Admittedly, this may seem a bit overly simplistic, but it’s amazing how different evangelism looks when viewed through the lens of the gospel. We will be compelled to share the gospel out of a humble generosity and love, not out of fear, guilt, or a desire to put a check next to an item on a spiritual to-do list. To share the gospel for the latter reasons is tantamount to narcissism disguised as religious activity.

We will be freed from the fear of being ridiculed, rejected, or persecuted. If we understand the gospel, and if we understand that we already have the favor of a gracious God by way of what Christ did on the cross, then we no longer fear the rejection of men. We won’t be discouraged by someone else’s failure to accept Christ because our identity is not found in how many we successfully point toward the cross, but rather, our identity is in Christ’s work on the cross.

There will be a certain humility in our dealings with others because we understand that we are saved wholly by grace. We did not have superior character to those who remain unsaved, and we did not possess something additional that persuaded the Lord that it would be in His best interest to save us. It was God’s gracious love toward us while we were yet totally devoted to our sin and rebellion that saved us. It’s impossible to be arrogant in our dealings with others when we understand this.

We will be hopeful about anyone — even the messy, hard cases — because we don’t shortchange His grace and the power of the gospel. There is no one beyond His grasp, and we need only look at ourselves to see evidence of this.

We will be courteous, careful, and loving with people. We won’t feel the need to be pushy or coercive because we understand the potency of God’s gracious gospel. It is His grace alone that opens hearts, not our eloquent or clever delivery, not our perseverance, and not even their openness. Our evangelistic style will be much more winsome.

When the gospel has shaped our thinking in such ways, the result will be a humble, motivated, loving, kind, gracious witness for the gospel.

By Matt Monge