A Vida de Discipulado, 8ª Parte: Compartilhando a Fé

 

P. Amsterdam

A última instrução de Jesus àqueles que creram nEle foi que levassem o Evangelho a todos, em todos os lugares e compartilhassem com os outros tudo o que Ele lhes havia ensinado. No Evangelho segundo Marcos, antes de ascender aos céus, Jesus declarou a missão aos Seus discípulos: “Vão pelo mundo todo e preguem o Evangelho a todas as pessoas” (Marcos 16:15). E nos últimos versículos do Evangelho segundo Mateus, disse: “Portanto, vão e façam discípulos de todas as nações, batizando-os em nome do Pai, e do Filho, e do Espírito Santo, ensinando-os a obedecer a tudo o que eu lhes ordenei” (Mateus 28:19-20).

Quarenta e três dias antes, Jesus havia morrido na cruz pelos nossos pecados. Ao terceiro dia, ressuscitou e apareceu a Seus discípulos e a mais de 500 seguidores, quando então lhes deu Suas instruções finais (1 Coríntios 15:3-7). Fez isso para oferecer à humanidade a oportunidade de ser perdoada e se relacionar com Deus (João 3:3). Jesus cumpriu Sua missão na terra, nos reconciliando com Deus para recebermos o dom da salvação eterna.

Durante o Seu ministério junto ao público, Jesus pregou, ensinou e treinou Seus discípulos para darem continuidade à Sua missão de salvação. Proclamou que veio à Terra para pregar o Evangelho: “É necessário que eu pregue as boas novas do Reino de Deus... porque para isso fui enviado” (Lucas 4:43). Foi enviado para pregar o Evangelho e ensinou Seus discípulos a fazerem o mesmo. “E os enviou a pregar o Reino de Deus e a curar os enfermos” (Lucas 9:2) e a “anunciar esta mensagem: ‘O Reino dos céus está próximo’” (Mateus 10:7).

Após Sua morte e ressurreição, Jesus disse aos discípulos: “Assim como o Pai me enviou, eu os envio” (João 20:21-22). E, antes de ascender ao céu, declarou: “Mas receberão poder quando o Espírito Santo descer sobre vocês, e serão minhas testemunhas” (Atos 1:8). Pouco depois, no Dia de Pentecostes, os primeiros discípulos foram cheios do Espírito Santo e começaram a proclamar o Evangelho conforme o Espírito lhes concedia (Atos 2:4).

Devemos difundi o Evangelho, o cristianismo e a dádiva da salvação que Jesus morreu para nos dar. Se os primeiros discípulos não tivessem proclamado a mensagem e ensinados outros a fazerem o mesmo, o Evangelho teria se perdido. O que Deus nos deu é tão grandioso e transformador que, enquanto discípulos, temos a responsabilidade de compartilhar com os outros, oferecendo-lhes a oportunidade de receberem Jesus e conhecerem a verdade que os libertará (João 8:32).

O Evangelho é proclamado por meio das palavras dos discípulos, da literatura cristã, do testemunho que compartilham online, pela sua conduta diária e pela manifestação do Espírito de Deus em suas vidas. É importante viver de tal maneira que as pessoas vejam o amor de Deus em você refletido em ações, no interesse sincero pelo próximo, na alegria, na integridade moral, na paz, na fé e no propósito.

Espera-se que o discípulo esteja preparado para dar testemunho, orar por quem precisa e ministrar a quem Deus colocar em seu caminho. 2 Timóteo 4:2 expressa muito bem esse conceito: “Pregue a palavra, esteja preparado a tempo e fora de tempo”. Em algumas versões, a expressão “a tempo e fora de tempo” é traduzida como persistir, quer seja conveniente ou não, ou quer o momento seja oportuno ou não, fazê-lo até mesmo em momentos inconvenientes. Não sabemos quando encontraremos alguém que precise da mensagem; pelo que devemos estar preparados para compartilhar o amor e a verdade de Deus a todo momento.

Jesus vivenciou todo tipo de situação, e Sua resposta foi testemunhar, ensinar, amar, curar, perdoar e confortar. Ele estava disposto a ministrar aos rejeitados, aos desprezados cobradores de impostos e aos pecadores, aos considerados impuros e indignos. Foi criticado quando estendeu a mão aos que viviam às margens da sociedade, mas expressou por Suas ações o quão importante cada alma é para Deus.

