Jesus did command repentance and faith. The gospel contains a gracious invitation indeed, but at the same time it's also a royal command from not just any king or ruler, but from the King of kings.
"Be very sure of this people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it too well; they understand that it condemns their own behavior; they understand that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment. They try to believe it is false and useless, because they don't like to believe it is true." ~ J.C. Ryle
People Reject the Light - Oftentimes, Cuz They Do Understand and Do Love The Darkness
"And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." — John 3:19 (ESV. Again, take a moment when you can to check out the entire context)
"Everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed." — John 3:20
They Know More Than They Admit
"For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him." — Romans 1:21
"By their unrighteousness suppress the truth." — Romans 1:18
Romans 1 teaches that mankind suppresses truth rather than innocently lacking all knowledge of God.
The Gospel Is Clear and Is To Be Presented Clearly
"The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes." — Psalm 19:8
"The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple." — Psalm 19:7
"The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." — Psalm 119:130
Repentance Is Commanded
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." — Acts 17:30
Notice that repentance is not merely respectfully suggested; it is clearly commanded in love.
Repentance is not merely suggested; it is commanded. Is there an invitation too? Sure. Please know we serve a straightforward, strong Commander, not some beta, multi-binary feminist, gay, or soy-boy type of God. (BTW He loves James Talarico and all those in Texas that he describes - we all need Him and His free forgiveness)
Faith and Repentance Are Also Free Gifts
"There is no going on in sin and going to heaven. That cannot be. You must quit sin or quit hope." ~ Charles Spurgeon
"God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth." — 2 Timothy 2:25
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." — Ephesians 2:8
"Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life." — Acts 11:18
The Bible presents both truths simultaneously:
- God commands repentance and faith.
- God graciously grants repentance and faith.
The Need for Clear Communication
When missionaries communicate the gospel in a language people understand, they follow a biblical pattern.
The miracle of Pentecost involved people hearing "the mighty works of God" in their own languages (Acts 2:6-11).
"If with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said?" — 1 Corinthians 14:9
The Character, Lifestyle, and Communication of the Messenger Matters Greatly
"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching." — 1 Timothy 4:16
"Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock." — Acts 20:28
"Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." — 1 Timothy 4:12
A missionary's life does not save people, but hypocrisy can obscure the message while godly character adorns it.
What Did Jesus Say To Those Who Already Understood?
Often Jesus did not provide additional evidence. He called for a response.
"Repent and Believe"
"Repent and believe in the gospel." — Mark 1:15
"Follow Me"
To many people who already knew enough, Jesus simply said:
"Follow me." — Matthew 9:9
"Why Do You Call Me Lord?"
"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?" — Luke 6:46
"You Are Not Willing"
"You refuse to come to me that you may have life." — John 5:40
The issue was not always a lack of information, but a lack of inner openness or willingness.
What Are Some Effective Things To Say To Someone Who Already Understands The Gospel?
If a person truly understands the gospel, additional information may not be what is needed.
Biblically, one might lovingly say:
- "You know what Christ requires, right? So what is keeping you from obeying Him?"
- "If Christianity is true as the evidence shows us, then what reason remains for delaying repentance?"
- "What sin, relationship, ambition, or fear are you unwilling to surrender to Christ?"
- "If you died tonight (and I of course, am not wishing for that), what would you in a hurry trust in besides Christ?"
- "How much more evidence would be enough?"
- "Jesus commands repentance and faith today, not someday."
- "The door of mercy is open now, but it will not remain open forever."
- "What will you do with Jesus Christ?"
Those questions move from mere information to personal accountability.
What is it about the darkness of this world that people love so much? They can stay hidden instead of embarrassed enjoying the fleeting pleasures.
J. C. Ryle says
"Unbelief is not merely a misfortune; it is a sin."
Charles Spurgeon
"The gospel is like a lion. You don't have to defend a lion. All you have to do is let the lion loose, and the lion will defend itself."
