"How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10:14).
From the Reformation through the colonization of America, Calvinism dominated the Protestant movement. Belief in justification by faith alone and God’s electing love permeated the preaching and evangelism of the early Protestants. Contrary to what many believe, Calvinism is not detrimental to missions. While God has elected some to salvation, we do not know the choice hidden in His unrevealed will. Rather, we are commanded of God to go and make disciples of all nations. While God initiates salvation, He uses human instruments and the proclamation of the Gospel to bring the elect into His kingdom.
Charles Spurgeon wrote: “I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism; Calvinism is the Gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the Gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the Gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus.… If God hath loved me once, then He will love me forever. God has a mastermind; He arranged everything in His gigantic intellect long before He did it; and once having settled it, He never alters it. ‘This shall be done,’ saith He, and the iron hand of destiny marks it down, and it is brought to pass.”
God brings His will to pass through what Paul called the foolishness of preaching. The Gospel rings as a message of hope to a darkened world. Every believer is obligated to declare the Good News of reconciliation through Jesus Christ, thus serving as the instruments through which God calls His elect to Himself. Evangelism is one of the highest privileges God gives us. Do not cast a shadow on the glorious doctrine of election by using it as an excuse to disobey God’s directive to bring hope to a lost world.
When was the last time you told someone the Gospel? Are you seeking to be obedient to God in evangelism? Think of someone you know who doesn’t know Christ. Consider what would happen were they to face judgement this day. Pray and look for an opportunity to tell that person about Christ.