Deus deseja que cada pessoa receba Jesus como Senhor e Salvador e Se alegra quando isso acontece. Deus não faz acepção de pessoas. Todos são pecadores diante dEle e precisam de Seu amor e redenção — não importa sua posição, seu passado ou sua condição atual. O cristão deve estar preparado para compartilhar as boas novas do Evangelho com aqueles que Deus coloca em seu caminho, não importa sua origem, ocupação ou quaisquer outras características pessoais.

Dependemos de que outros nos falem ou ensinem sobre Jesus para recebermos a Salvação. Aqueles que testemunharam, por sua vez, também dependeram de alguém que lhes deu a mensagem. O cristianismo permanece vivo porque os crentes, ao longo da história, obedeceram ao que Jesus ensinou aos primeiros seguidores: pregar o Evangelho e fazer discípulos.

Talvez a sua situação não lhe permita proclamar o Evangelho a centenas de pessoas, mas cada um de nós pode alcançar quem está à nossa frente e fazer algo para lhe ensinar sobre Jesus e estar um passo mais próxima de recebê-lO. Podemos criar nossos filhos para conhecerem e amarem a Jesus, dando-lhes a oportunidade de seguir a Ele de forma independente quando crescerem.

Cada um de nós tem seu lugar no plano universal de Deus para o resgate, a redenção e a reconciliação do ser humano. São muitas as necessidades ao nosso redor – tantas vidas desajustadas, corações quebrantados e espíritos abatidos. Só Deus pode trazer a cura, a ajuda e a restauração de que nosso mundo quebrado precisa. Por sermos Seus discípulos, somos Seus mensageiros, proclamando Sua mensagem de esperança, amor e paz e levando às pessoas o conhecimento da Salvação por meio de Jesus.

Os planos de Deus para alcançar o mundo

Deus não apenas tem planos para este mundo, mas também neste mundo. Seus propósitos se realizam a cada novo dia. Como? A resposta é surpreendente: os propósitos de Deus se cumprem principalmente por meio de pessoas, em sua maioria,  gente comum.

Não sei como você conheceu Jesus, mas certamente, foi por intermédio de alguém. Talvez você tenha ouvido uma pregação, e o Espírito Santo o convenceu de sua necessidade e da suficiência de Cristo para suprir. É possível que tenha lido um livro ou a Bíblia, que foi escrita por homens inspirados pelo Espírito, e como resultado veio a conhecer a Cristo. Pode ter sido no local de trabalho ou estudo, ou ao observar um vizinho cuja vida era tão diferente que despertou se interesse… e descobriu que a diferença era Cristo. Qualquer que seja a causa, em algum momento, Deus usou pessoas para falar com você sobre Si mesmo... E se Ele agiu por meio de outros para alcançá-lo, Seu plano é agir por meio de você para alcançar outros.—Charles Price1

Evangelismo: amor por Deus e pelos outros

Dois motivos que devem nos estimular constantemente a evangelizar: o amor por Deus, para glorificar a Ele; e o amor pelo próximo, com interesse por seu bem-estar. —J. I. Packer

Não espere até sentir amor para compartilhar Cristo com um estranho. Você já ama seu Pai celestial e sabe que essa pessoa foi criada por Ele, mas está separada dEle, então dê os primeiros passos no evangelismo porque você ama a Deus. —John Piper

O evangelismo ocorre todos os dias e de todas as formas, com o objetivo de ajudar amigos não crentes a se aproximarem de Jesus Cristo. Na prática, isso significa que precisamos nos perguntar todos os dias: “O que preciso fazer hoje para ajudar meus amigos não crentes a dar um passo para ficar mais perto de Jesus?” —Norman e David Geisler

Evangelismo diário

Todos os cristãos são chamados a compartilhar o Evangelho e incumbidos pelo próprio Jesus a divulgar o grandioso plano de salvação de Deus. As pessoas geralmente não chegam à fé a menos que nós, cristãos, compartilhemos o Evangelho com elas. “Como, pois, invocarão aquele em quem não creram? E como crerão naquele de quem não ouviram falar? E como ouvirão, se não houver quem pregue?” (Romanos 10:14).

O evangelismo começa com o compromisso de permitir que Deus use você como mensageiro no seu dia a dia. Talvez seja um sacrifício reservar tempo para compartilhar sua fé, mas os resultados eternos valem muito mais a pena. Dar a alguém um folheto ou outra literatura cristã, encontrar um colega para um café, construir relacionamentos com não cristãos, visitar seus vizinhos —muitas vezes essas coisas só acontecem se planejá-las, se buscar ativamente oportunidades.

