Missional Living

One of the things that I am often struck by when reading the New Testament is Paul’s missionary heart. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths to which Paul was willing to go in order to reach someone, or a lot of someones, with the gospel. One such instance is found in Romans 9:3. Paul says, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (ESV). In case you missed that let me put it in plain English, “If it were possible, I would wish that I would spend an eternity in hell if it meant that my fellow countrymen would come to know Christ.” Or as The Message puts it, “If there were any way I could be cursed by the Messiah so they could be blessed by him, I’d do it in a minute.”

I read such things and I think, “Now Paul, that’s just crazy talk. Why would you go to such extremes when they had every opportunity you did to respond to the gospel?” The truth of the matter is that Paul understood the reality of heaven and hell. He knew this was not simply the stuff of children’s Sunday School classes. He knew that hell is the reality of all realities and he did not want anyone to spend a second there.

Applying this truth to our lives causes us to ask ourselves a question: What extent are we willing to go to in order that others might come to know Christ? Are we willing to be uncomfortable? Are we willing to forego our own preferences when it comes to teaching styles, programming, or worship style if it means others will come to know Christ? Are we willing to step up and serve so that others might be saved? You see, to all of this Paul would say, “YES, YES, YES” if it meant people would come to know Christ.

I can only hope that over the course of my life that I might come to love with the passion and zeal that Paul had. The truth of the matter is too often I let my own comfort level, my own desires, and my own ambitions get in the way. May we journey together as we seek to become more for the cause of Christ and the sake of the gospel.