The Bible in World Evangelization
Missions BFL Tract
FBCD
12.11.2011
1. Introduction- ‘Without the Bible, world evangelization would not only be
impossible but actually inconceivable. It is the Bible that lays upon us the
responsibility to evangelize the world, gives us a gospel to proclaim, tells us
how to proclaim it and promises us that it is God’s power for salvation to
every believer.’ –John Stott.
2. Four Reasons Why the Bible is indispensible to world evangelism:
a. Mandate for World Evangelization- the history of mankind (and
especially true today) are bound by two thoughts, which challenge the
faith of the Scriptures that the church wants to push out, religious
fanaticism and religious pluralism. The former refuse the rival the faith
the Scriptures brings and the latter its exclusive claims. So in the midst of
this how do we counter these claims from the Scripture? Abraham’s
spiritual children (see Gen. 12.1-3) are bound by a responsibility to all
mankind. Jesus is the heir of the nations. Further when he rose from the
dead and ascended the Spirit came in full force. Then the early Christians
moved frorth in force to share the gospel and not just a few prophets, like
was seen in the OT. The church became a force under guidance by the
Spirit. They did it for the sake of the name of Jesus (Roms 1.5). So what
filled the gap between Jesus’ ascension and return? It is the mandate for
world evangelization, which is the whole Bible. It is to be found:
1) In the Creation- because of which all human beings are responsible
to him
2) In the Character of God- as outgoing, loving, compassionate, not
willing that any should perish.
3) In the Promises of God- that all nations will be blessed through
Abraham’s seed and will become the Messiah’s inheritance.
4) In Jesus Christ- exalted with universal authority, to receive universal
acclaim.
5) In the Spirit of the Living God- who convicts of sin, witnesses to
Christ, and impels the church to evangelism.
6) In the Church of God- which is a multinational, missionary
community, under orders to evangelize until Christ returns.
b. Message for World Evangelism- is the ‘deposit’ we have been given
which we are to use as a faithful steward (I Tim 6.20). Further there is
only one gospel preached (I Cor. 15.11). The gospel was announced in
advance to Abraham (Gal. 3.6-9). Yet the gospel is delivered in many
different contexts and cultures. Pagan Ur of the Chaldees and Canaan; the
grand urban pagan Egypt; polytheistic Canaan after the return from
Egypt; the righteous Kingdom of David and Solomon, the militaristic
Babylonians; the Romans dominated the times of Jesus’ life in Judea and
Galilee; the urban Greek and Roman cultures of Asia minor and Rome. Yet
the same message adapted to the cultures it was presented into.
c. Model for World Evangelization- the message is what we say and the
model is how we say it. How did God spread the gospel as we see through
the pages of Scripture? First God spoke through men (2 Peter 1.21; Heb.
1.1). In lowly use of words and images and the tongues of flawed men God
spoke. Yet God spoke finally and most completely through his son Jesus
Christ (John 1.14, Heb 1.2,3). Jesus showed that for us to know the gospel
he gave up everything he had to become like us. Yet though Jesus gave up
his surroundings of the glories of heaven he did not forsake the truth of
the gospel of who he was. ‘When God spoke to us in Scripture he used
human language, and when he spoke to us in Christ he assumed human
flesh. In order to reveal himself, he both emptied and humbled himself.
That is the model of evangelism, which the Bible supplies. There is selfemptying and self-humbling in all authentic evangelism; without it we
contradict the gospel and misrepresent the Christ we proclaim.’—John
Stott. The use of humans, with the use of language is accompanied by the
use of the Holy Spirit, which we cannot see or completely understand, but
we have to come to learn to trust, through the directive of God’s Word.
d. Power for World Evangelism- the powers of this world bid against the
powers of the gospel. We must realize that we are not talking about
dualism (i.e. an eternal struggle between good and evil) but a struggle
between good and evil where mankind is in time redeemed to the eternal
good and truth which is only bought through Jesus Christ. Jesus depicts
this struggle in his temptations and later to the general public (Matthew
12.27-29). So how is this victory secured? By the Word of God. Paul again
showed the power of Satan to blind the minds of unbelievers to the
knowledge of Jesus Christ. But the Word of God shines into our hearts and
minds to give us this glory and overcome the darkness, which Satan
would use against us (2 Cor. 4.4-6, 13-15). It is the power of God’s Word
and not the weakness of man, which brings salvation. We don’t need to
worry about our weakness as God’s Word and the power it brings
overcomes those weaknesses to open the eyes of the spiritual blind.
3. Unleashing the Word of God- when the Word of God is spoken then the
power of God is unleashed. Let us be involved in the unleashing the Word of
God to the world. Hebrews 4.12