Nem sempre temos chance de longas conversas, com as pessoas que encontramos no dia a dia, mas podemos plantar sementes do Evangelho. Podemos dar um folheto; perguntar se a pessoa precisa de oração; ser gentil e dizer que Jesus a ama. Mesmo que a ocasião não permita um testemunho mais profundo, é possível preparar o solo dos corações demonstrando o amor e a preocupação de Deus por elas. Peça ao Senhor para ajudá-lo a testemunhar e lhe mostrar o método mais adequado para suas circunstâncias. Ele pode lhe dar ideias e oportunidades.

Em muitos casos, só conseguirá preparar, sem plantar a semente. Essa etapa inicial é chamada de pré-evangelização . Como Norman Geisler explica:

Se a evangelização é plantar sementes do Evangelho, então a pré- evangelização é preparar o solo das mentes e corações para estarem mais receptivas à verdade (1 Coríntios 3:6). ... Atualmente, talvez seja necessário plantar muitas sementes espirituais por um tempo antes que a pessoa pense seriamente em Cristo. Talvez tenhamos de preparar o terreno antes de termos a oportunidade de plantar. Não somos chamados para levar todas as pessoas a Cristo, mas simplesmente para levar Cristo a todas as pessoas.2

Claro, não há um único cenário ou maneira de compartilhar o Evangelho efetivamente. A maneira de levar a mensagem e obter uma resposta positiva varia de uma pessoa para outra. Assim, enquanto nós, discípulos, somos comissionados a compartilhar o Evangelho com a unção do Espírito Santo, as pessoas que alcançamos e a abordagem utilizada vai depender da situação e da orientação divina. Mas sabemos que, se estivermos dispostos, Deus usará cada um de nós, não importam nossas circunstâncias.

Compartilhar o Evangelho com os outros é o chamado de Cristo para todo cristão. Estamos cercados de pessoas que não conhecem as boas novas de que Deus as ama e enviou Seu Filho para que todo aquele que nEle crê seja salvo e tenha um relacionamento com Ele. Precisam que alguém lhes explique como receber a dádiva gratuita da salvação de Deus, ensinando-lhes a estudar a Palavra de Deus e a serem transformadas espiritualmente, e guiá-las no seu desenvolvimento espiritual.

Em 2 Coríntios 5:20 lemos que “somos embaixadores de Cristo, como se Deus estivesse fazendo o seu apelo por nosso intermédio”. É uma afirmação impressionante. Representamos Jesus e temos a tarefa de dar Sua mensagem ao mundo. E qual é essa mensagem? A segunda metade do versículo apresenta a mensagem a ser difundida: “Por isso, em nome de Cristo, suplicamos: Reconciliem-se com Deus”.

Há milhões, até bilhões, de pessoas que não conhecem Deus pessoalmente, nunca ouviram falar de Jesus, da salvação ou do tesouro da vida eterna reservado aos que aceitam Jesus como Salvador. Temos o privilégio de compartilhar essa boa notícia, apresentar Jesus às pessoas e, por fim, ajudá-las para que cheguem ao conhecimento do salvador (1 Timóteo 2:3-4).

A semeadura

O trabalho do agricultor não é fácil. Os bons agricultores trabalham arduamente para preparar o solo, semear, regar e manter as plantações livres de ervas daninhas. Tudo isso com uma expectativa: a colheita! Aguardam ansiosos o momento de encher cestos e celeiros com frutos frescos.

À medida que engajamos nessa tarefa incrível de testemunhar, podemos e devemos ficar na expectativa da colheita. Deus está pronto para que nossas vidas e nossas orações frutifiquem para o Seu reino. Vidas serão transformadas pela mensagem do Evangelho. Corações de homens, mulheres e crianças serão transformados e curados por toda a eternidade quando depositarem a fé em Jesus Cristo. Este é o quadro que Jesus pintou para quando falou da colheita: “Outra parte caiu em boa terra. Cresceu e deu boa colheita a cem por um” (Lucas 8:8).

É por isso que preparamos o solo diligentemente, espalhamos a semente liberalmente e regamos o solo fielmente. Deus nos convidou a participar de Sua colheita — e Deus ama frutos!—Kevin G. Harney3

Para refletir

Uma das razões pelas quais Deus o salvou é para que você dê frutos. Você vive em um mundo faminto, onde as pessoas estão morrendo de fome espiritual.—Warren W. Wiersbe

Evangelismo não é uma atividade passiva. Todos somos chamados a participar. Deus convida todo seguidor de Jesus a sair da arquibancada e entrar em campo... No plano de Deus para a difusão do Evangelho, todos jogam. Não há espectadores nem reservas. Deus quer todos em campo, mesmo aqueles que não se sentem capazes ou acham que não têm nada a contribuir. Deus quer que você se envolva. O mundo precisa que você entre no jogo.—Kevin G. Harney