C. S. Lewis
"We are not merely imperfect creatures who must be improved; we are rebels who must lay down our arms."
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
"The sinner is not only ignorant; he is hostile to God."
John Stott
"Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us."
George Whitefield
"Come poor, lost, undone sinner, come just as you are to Christ."
Personally, I love all the promises in the Bible to the children of God -- I mean to real Christians, but listen up other creations of God. We all need Christ's forgiveness and God loves you as well, you who are still unsaved. Yes, you also matter.
“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed ” Psalm 139:16 nlt
More than anything, people want to know that they matter. “Make me feel important” is wired into us. No one likes to be overlooked or pushed aside. No one wants to be just another face in the crowd. We all crave significance and recognition.
For someone lost who already understands the gospel message, it's not about this: "Please learn more, Dude." but it's more about:
"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." — Hebrews 3:15
"There is no repentance in the grave: there is no conversion after the last breath is drawn. Now is the time to believe in Christ, and to lay hold of eternal life. Now is the time to turn from darkness to light, and to make our calling and election sure. The night comes when no man can work. As the tree falls, there it will lie. If we leave this world refusing to repent and believe, we will rise in the same condition on resurrection morning, and find it would have been "better for us if we had never been born." ~ J.C. Ryle
The consistent message of Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets is that head-knowledge alone is not enough for someone to get right with God. Right here and now is the time to respond. There indeed is a real hell to avoid and a heaven to gain in a relationship with Christ. The question is not merely, "Sir, or Madam, do you understand this Gospel Message you've heard?" but rather, "Will you today somewhere.. will you right here and now repent, change, forsake your sin, believe in Christ, and submit to God's Word?" KnowGod.org
My heart seems to leak His love, but GOD LOVES YOU. Ever been there and not felt His love? I often run out of His love in there. God is love--bigger than a reservoir of love. I've got to tap in, and He pours it in when I run dry.
I can SO relate to Jonah and how he felt. He loved God's truth, but he really struggled to love the horrible people to whom God sent him. The Lord had to teach him that real compassion for lost people is not at all natural to fallen human beings—it is something God Himself must produce within each of us.
When Jonah mourned the loss of a plant more than the spiritual condition of an entire city, God confronted him:
"And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?" (Jonah 4:11)
Jonah cared more about his comfort than their souls. Yet if we are honest, many of us see ourselves in Jonah.
The answer is not pretending to care when we do not. The answer is continually bringing our cold hearts to Christ and asking Him to fill us with His love for people.
"The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." (Romans 5:5)
Notice that Paul does not say we manufacture God's love. The Holy Spirit pours it into our hearts.
You mentioned Paul's words:
"For the love of Christ constraineth us." (2 Corinthians 5:14)
Paul was not driven primarily by guilt, pressure, or religious duty. He was compelled by the love of Christ—Christ's love toward him and Christ's love toward sinners.
That same chapter contains evangelistic, powerful motivation for us:
"Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." (2 Corinthians 5:11)
Paul understood both realities:
- God's coming judgment.
- God's great love shown in Christ.
Both fueled his evangelism.
The Great Commission is not merely a suggestion.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations..." (Matthew 28:19)
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15)
These are commands from the risen King.
Yet the Great Commandment comes first:
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart..." (Matthew 22:37)
"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 22:39)
The more we love God, the more we begin to see people through His eyes.
When Jesus looked upon the crowds, He did not merely see political problems, corruption, addiction, poverty, immorality, false religion, or social decay.
"But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd." (Matthew 9:36)
Jesus saw souls.
That does not mean He approved of sin. He certainly did not. But He saw beyond the sin to the eternal destiny of the sinner.
The same Lord who pronounced judgment also wept over Jerusalem:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... how often would I have gathered thy children together... and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37)
One of the greatest dangers for faithful Christians is becoming more burdened by the condition of society than by the condition of souls.
