I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. [2 Timothy 4:1-5, ESV]
What does it mean to “do the work of an evangelist”? Evangelist derives from the Greek verb ευαγγελίζω. Both ευαγγελίζω and its cognate noun ευαγγελίον derive from a compound of ευ- (good) and άγγελoς (messenger). It is often translated as “good news” and in the New Testament it is applied exclusively to the unique message of the life and works of Jesus.
The nature of the gospel, no matter what age or language we are speaking in, is the life and works of Jesus [1 Corinthians 15:1-11]. It is not about world views or comparative religion. It is not a catechism or bullet point list of things we must give our consent to. It is not even about the conversion of unbelievers. It is the presentation of Jesus Christ to those who need to meet him – period.
In Galatians, the Apostle Paul makes it plain that the true gospel is distinguished from other (έτερος or “different”) gospels because the true gospel is ουκ κατά άνθρωπον – not after/by man. The gospel is not defined by men but by He who Is the Gospel – Jesus Christ. So, in Biblical evangelism we must first recognize that the gospel is not some system devised by man – whether that system is Jewish legalism or the Golden Keys of Soul-winning or the Finney-esque altar call – but the person of Jesus Christ.
Thanks to Erik at re:Fundamentals
There is no doubt about it, God had a different measure of love for one of the twins of than he did for the other. The phrase “Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated” leads us to no other conclusion. But why? What is the basis for this distinction?
“But you will not go out in haste, Nor will you go as fugitives; For the LORD will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form more than the sons of men. Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand. Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors. ”