A tarefa contínua da igreja é ir para o mundo para proclamar as boas novas de Jesus Cristo a todas as pessoas. Sim, devemos ajudar os pobres, defender os oprimidos, visitar os presos, amparar os indefesos, mas tudo isso é, na melhor das hipóteses, parte da tarefa. Também devemos declarar, local e globalmente, que Deus veio em Jesus para nos oferecer perdão dos pecados. Jesus nos envia para os becos, favelas, fábricas onde se exploram a mão de obra, escolas, subúrbios, para convidar as pessoas a tomarem sobre si o jugo de Jesus, descobrindo que nosso Mestre é bom e que Seu amor dura para sempre.—N. T. Wright

O que a Bíblia diz

“Ao ver as multidões, teve compaixão delas, porque estavam aflitas e desamparadas, como ovelhas sem pastor. Então disse aos seus discípulos: ‘A colheita é grande, mas os trabalhadores são poucos. Peçam, pois, ao Senhor da colheita que envie trabalhadores para a sua colheita’” (Mateus 9:36-38).

“Mas graças a Deus, que sempre nos conduz vitoriosamente em Cristo e por nosso intermédio exala em todo lugar a fragrância do seu conhecimento. Porque para Deus somos o aroma de Cristo entre os que estão sendo salvos e os que estão perecendo” (2 Coríntios 2:14-15).

“Em Cristo, falamos diante de Deus com sinceridade, como homens enviados por Deus” (2 Coríntios 2:17).

Oração

Senhor, oro por um compromisso firme e inabalável em obedecer à Grande Comissão. Ajude-me a sempre lembrar da urgência e importância de proclamar Sua verdade ao mundo necessitado. Dê-me um coração disposto a ir em fé, a superar o medo e compartilhar o Evangelho com coragem. Capacite-me com os dons, habilidades e recursos necessários para uma comunicação efetiva do Seu amor e mensagem de salvação. Abra portas e encaminhe oportunidades para eu compartilhar as Boas Novas com outros.

Renove meu amor pelos perdidos e encha-me com profunda compaixão por aqueles que ainda não conhecem Você. Ajude-me a ver as pessoas como Você as vê, com suas necessidades únicas, lutas e corações sedentos... Obrigado, Senhor, por confiar-me a tarefa incrível de participar da Grande Comissão. Oro para que me use como um instrumento do Seu amor, graça e verdade. Que minha vida seja um testemunho vivo do Seu poder transformador, atraindo outros para um relacionamento com Você. Em nome de Jesus, eu oro. Amém.4

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1 Charles Price, Christ for Real: How to Grow into God’s Likeness (Kregel Publications, 2011).

2 Norman e David Geisler, Conversational Evangelism (Harvest House Publishers, 2009), 22–23.

3 Kevin G. Harney, Organic Outreach for Ordinary People (Zondervan, 2009).

4 “7 Prayers To Boldly Share The Gospel Of Jesus,” Daily Prayers, 26 de maio de 2025, https://dailyprayers.com/7-prayers-to-boldly-share-the-gospel-of-jesus/.

Copyright © 2026 A Família Internacional. 

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The Life of Discipleship, Part 8: Sharing Our Faith

 

P. Amsterdam

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Jesus’ last instruction to those who believed in Him was to share the gospel everywhere to everyone and to teach others everything He had taught them. In the Gospel of Mark, some of His last words before He ascended to heaven were the mission statement for His disciples: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). And in the last verses of the Gospel of Matthew, He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20).

Jesus had died on the cross forty-three days earlier, and after three days He had risen from the dead and appeared to His disciples and over 500 of His followers, and imparted His final instructions to them (1 Corinthians 15:3–7). The purpose of His death and resurrection was so that humankind could have the opportunity to be forgiven for their sins, and enter into a relationship with God (John 3:3). Jesus fulfilled His mission on earth, and His death and resurrection made it possible for us to be reconciled to God and to receive His gift of eternal salvation.

Jesus’ years of public ministry were spent preaching, teaching, and training His disciples to carry on His salvation mission. He proclaimed that His preaching of the gospel was one of the reasons He was on earth when He said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God … for I was sent for this purpose” (Luke 4:43). He was sent to preach the gospel, and He taught His disciples to do the same. “He sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:2) and to “proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near’” (Matthew 10:7 NIV).

