I’ve written before to my fellow Believers about sharing the Hope we have in Him. Other memories and thoughts have been swirling, and I wanted to share these, too, since it has been such a relief for me.
We did a lot of training in our college years. When preparing to go overseas as cultural students our first summer, we talked at length what it would mean to share the Gospel in another culture in someone’s 2nd or 3rd language.
Just typing that sentence reminded me what a work of God sharing our faith is. Because the above should never work out.
Something that has always stuck with me is from the time our team was discussing cultural norms. We thought through things like literal idols, unorthodox (to us) family dynamics, and pervasive relational norms that oppose a Gospel of Peace.
In light of such issues, our leaders asked us: “Of those things, what must your national friends give up in order to receive the Gospel?”
On one hand, I knew the answer was: none of them. The Good News is for all.
But on the other hand, what about that physical idol in a shrine in my friend’s home? Shouldn’t she throw that out first? Surely bowing down and lighting incense must stop before receiving Jesus.
Or that cultural norm that says you must always work with all your might and never shame your family. Shouldn’t that be renounced when receiving the grace of the Gospel?
It was such a good, eye-opening discussion. One I thought of much throughout that first summer in another culture.
I think about it still.
What must my friends who do not walk with Jesus first give up before I will let them receive the Grace?
Surely she should stop smoking. And her pictures on social media are not appropriate. And he is completely strung out most weekends. And have you heard the language they use?
They all definitely need to clean up their act first.
But they can’t. None of us can.
Besides that, one of the best parts of the Gospel is that while we were still sinners, He died for us.
When our hearts were hopelessly corrupt; when our hands were stained with the blood of literal or heart-level murder; when our mouths were full of slander of our fellow man; when our thoughts were anything but pure and sweet and righteous… He came for us.
And He’s coming for our friends in the same way.
Let’s make sure and step out of His Way. Let nothing, no preconditions, come between our friends and this scandalous Grace.
Because if they can earn it, it is not the Gospel.