“You’ve Got to Save Your Own Soul First . . . “

Stephanie Staples.com

“Go into the world and preach the Gospel.” Those words, labeled “The Great Commission” have been the motivating factor for just about every evangelistic mission in Christianity. I’ve been told that a better translation of those words might be, “as you are going, preach.” An interesting way of putting it . . . perhaps shedding an even clearer light at what’s at the heart of this “charge.”

Every Christian is called to a life of service, both to God and to their neighbor. Christ was a perfect example of this. “As He went,” He shared the “good news” in word and in deed. His “news” was simple: God was Life and Light, willing and able to impart that Life and Light into anyone who asked for it. That’s what Salvation is: Life. Not life “someday,” but now.

An evangelist is not someone who only knows and shares the truths of the Gospel. Even the apostle Paul said that he never went anywhere with “words of wisdom” alone. He knew words could not save (John 5:39, 2 Cor 3:12-18), it was only the “Word made flesh” (John 1:14) that brought (was) Salvation. His message was not convincing because it made sense, but because there was something inside of him giving power to his words (“the Kingdom of God does not consist of words, but of power” 1 Cor 4:20).

Christ IN US is what will make our efforts to “evangelize” successful. He alone can make our (his) message alive to the listener/observer/seeker. If we do not have his spirit abiding in us (that is, if we do not have Love), our words, even if truth, are “clanging symbols;” noise. Words alone do not bring salvation. No, not even truthful words. Only the Truth can do this.

While walking through Barnes and Noble this week I noticed that there are “answers” for just about everything under the sun. Whatever the issue, there is a book or an article to explain it and help you overcome it. Yet, people are still suffering, depressed, addicted, etc. Proverbs and self-help books provide answers—sometimes good answers—but not an Answer. Not Life.

If we want to carry on this, “great commission” our first step should be to seek the One who gave it. ANYONE who puts their life in His hands can be a powerful example of Truth. Consider the woman who had just one encounter with Christ (the Samaritan woman at the well). She didn’t have “answers,” she had only “An Answer.” Her testimony was so powerful that an entire city sought to find the One she had spoken of. It was not her head knowledge that saved her or anyone else. It was the Life that she allowed to possess her.

We must first understand the Gospel ourselves before we can effectively share it with others. That is, we must have had an encounter with the source of it—Christ Himself. His “covenant of love” abiding in us is what mystifies and captivates those who recognize their need (“the mystery to the nations, Christ in you” (Col 1:27)”

George MacDonald put it well:

“You’ve got to save your own soul first, and then the souls of your neighbors if they will let you; and for that reason you must cultivate, not a spirit of criticism, but the talents that attract people to the hearing of the Word.” -George MacDonald, The Marquis of Lossie (ch. XXVII)

If you want to share His life, be made alive. You won’t need encouragement to evangelize when that happens. You will be a living evangelist, someone so filled with God that you’ll be sharing Him without even intending to do so. The greatest way to proclaim truth is to live in it (Him).

<3 Stephanie www.StephanieStaples.com