After His death and resurrection, Jesus said to them: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21–22). And before ascending into heaven, He declared: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). Shortly thereafter, on the Day of Pentecost, the early disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to powerfully proclaim the gospel (Acts 2:4).

It’s through sharing the gospel that Christianity spreads and the gift of salvation that Jesus died to bring is given to others. If the first disciples hadn’t proclaimed the good news and taught others to do the same, then the gospel would have ceased to be known. God has given us something so great, so eternally life changing, it’s our responsibility as disciples to share it with others so that they will have the opportunity to receive Jesus and to know the truth that will set them free (John 8:32).

The gospel is proclaimed through the words disciples speak, through Christian literature they share with others, through the witness they share online, as well as through the lives they lead, and the manifestation of God’s Spirit within them. An important part of proclaiming the gospel is living your life in such a manner that people see God’s love manifested in you, through the love and concern you have for others, and your joy, integrity, peace, faith, and purpose.

Disciples are called to be prepared to witness, pray for, and minister to whomever God brings across their path. Second Timothy 4:2 expresses this concept quite well with the words “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season.” The phrase “in season and out of season” is translated in some Bible versions as persisting in it whether convenient or not or whether the time is favorable or not, and continuing to do so in opportune times and in untimely situations. There’s no telling when we will cross paths with someone who needs God’s message, and when we do, as disciples, we are called to be prepared to share God’s love and truth with them.

Jesus was faced with a multitude of different situations, and His response was to witness, to teach, to love, to heal, to forgive, and to comfort. He was willing to minister to those whom others rejected—the hated tax collectors, the sinners, those deemed unclean and unworthy. He was criticized when He reached out to those who were on the margins of society, but He expressed by His actions how important every soul is to the heart of God.

God’s desire is that every person would receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and He rejoices when they do. God is no respecter of persons. Everyone—no matter what their status, their past or their current condition—is a sinner before Him and in need of His love and redemption. As Christians, we are called to be prepared to share the good news of the gospel with those whom He brings across our paths, regardless of their background, occupation, or any other distinguishing factors.

Our salvation depended on others telling us or teaching us about Jesus, and those who told us were dependent on someone else giving them the message at some point in their lives. Christianity exists today because believers throughout history have done what Jesus taught the first disciples to do—to preach the gospel and make disciples.

You may not be in a situation where you can proclaim the gospel to hundreds of people, but we can each reach out to the person before us and do our part to help one person learn about and take a step toward coming to faith in Christ. As parents, we can raise our children to know and love Jesus, so that they will have the opportunity to follow Him when they come of age.

There is a God-ordained place for each one of us in God’s universal story of rescue, redemption, and reconciliation. There are so many needs in the world around us—so many broken lives, hurting hearts, and crushed spirits. The healing, help, and restoration that our broken world needs can only come from God’s hand. As His disciples, we are His messengers to the world—proclaiming His message of hope, love, and peace and bringing a saving knowledge of Jesus to people.

God’s Plans for Reaching the World

God not only has plans for this world, but He also has plans in this world. Every new day brings its outworking of the purposes of God. But how are they accomplished? The remarkable answer is that His purposes are primarily accomplished through people, and what is more, through very ordinary people…

I do not know how you personally may have come to know Christ, except for one thing. There was some human agency involved. Perhaps you listened to someone preaching the gospel, and through such means the Holy Spirit convicted you of your need and of the sufficiency of Christ to meet that need. Perhaps you read a book that someone had written or you read the Bible, which was written by men under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and as a result you came to know Christ. It could be that in your place of work or study or as you observed a neighbor, you saw a life that was so different that it created an appetite to seek for what he or she so obviously had, and you discovered it was Christ. Whatever the cause, somewhere along the line, God used people to speak to you about Himself… If God has worked through others to reach you, His plan is that He might now work through you to reach others.—Charles Price1

Evangelism: Love for God and Love for Others

There are, in fact, two motives that should spur us constantly to evangelize. The first is love for God and concern for his glory; the second is love for man and concern for his welfare.—J. I. Packer

Don’t wait for a feeling of love in order to share Christ with a stranger. You already love your heavenly Father, and you know that this stranger is created by Him, but separated from Him, so take those first steps in evangelism because you love God.—John Piper

Evangelism is every day, and in every way, helping your nonbelieving friends to take one step closer to Jesus Christ. This means in practice that every day we need to ask ourselves, “What do I need to do today to help my nonbelieving friends take one step closer to Jesus?”—Norman and David Geisler

Everyday Evangelism

All Christians are called to share the gospel and are commissioned by Jesus Himself to be communicators of God’s great plan of salvation to others. People do not usually come to faith unless we, as Christians, share the gospel with them. “How can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT).

