One of the many benefits of living in this generation is the ability for our voice to be amplified. Social media, content sharing platforms and technology have made it possible to spread messages to audiences across the globe. For the Christian, this creates countless opportunities for evangelism.
In a previous article, I explained the biblical doctrine of predestination – that God graciously chooses undeserving people to come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. But if this is the case, many people may ask, then what would be the point of evangelism? The thinking goes that if God is the one who decides, then what is the point in our efforts to preach the gospel? Doesn’t predestination kill a desire to evangelise?
The reality is that scripture teaches us about both God’s decisive calling of people to salvation (John 6:37), and our responsibility to preach the gospel so that people will believe in the Lord Jesus, and therefore be saved (Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:17).
Not only does scripture teach both predestination and evangelism. A true understanding of predestination empowers and motivates believers to evangelise! Kevin de Young shows this in an article highlighting at least 21 missionaries whose belief in God’s sovereignty gave them the boldness and desire needed to risk their lives as missionaries.
A few of these faithful saints include:
ADONIRAM JUDSON. The famous missionary to Burma translated the Bible into Burmese and established multiple Baptist Churches in Burma. 
JOHN ELIOT. A missionary sent to the American Indians in the 1600s. 
JOHN CALVIN. Calvin sent missionaries from Geneva into France and as far away as Brazil. Most of these young men sent to France died a martyr’s death, but the church of Geneva continued to send them. 
GEORGE WHITFIELD. The great voice and preacher of the First Great Awakening. He journeyed across the Atlantic Ocean thirteen times and scholars believe he preached over 18,000 sermons. 
SAMUEL ZWEMER. He is affectionately known as “The Apostle to Islam.” His legacy includes efforts in Bahrain, Arabia, Egypt, and Asia Minor.
So if an understanding of predestination doesn’t kill evangelism, but motivates it, the question should then be “how”? Allow me to give at least 4 biblical suggestions.
1. Evangelism is God’s Method to Save
Romans 10:14-17, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preachunless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”
Although God has determined the end, he also determines the means to that end. God’s sovereign will meets human responsibility as we preach to tell people of the salvation available. This gospel urgency, mixed with confidence in God’s sovereignty, is what would take a 23-year-old Adinoram Judson from Massachusetts, USA, to preach the gospel in “Asia with its idolatrous myriads” so that some would be saved (1 Corinthians 9:22).
Knowing this, we should not see God’s sovereignty as an excuse for laziness, but instead, a call for us to engage in his work out of obedience and surrender.
2. Evangelism is God’s Power at Work
Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
1 Corinthians 1:17, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
One thing we learn from the Apostle Paul’s ministry is that an understanding of God’s power in salvation frees us up to preach the truth, and trust him with the rest. As we evangelise, we simply proclaim (or tweet, or post) that Jesus is Lord, who calls people to follow him. When a sinner believes and is saved, God gets the glory, because he has changed their heart. Not you. When a sinner rejects and turns away, God is rejected. Not you.
Seeing evangelism this way means that in George Whitfield’s 18,000 sermons, or your work conversations, there shouldn’t be any insecurity or overwhelming desire to be “cool” or “liked”. We can focus on being clear and truthful, trusting that it’s the work of God that changes hearts and draws people to him.
3. Evangelism is Our Job, Election is God’s.
John 6:44, “No one can come to me [Jesus] unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”
2 Timothy 2:24-25, “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.”
Who exactly is it that the Father draws? Who has he elected? Well, until people come to Christ, we simply don’t know. Because of this, we shouldn’t get caught up in guessing games about who’s elected and who isn’t. We should just get out on the mission field!
Whilst at university, a good friend of mine must have heard me share the gospel with him scores of times but continued in disbelief. I thought to myself “Well, I tried. He must not be elected.” A few months later, he was converted and baptised. Last year he was married to a God-fearing woman, last month he preached a banging sermon at his church and we’re currently working on our first Christian book together.
God’s job is to elect and draw. Our job is to proclaim and share. Who knows? God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.
4. Evangelism is God’s Gift to Believers
Psalm 105:1, “Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”
Philippians 1:4-5, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
God could easily save people without us. He could appear to everyone in a blinding white like, just like he did with the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-18). Instead, he saves people, sends people to evangelise to other people, who then believe and evangelise to other people. In doing this, the Lord invites us to experience the joy of seeing people come from death to life!
Not only do we get to share the goodness of what our Lord has done for us, but we are also able to see the goodness of how he grows and transforms people right before our very eyes. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing friends I grew up with, turn from their old ways and follow Jesus and then join me in the mission field. I’m sure the people who taught me the gospel would say the same thing. God could do it without us, but thank the Lord he invites us to enjoy this work with him.
So not only does predestination not contradict the command for evangelism, a biblical understanding empowers and creates the boldest evangelists! I pray that a robust view of God’s sovereignty and grace would spur you on to making him known throughout the whole world!
Christian Hedonist
