moved to do when we see someone struggling with what we believe to be the most basic truths? Are we condescending? Do we feel burdened? Do we expect everyone to at least be where we are in our growth in Christ? Is that even remotely reasonable? How would you feel if someone said they wanted to be baptized, but then you realized that they did not even know what the words ‘sin,’ ‘remission,’ and ‘redemption’ mean, in relation to one another? Should we encourage someone to be baptized into Christ if they do not yet understand the meanings of the words ‘devote,’ ‘follow,’ ‘deny yourself,’ and ‘faith?’ Do we turn up our noses at the person who closes his Bible, looks at us intently across the table, and asks us how he can be asked to believe in and commit his life to something he cannot see? Do we think foolish those who are genuinely concerned about the reliability of Scripture, given all they have heard about its many “errors?” What about when someone comes to us with a question that we have never before considered? Do we panic, send them away, and push that disturbing feeling out of our minds; or do we humbly search for the truth ourselves?
The same man I mentioned earlier, whom I respect and admire so much, once told me that being a Christian means being concerned with truth, whatever it may be and however it may be presented to me. The Christian does not need to fear opposing arguments, he welcomes them. If they are true, he will adjust his perspective accordingly, but if they are not, he has no reason to change. Christianity is not about arbitrarily sharing my personal views about the world, but rather about me seeking the truth and coming to the knowledge that all such truth is found in Christ. (John 14:6) The assumption here, however, is that such a Christian has studied for himself to learn the truth about life. Have you considered how reasonable your faith really is? Are you prepared to be patient with someone who is on the edge of disbelief? Will your unanswered questions and hidden doubts emerge and keep you from strengthening your faith, or will you find the answers, even if they are not what you expected? Will you be patient with another who is trying to do the same thing? I think the most helpful thing we can do to meet people where they are is to reflect on times when our faith was weak, when we needed help, and how people were willing to be patient with us. God is patient with us, giving us time as we seek to “finally get it.” Do we communicate God’s patience to others?
The Point and Process of Conversion
It seems that some Christians forget that Acts 2 has more than 38 verses. While Peter’s initial answer to those troubled souls on the day of Pentecost was, “‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins,’” we also read, “with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save your selves from this crooked generation.’” We ought to be prepared for dialogue and extended instruction and reasoning, not just the finality of a single commandment. What I am not saying is that we should go beyond the strict authority of God’s Word. What I am saying is that people may have hurdles and hangups that will require more time and attention than a quick reading and rehearsed explanation of a short passage.
This idea raises an important question about conversion: Is it a point or a process? I would say that it seems clear from the example we have in Acts 2 that the answer is a resounding “yes!” It is both. Luke records for us very clearly, “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” He also records that, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Were these people’s sins forgiven at the point of baptism? Yes, there is no denying that, but were they done being converted? Why would Luke record that these people “devoted themselves” after they were baptized? Are we not supposed to “have it all together” before we come to God? I hope your answer to that slightly sarcastic question would be “no,” but I fear we sometimes believe this, or at least give this impression to others. Christ died for us when we were weak and sinful, and we come to Him when we realize what we need, what He did for us, and how He says we must respond for what He did for us to take care of what we need. But knowing intellectually and knowing experientially are two completely different things. The point of conversion may be at baptism, but that is the point at which the process of conversion begins.
Consider Simon in Acts 8, Paul in Acts 9, and some other brothers in Acts 15. Simon believes and is baptized, but is rebuked by Peter for not having a heart that is right before God. Paul believes and is baptized, but he “increased all the more in strength.” The brothers who were being misled by those preaching the necessity of circumcision needed correction. The Hebrew writer makes a distinction between the child and the mature in Hebrews 5. Peter tells us that we need to supplement our faith in the first chapter of his second letter. And Paul says that God always intended us to “be conformed to the image of His Son,” while we are being transformed by the renewal of our minds. (Romans 8:29; 12:2) These are just a few examples of the clear teaching throughout the New Testament that in addition to “baptizing them” and “making disciples” we MUST emphasize the TEACHING of ALL that Christ has commanded. Paul says our entire mindset is to be transformed, in order to serve the way that Christ did. (Philippians 2:1-8) Do we focus solely on getting people to the point of conversion and neglect the process of conversion, which is equally as important? It is a process that they will go through with God for their entire lives, but as brothers and sisters of those converted to Christ, are we determined to support them all of our lives?
Every older Christian man for whom I have great respect has described his life in Christ simply as “a work in progress.” May we ever be willing to work, be worked upon by God, and work with those who desire to do the same. (Ephesians 2:10)