Evangelism starts with the commitment to letting God use you to be His messenger to others in your everyday life. It can be a sacrifice to intentionally make time to share your faith with others, but the eternal results of witnessing are more than worth it. Giving someone a tract or other Christian literature, meeting a colleague for coffee, building a relationship with non-Christian friends, visiting your neighbors—these things often only happen if you plan for them, if you intentionally seek opportunities for sharing the gospel.

We may not always be able to have long conversations with the people we encounter in a day, but we can still plant seeds of the gospel. We can give someone a tract. We can ask them if there is something we can pray for. We can show them kindness and tell them Jesus loves them. Even if the occasion doesn’t allow for in-depth witnessing, you can prepare the ground of people’s hearts through showing God’s love and concern for them. If you are praying for the Lord to help you witness and to show you what method will work in your circumstances, He can give you ideas and opportunities.

In many cases, the furthest you will get in your witness will be to “till the ground” rather than actually “planting the seed.” This initial period is sometimes called “pre-evangelism.” This quote from Norman Geisler explains it well.

If evangelism is planting seeds of the Gospel, then pre-evangelism is tilling the soil of people’s minds and hearts to help them be more willing to listen to the truth (1 Corinthians 3:6). … In the world we live in today, we may have to plant many spiritual seeds for a period of time before someone will seriously consider the person of Christ. We may have to till the ground before we have the opportunity to plant a seed. We are not called to bring all persons to Christ but simply to bring Christ to all persons.2

Of course, there’s no single setting or way of sharing the gospel effectively. The manner in which the message can be delivered to each individual so that they will respond positively will vary. So while we, as disciples, are all commissioned to share the gospel and are empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so, who you reach and how you reach them will be different depending on the situation and how God leads you. But we know that God will use each of us to reach others in whatever circumstance we are in—if we are willing.

Sharing the gospel with others is the call of Christ to every Christian. All around us are people who have yet to hear the great news that God loves them, that He sent His Son so that all who believe in Him will be saved and will enter into relationship with Him. They need someone to explain how to receive God’s free gift of salvation, to teach them how to study God’s Word and be spiritually transformed, and to guide them in their spiritual growth.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20 we read that “we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” That is an awesome statement. We represent Jesus and are tasked with giving His message to the world. And what is that message? The second half of the verse presents the message that we are to give: “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

There are millions, even billions, of people who do not know God personally, who have never heard of Jesus and who have no knowledge of the gift of salvation and the treasure of eternal life that awaits them at their acceptance of Jesus as their Savior. Our privilege is to share that good news, to introduce people to Jesus, and ultimately to help them to come to a saving knowledge of Him (1 Timothy 2:3–4).

Sowing the Seed

The work of a farmer is not easy. But good farmers work hard to prepare the soil, plant the seeds, water them, and keep the fields free from weeds, all for a very good reason—they anticipate the time of the harvest! They look forward to hauling in bushel baskets of fresh fruit and filling their barns full of crops.

As we engage in this amazing task of outreach, we can and should anticipate the harvest that will come. God is ready for our lives and our prayers to bear his kingdom fruit. Lives will be changed by the message of the gospel, and the hearts of men, women, and children will be transformed and healed for all of eternity when they place their faith in Jesus Christ. This is the vision Jesus painted for us when he spoke of the harvest, saying, “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown” (Luke 8:8).

That’s why we prepare the soil diligently, scatter the seed liber­ally, and water the ground faithfully. God has invited us to be part of his harvest—and God loves fruit!—Kevin G. Harney3

Thoughts to Ponder

One of the reasons God saved you is so that you might bear fruit in this world. You are living in a hungry world where people are starving for spiritual reality.—Warren W. Wiersbe

Evangelism is not a spectator sport. We are all called to get into the game. God invites every follower of Jesus to get off the sidelines and onto the field… In God’s plan for outreach, everyone plays. There are no spec­tators or bench warmers when it comes to evangelism. God wants everyone on the field, even those who feel like they can’t do it or have nothing to contribute. God wants you to get involved. The world needs you to get in the game.—Kevin G. Harney

The church’s unfinished task is to keep going out into the world to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to all people. Yes, we are to help the poor, speak up for the oppressed, visit those in prison, defend the defenceless, but all that is at best only part of the task. We are also to declare to people, locally and globally, that God has come to us in Jesus to offer us the forgiveness of sins. Jesus sends us into the street corners, the slums, the sweatshops, the schools, the suburbs, to invite people to take the yoke of Jesus upon them, to discover that our master is good, and that his love endures forever.—N. T. Wright

What the Bible Says

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’” (Matthew 9:36–38).

