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
Ichabod Smith Spencer was born in 1798 in Rupert, VT. He was unconverted until just after his 18th birthday. The previous year his father died and this left him utterly devastated. “It is highly probable that his father’s death so deeply felt, and so great a trial, was sanctified to his soul, and overruled to lead his mind and heart, so dark and trembling, to the only true ‘Rock of hope and support.’ It was more than a year, however, after this event occurred, before the grace of God changed his heart, and turned his feet into the way of life.”
I am immensely grieved when I see the extent in which many Christian churches today, especially in America, have decided that their strength lies in making themselves more appealing to the world. The popular Christian leaders of the day exemplify this attitude when they soften their public rhetoric, not out of a proper sense of meekness, but to purposely veil the hard truths of Jesus Christ because they know that proclaiming these truths will lessen their stature in the eyes of the world. In some ways, these Christian appeasers are like a town sheriff in the Old West who throws off his gun belt so that everyone will like him, only to find the criminals taking advantage of his kindness and ransacking the town that he swore to protect.