It is possible to accurately identify corruption, moral decline, lawlessness, broken cities, and failing institutions while simultaneously forgetting that every tent contains a person made in the image of God and every soul will spend eternity either with Christ or apart from Him.
That is why Psalm 139 is so precious.
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb." (Psalm 139:13)
Every person you pass—whether wealthy or homeless, educated or uneducated, citizen or foreigner, moral or immoral—bears the image of God and possesses an immortal soul.
The gospel reminds us that none of us arrived at salvation because we were better than others.
"Such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus." (1 Corinthians 6:11)
The difference between the believer and the unbeliever is not personal superiority. It is the grace of God.
Fitting Christian Quotes
William Booth
"Go for souls, and go for the worst."
Hudson Taylor
"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed."
Charles Spurgeon
"If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies."
David Livingstone
"Sympathy is no substitute for action."
Amy Carmichael
"You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving."
Those are great people, but I'm just ordinary. It's amazing how many ugly American cities that have been so wrecked by wacko-crooked Socialist Politicians and Islamists along with those thugs who help them.
It's amazing to me how many other cities and other countries that are that are filled up with lost, broken and desperate people -- and I simply don't even feel like visiting them. Hey, I'm not great like Jonah, but I sure can relate to him next to his plant. I prefer gardening over visiting a lot of these people and places.
I'm called upon to go and really care and then share the gospel message.. in that order. I have my own story I could also share.
Jesus cared and came to this sin-cursed Earth for sinners like me. He served us sinners.
I have to go back to Him daily for the specifics of His will for me and for His work inside my heart and attitude. Do I always feel like that? Nope. I need to explain how much I don't care a whole lot of days. I hate seeing the tent cities, the filth, the trash and all the cheating going on in our US elections! I hate seeing the cheating and radical weirdness in Europe, too.
Seems like those who are fighting against all the corruption (and I'm grateful for them) often get out-swamped by the very deep swamp (deep state). I admit it, if God doesn't put his love in me again, then I'm in trouble.
"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." ~ Paul, 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 niv
God, thanks that You will help me. I really don't want people going to hell because I simply don't care or have any spiritual burden for them. They do matter to Jesus who commands us believers to go.
The Holy Spirit indwells to help us. He empowers even when we don't feel like going. Meditate on the Great Commission So it won't be an omission and on his top two commandments.
Believer, would you pray something like this?
"Father God, send an awakening and authentic revival. Here I am, send me, but right now I don't care like You do. I couldn't give a flip about sinners far away. I have a hard enough time with those who are near to me. Don't want any hardness, don't want my fiery passion to be quenched, or to quench the Spirit. I confess that my heart often resembles Jonah's more than Jesus'. I see some corruption and wickedness (not nearly all), but I do not always see people's hearts or motives as You do. I don't care, and I'm supposed to care and share. Fill me afresh with the love of Christ.. even for sinners and saints. Help me remember that every person I meet bears Your image and possesses an eternal soul that's headed to one of two places. Keep me from loving anything more than You and Your mission. May the Great Commission never become the Great Omission in my life. Give me compassion without compromise, conviction without bitterness, courage without pride, and love without hypocrisy. I ask for discernment, but not so I can criticize. Constrain me by the love of Christ and empower me by the Holy Spirit to really care, to share, and to faithfully point others to Jesus Christ. Help me genuinely care like You do, cuz right now I just DON'T and see it. Amen."
As you meditate on the Great Commission, it can also be helpful to meditate on Christ Himself. The command to go becomes far more compelling when we remember who came for us:
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor..." (2 Corinthians 8:9)
He entered a fallen world filled with corruption, injustice, idolatry, and rebellion—not because it was attractive, but because sinners mattered to Him. That same Christ still seeks and saves the lost today (Luke 19:10), and He often does so through ordinary believers who simply obey His command to go.
"Praise the Lord, all nations everywhere. Praise Him, all the peoples of the earth. For He loves us very dearly, and His truth endures. Praise the Lord." Psalm 117
"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." ~ C.S. Lewis
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