“But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing” (2 Corinthians 2:14–15 HCSB).

“We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us” (2 Corinthians 2:17 NLT).

Prayer

Lord, I pray for a steadfast and unwavering commitment to obedience in fulfilling the Great Commission. Help me always remember the urgency and importance of proclaiming your truth to a world in need. Give me a heart that is willing to step out in faith, to overcome fear, and boldly share the Gospel with those around me… Equip me with the necessary gifts, skills, and resources to communicate your love and salvation message effectively. Open doors of opportunity and give me divine appointments to share the Good News with others…

Renew my love for the lost, and burden me with deep compassion for those who do not yet know you. Help me to see people as you see them, with their unique needs, struggles, and searching hearts… Thank you, Lord, for entrusting me with the incredible task of participating in the Great Commission. I pray you will use me as an instrument of your love, grace, and truth. May my life be a living testimony of your transforming power, drawing others into a relationship with you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.4

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1 Charles Price, Christ for Real: How to Grow into God’s Likeness (Kregel Publications, 2011).

2 Norman and David Geisler, Conversational Evangelism (Harvest House Publishers, 2009), 22–23.

3 Kevin G. Harney, Organic Outreach for Ordinary People (Zondervan, 2009).

4 “7 Prayers To Boldly Share The Gospel Of Jesus,” Daily Prayers, May 26, 2025, https://dailyprayers.com/7-prayers-to-boldly-share-the-gospel-of-jesus/.

 https://directors.tfionline.com/post/the-life-of-discipleship-part-8-sharing-our-faith/

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The Question of Non-Heterosexual Relations

By P. Amsterdam

(Points for this article were taken from Christian Ethics by Wayne Grudem1 and Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options by Norman Geisler.2)

In the course of exploring the seventh commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,”3 the topics which we have covered thus far in this series are marriage, sex, divorce and remarriage, birth control, infertility, adoption, and pornography. The final topic, which will be covered here, is homosexuality.

As explained in previous articles,4 God’s design regarding human sexual conduct was that sexual relations were to be between a man and a woman who were married to one another. In marriage, the husband and wife become one flesh.5 Jesus made reference to these verses:

From the beginning of creation, “God made them male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” So they are no longer two but one flesh.6

The union of a man and a woman in marriage constitutes the “one flesh” union referred to in Genesis.

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, sexual intercourse outside of a marriage between a man and a woman is prohibited, based on the commandment You shall not commit adultery.7 Throughout Scripture, other forms of sexual interaction are also forbidden, including the following:

Prostitution. While some forms of prostitution were not condemned in the Old Testament, the New Testament speaks specifically against using the services of a prostitute.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.”8

Incest (sexual intercourse between persons who are so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry).

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.9 (See also Leviticus 20:11–21.)

Bestiality.

You shall not lie with any animal and so make yourself unclean with it, neither shall any woman give herself to an animal to lie with it: it is perversion.10 (See also Leviticus 20:15–16.)

Another prohibited sexual activity is homosexual intercourse, which is the focus here. What is presented here is the standard Christian understanding of what the Bible teaches regarding homosexuality. There are some Christian authors who take the view that Scripture doesn’t condemn homosexuality outright, but only condemns it when it is promiscuous; they take the view that monogamous homosexual marriages are in alignment with biblical teaching.11 However, the majority of Christian denominations consider homosexuality, either male with male or female with female, as sin, in accordance with what Scripture teaches.

The first biblical text that addresses homosexuality is Genesis 19. This passage describes two angels visiting the town of Sodom. Lot, the nephew of Abraham, lived there, and since it was evening, he invited the two visitors to spend the night in his house. They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly.12 The visitors accepted Lot’s invitation. Later in the evening, all the men of the city, both young and old, surrounded Lot’s house and demanded that he bring them out to us, that we may know them.13 Other Bible versions translate this as that we may have relations with them (NAU), that we may know them carnally (NKJV), or so that we can have sex with them (NIV). Lot and his immediate family left the town, after which we are told that the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.14

Some authors state that God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah was not due to homosexuality, but rather because the people of the towns were inhospitable. However, in the book of Ezekiel we find the following reference to the sins of Sodom:

Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.15

The word translated as abomination is the same Hebrew word used to say that it is an “abomination” before God if a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination in Leviticus 20:13.16 Thus it is generally understood in this passage that Sodom was judged not only for homosexuality, but also because of pride, haughtiness, and not helping the poor.

