He Said "Go" (2)

Dual Responsibilities

The Christians has a responsibility to the church and to the lost. Likewise, the church has obligations to Christians and to alien sinners. To a person (Timothy), Paul said, “Preach the word…” (2 Ti 4:2). Paul also said that the church is the “pillar and ground of the truth.”

First, let us recognize that the collective action of the church does not in any way relieve each of us of our responsibility to “Go.” If the church uses its every resource for evangelism everywhere, each member must still busily engage himself in whatever he can to make known the glad tidings of good things.

Second, let us not forget the collective work a church can and must do to please God. Even if every member is zealous, active, and faithful in teaching from house to house and in every other way, this does not replace collective evangelism when it sends “once and again” to support those who preach.

Everyone Can Go

The commission is to every disciple. However, regardless of ability, eloquence or zeal, almost no one can succeed in leading souls to salvation without at least the following characteristics:

Sincerity. All else is empty unless accompanied by a friendly, humble, yet courageous attitude

Knowledge of the Word. We must be able to find the needed Scriptures and read them accurately

Holiness. The light of the gospel is not reflected to the world from a life of sin and worldliness. If sinners can’t see Christ manifested in our lives they will hardly hear his words from our lips.

Opportunity knocks today from every quarter of the globe. At home and abroad, souls are eager for truth to make them free, and able, faithful men are willing to go, preaching. Let us arise and meet the opportunity while it is ours.

The article is adapted from one written by Leslie Diestelkamp in 1958