How do I best share the gospel with people? This has been a question that has undoubtedly plagued most Christians throughout the ages. We can look back to Moses when he pleaded with God not to let him go on the mission (Exodus 4:10).
Moses claimed that he was “not eloquent, slow of speech, and slow of tongue.” But we know that God worked with him anyway. Moses became a willing vessel for God to use.
What Does the Bible Say about Sharing the Gospel?
Have you at any point become worn out on appealing to God for a person or thing? Paul says to “continue” (v. 2). What does it mean to continue? That means to persist in an activity or process. Steadiness, or persistence, exhibits our faith and confidence that God answers our requests.
Our faith should not die just because the responses come gradually, for the postponement might be God's approach to working His will in our lives.
At the point when we feel fatigued in making our requests, we ought to realize that God is available. He is continuously tuning in. He is continuously acting, perhaps not in the way that we trust, but rather in the way that He knows is ideal for us.
What does it mean to “watch?” That means to look at or observe attentively over a period of time. What does it mean “with thanksgiving?” (v. 2). That is a prayer expressing gratitude, a celebration of divine goodness, or the act of giving thanks.
So, we should continue in prayer, watch for the response to happen, and give God thanks for His answer, whatever the answer may be.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people (Ephesians 6:18).
How might anybody ask constantly? One method for asking persistently is to make fast, brief prayers for our ongoing reaction to each circumstance that we meet over the course of the day.
Another way is to put our lives around the desires and instructions of God so that our very lives become a prayer. We do not need to separate ourselves from others and from our everyday work to pray continually.
We can make our lives and our daily routines a prayer while experiencing life in a world that needs God's strong impact.
Now what could this mean, “open a door of utterance?” (v. 3). Utterance is an uninterrupted chain of spoken language or the action of saying or expressing something aloud. Here we are asking that God would make a way for us to speak to someone.
And what is it that we are to speak of? We are to “speak the mystery of Christ.” The word mystery can mean something that has not been previously revealed. And what is that “mystery of Christ?” Paul wrote in Colossians 1:27 that mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
So far, that tells us that we are to constantly be in thankful prayer that God will open a way for us to tell others about Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
Paul’s own solicitation for prayer is for clearness in teaching the gospel. This short expression packs a lot of significance into just a few words. To start with, the gospel is not a mystery anymore, yet is an unmistakable message (Colossians 1:26).
Second, Paul perceives that the gospel ought to be introduced clearly, without disarray or intricacy. The misleading lessons (false teachings) that Paul censured before in this letter were described by “philosophy and vain deceit” (Colossians 2:8).
This also includes changing the gospel, adding to it, or taking away from it, making it hazy to the young Colossian believers. This also includes anyone that we come in contact with.
for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should (Ephesians 6:20).
Paul had not asked the Ephesians to pray that his bonds be removed but that he would be able to continually speak boldly for Christ while he was in chains. God can still use us regardless of our circumstances.
Although we may pray that God would change the situations that we may face, we should also pray that God’s will be done and accomplished despite those situations. Knowing God's everlasting purposes for us assists us through the troublesome times that we will go through.
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without” implies that we ought to be astute in our contacts with non-Christians, capitalizing on our opportunities to enlighten them regarding the uplifting news of salvation.
How Can We Make the Gospel Understandable?
Part of announcing the gospel and making it understandable is seen in the believer’s activities toward unbelievers (Colossians 4:3-4).
Two significant standards are introduced here. In the first place, “wisdom” or insight ought to be utilized in regard to our actions, our “walk” in the presence of unbelievers (v. 5).
What we do and what we say should be unchanging, over the long run, and with one another to introduce the message of Jesus understandably.
Second, we are to utilize our time wisely. A few Bible interpretations decipher this expression as “capitalizing on each open door or taking advantage of an opportunity.” Each moment in life is significant and ought to be expanded in support of Christ.
More than any other, Paul was very mindful of this, having been beaten, detained, and shipwrecked throughout the span of his service. This viewpoint enlivened Paul to impart his faith in Jesus to unbelievers strongly.
This is a key piece of the gospel message: time is running out. Whether unintentionally, by nature, or through the Second Coming of Christ, every individual will be eye to eye with God all of a sudden.
Christians ought to be inspired by the information that individuals around us will pass on separated from Christ, except if they hear and accept the gospel.
Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil(Ephesians 5:15-16).
By saying that these are troublesome days, “the days are evil,” Paul imparts his need to get going as a result of the widespread evil.
We should have a similar need to get moving in light of the fact that our days are troublesome. We should keep our principles high, act admirably, and do that which is good at whatever point we can.
When we talk to other people about the gospel, it is critical that we do so in a gracious manner and be polite in what we say and how we say it.
Regardless of how much sense the message makes, we lose our viability if we are not well-mannered. Similarly, as we would like to be respected, we should respect others if we desire that they should pay attention to what we need to say.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29).
Christians need to put forth a cognizant attempt to live uniquely different in contrast to our pre-salvation days. We really do have command over what we say. This goes against the usual excuse of “I couldn’t resist the urge to say it.”
Instead of using negative talk, “corrupt communication,” we are to speak in a good way about significant things, and we are to talk in a manner suitable to the circumstance that we are in (1 Peter 3:15, 1 Peter 4:11).
Why Does This Matter?
Colossians 4:2-6 finishes the primary substance of Paul’s letter. This entry begins with a solicitation for individual prayer, then changes into an order regarding how Christians talk. Paul utilizes the similitude of salt.
Salt, in Paul’s day, was adequately important to be utilized as a form of money and was prized for its capacity to protect and season food sources.
Similarly, a Christian's discourse ought to be useful and significant, “enhanced” (flavored) uniquely in contrast to the speech of non-believers and saving the message of Christ.
We do not have to have to use a whole list of sophisticated words to reach the people of the world.
For further reading:
How Can We Prepare to Share the Gospel?
7 Steps to Share the Gospel with a Stranger
What Did Jesus Mean to 'Go and Make Disciples’?
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