The Mosaic law addressed homosexuality.

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.17

Other Bible translations state it is detestable or it is a detestable sin.

The book of Deuteronomy addresses the issue of cult prostitution. (Sacred prostitution, temple prostitution, cult prostitution, and religious prostitution are terms for a sexual rite consisting of sexual intercourse or other sexual activity performed in the context of religious worship. Such prostitution was practiced by the Canaanites who inhabited the land before the Israelites.)

None of the daughters of Israel shall be a cult prostitute, and none of the sons of Israel shall be a cult prostitute. You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a dog into the house of the LORD your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God.18

Commentators state that male cult prostitutes participated in homosexual acts. In the book of 1 Kings, male cult prostitution in Israel is mentioned and likened to the abominations of the people who were driven out of Israel.

Judah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done. For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, and there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.19

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul wrote about homosexual conduct when he listed a long catalog of sins:

For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.20

The phrase “contrary to nature” makes the point that homosexual conduct runs contrary to God’s intent for sexuality in creating men and women with physical bodies that have a “natural” way of interacting sexually with one another.

In this same verse, the apostle Paul regards homosexual passions, meaning desires, as dishonorable passions. He sees them as clashing with God’s stated purpose and intention that sexual intercourse should be restricted to marriage, and only between a man and a woman. Paul further includes all forms of homosexuality, whether between men or between women, as running contrary to God’s intent for human sexuality, when he states: Their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature.

The apostle Paul also included homosexual conduct in a list of sins found in 1 Corinthians.

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.21

The Greek words that Paul used to express nor men who practice homosexuality included the words malokoi and arsenokoites. Malokoi means “soft” or “effeminate,” and was used in the Greco-Roman worlds to refer to the “passive” partner in homosexual acts. Arsenokoites is a combination of the words arsen (“man”) and koite (“sexual intercourse”). Paul used these words to express “men who have intercourse with men.”

In the book of 1 Timothy, the apostle Paul uses the Greek word arsenokoites in a list of vices which are derived from the Ten Commandments.

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality.22 

Paul makes the point that forbidding homosexuality is in alignment with the Old Testament “law” regarding homosexuality.

In the book of Jude, we find comments on the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.23

The phrase indulged in sexual immorality refers to heterosexual immorality, meaning intercourse between men and women who are not married to one another. The phrase pursued unnatural desire referred to the men of Sodom’s desire to have sexual relations with Lot’s visitors.

Both the Old and New Testaments view all types of homosexual conduct as contrary to God’s moral will, and therefore as sinful. As such, homosexual activity is a form of sexual expression that falls outside of God’s will. This doesn’t mean that homosexual individuals cannot be Christians nor that they should be looked down upon, shunned, persecuted, or discriminated against. Rather, as Christians we are to both recognize and remember that all humans are made in God’s image and are loved by Him.

As the authors of Kingdom Ethics wrote:

Homosexual persons are precious, made in the image of God and bearers of all the dignity that God affords to all humanity. Christ-followers are never permitted to treat homosexuals as less than what God has declared all people to be. Spending one’s life crusading against homosexuals, as some Christians do, hardly fits with the virtues of love, kindness, humility, peace and patience that are to characterize the follower of Christ. … We must love homosexual persons while remaining clear in our convictions about God’s intentions for human sexuality—and equally clear that all of us stand guilty and in need of redemption.24 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.25

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Note

Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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1 Wayne Grudem, Christian Ethics (Wheaton: Crossway, 2018).

2 Norman L. Geisler, Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options (Baker Academic, 2010).

3 Exodus 20:14.

4 See “Living Christianity: Marriage and Sex,” Part 1 and Part 2.

5 Genesis 2:24.

6 Mark 10:6–8.

7 Exodus 20:14.

8 1 Corinthians 6:15–16.

9 1 Corinthians 5:1–2.

10 Leviticus 18:23.

11 Matthew Vines, God and the Gay Christian (New York: Convergent Books, 2014).

12 Genesis 19:2–3.

13 Genesis 19:5.

14 Genesis 19:24–25.

15 Ezekiel 16:49–50.

16 Leviticus 20:13. See also 18:22.

17 Leviticus 18:22.

18 Deuteronomy 23:17–18.

19 1 Kings 14:22–24.

20 Romans 1:26–27.

21 1 Corinthians 6:9–10.

22 1 Timothy 1:8–10.

23 Jude 1:7.

24 Glen H. Stassen & David P. Gushee, Kingdom Ethics (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 311.

25 Romans 3:23. 

https://directors.tfionline.com/post/living-christianity-homosexuality/

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