Live like They're Dying

Being a Christian is exciting! How else are you able to interact with your Creator in an intimate relationship that both fulfills you and grows you at the same time?! Through this growing process, I've really come to see how one certain mental aspect is now totally different than it was before I was saved.


(Before going any further, I'd like to preface what I have to say with this: salvation or conviction that results from any testimony and/or preaching of the gospel cannot be attributed to personal skills, talents, coincidence, or intelligence. Everything is a work of God. This is an important clarification since it acknowledges that God is the worker of salvation, not us)

"For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him from the Father." (John 6:65)

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

So, one of the things that God has been working on in my heart is the absolute need for evangelism. However, this isn't something new to believers. Everybody knows the verse from Mark 16:15 where Jesus says:

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."

But unfortunately, this mandate is often not applied Biblically the way that it was intended to be. As an example, think of this common-phrase in the Christian community:

"Preach the Gospel at all times, and use words when necessary"

So, to start with, what is the Gospel?

Answer: It's the Good News!

Question: What is the Good News?

Answer: The story of hell-bound sinners being saved through no merit of their own. This is done through the act of a merciful God sending His Son Jesus Christ dying on a cross. (See Ephesians 2 and 2 Corinthians 4)

Question: How do you live out that message without using words?

Answer: You can't.........it's news.



What does this all mean? It means that you have to actually TALK to people about the Gospel in order to fulfill the Great Commission. In the last 2 months, this has personally meant sharing my testimony (and the Gospel) in front of large groups of people, as well as having numerous one-on-one conversations.

In fact, I recently ran across a former coworker of mine while walking out of Walmart. I knew "Jon" wasn't a Christian, but I also knew that his only interaction with me was when I was the "religious" kid he worked with several years back. As I was walking up to talk to him, two thoughts flashed through my mind:


1. Jon does not know what real Christianity is based on my life.

2. There could be a car accident tomorrow that takes Jon's life, and I would be filled with regret for not telling him what the real gospel is today (and by the way, this is where the whole "use words when necessary" phrase really falls apart)

It was with that in mind that I intentionally steered our conversation towards repentance and mankind's' need for a Savior. And, believe it or not, Jon was actually responsive to what I said and agreed to read the book of Romans on his own at home.


God has used that incident to make a lasting impression on me. For one thing, we shouldn't wait until we feel "comfortable" around people to preach the Gospel. Paul didn't stay in cities for years in order to get to know people before telling them about Jesus. Instead, he immediately preached the gospel, and was persecuted as a result (See Acts 9). 

1 Peter 3:13-17 says:

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

I now have the mindset of trying to look at every non-Christian as a person who is destined to die immediately after I talk to him/her. I have found that this drives me to try and share with every person I meet, not knowing if they will ever hear the Gospel again.

Sure, some people don't appreciate that. Some people get downright defensive. But, in the end, that's ok. Why? Because, like I shared in the verses at the beginning of this post, it is God who does the saving, not me.

All I can do is obey, and He will do the rest. I encourage you to do the same.