Create a cause. What is the cause of the Christian faith? From what I can determine, the cause of the Christian faith is to share the Good News of God in Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. The problem with this statement is it violates rule #4. This statement, while wonderful, is not clear on what the Good News is. So, in an effort to “localize the pain” and explain how this cause helps people, Christians that I encountered through my life, describe the “Good News” by sharing something like the four spiritual laws: (1) We are all sinners and (2) God is holy and cannot tolerate sin but (3) fortunately, Jesus took our place on the cross and took our punishment that God demands for the atonement of Sin so that (4) you and I can have eternal life in Jesus Christ.
The problem that I have with this description of the Good News, this “localization of the pain”, is that it is not Good News to many people because it is not localized for them. What I mean is many people do not see their situation as a result if their personal fault. The slaves in Egypt did not think the reason they were slaves was because of their personal sin. Rather, the reason they were enslaved was because Egypt forced them into slavery. And yes, slavery is Sin, the slaves did not think about it sin they thought about slavery. This might be why Moses does not go into Egypt and say, “Good News! God has sent me to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’!” That message was not localized enough for the enslaved people. Moses goes into Egypt and says, “God desires your liberation from slavery and God will save you.” I would be willing to bet in the ears of the enslaved this is Good News.
This is an old conversation that I have had with many people who often do not hear what I am trying to say and it is probably because I am not very clear. So I will say what I am NOT saying. I am not saying that God does not forgive Sin. I am not saying that slavery is separate from Sin. I am not saying that Jesus’ death and resurrection is not atoning. However, what I am saying is, the Good News is larger than just forgiveness of Sin and just because some of us resonate with the good news of forgiveness does not mean everyone else will be as overjoyed by that because of their situation.
And so, in an effort to encourage us to follow rule #2 (“Evangelist is not a job title it is a way of life), I want to ask you – what is the Good news of God in Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit TO YOU. Perhaps it is forgiveness. Great! Love and live that cause. If forgiveness is not something that lights a fire under you and gives you life, what does? Relationships? Love for all people? Breaking of evil in the world? Intellectual stimulation? Returning home? Liberation?
Can you see your cause rooted in the story of Jesus Christ?
If so, you my friend are a Christian evangelist.
And if not, I would be interested to hear what your cause is because perhaps there is a message of Good News that you have experienced that I have not. I would love to hear about it so that I can begin to see if I can connect it to the life of Jesus Christ.
