IF GOD KNOWS WHO WILL SERVE HIM AND WHO WON’T, WHY WITNESS?

by Shawn Brasseaux

“If God already knows who will serve Him and who won’t, why then do we continue to share this Grace message?”

Hello, my friend. What a question! Yes, God already knows who will serve Him and who will not serve Him, but it is still our duty—yea, our honor—to reach those who will listen. (I know how some Christians like to use your question as an argument/excuse so they do not have to witness. They are robbing themselves of one of the greatest joys of Christian living!) The only way we can reach those who will ultimately believe is to share the Gospel of God’s Grace with everyone. That includes sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who will receive those precious words, and preaching them to those who will reject those words. That means preaching to those who will be saved, and preaching to those who will never be saved. Ultimately, it is their choice—accept God’s offer or reject it. The gift of salvation through Jesus Christ is never forced on anyone. It is “unto all” (Romans 3:22). God offers it to all the nations of the world (2 Corinthians 5:19), and the only way all the peoples of the world can hear about it if we (the Church the Body of Christ) preach it to them.

Let us look at three Biblical examples of how God’s people—including His Son Jesus Christ—preached to the masses, despite the widespread rejection of the Gospel message they preached.

Noah. Only seven people believed Noah’s message. Yet, he still preached to the millions of the world that a global flood was coming. Genesis 7:13 says that his wife, their three sons, and their three wives, entered the ark with him. The rest of the people of the world perished in the Flood. As 2 Peter 2:5 says, “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;” Over 99.9 percent of Noah’s audience mocked and laughed, and died. God knew only eight people would be saved from that Great Flood, and yet He still directed Noah to preach! By sending Noah to preach, the people who rejected God’s Word would be without excuse. They heard how to escape that wrath, and yet they deliberately refused it. When they are resurrected in the future, that rejected message will be brought to their minds. Before they are consigned to an everlasting fire and brimstone, they will be confronted with all those “lost opportunities for salvation.” (More on this shortly.)

Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry. The Lord Jesus said, “But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him” (John 6:64). Surely, Jesus knew that only a few Jews would trust in Him as their Messiah-King. He knew that “from the beginning [of His ministry],” the Bible says, that Judas would betray Him. Moments after Jesus uttered those offensive words, verse 66 says what happened next: “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” Talk about a waning crowd, beloved! That day, Jesus Christ probably lost His greatest amount of “listeners.” They loved to hear Him speak “beautiful words,” they loved His “free lunches” and His free healing miracles, but they did not have one bit of interest in having their sins forgiven through Him. When He exposed their unbelief, they left quick and never followed Him again!

Jesus Christ began His ministry with Matthew chapter 7, “[13] Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: [14] Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Certainly, Jesus knew the majority of people would prefer to stay lost, dead in their trespasses and sins, thoroughly content (prideful) to stay heading toward “destruction.” Just a few would want eternal “life.” We would be fools to disagree with Jesus Christ and say those words of His are not equally true of our audiences today.

Later, Acts 1:15 says there were only 120 believers in Jerusalem after Christ’s earthly ministry was over!! Yet, Jesus still preached, so the people who refused Him would be condemned by those words He preached. The Lord Jesus later said in John 12:48: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” This a reference to the lost world being judged at the Great White Throne Judgment. That verse is the key to understanding how all lost people of all time will be judged before they are tossed into the lake of fire.

The Holy Spirit led the Apostle John to write in Revelation 20:11-15: “[11] And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. [12] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. [13] And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. [14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. [15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

According to the Lord Jesus (John 12:48), in the distant future, the Holy Bible will be used to condemn unsaved people, to sentence them to the lake of fire to burn alive forever. (What a strong case for Bible preservation this is!!!!!!!!) They all had at least one opportunity to hear the life-giving words of the God of the Bible. In fact, Romans 1:20 says they are “without excuse.” Whatever dispensation was operating during their day in human history, they will be fully accountable for rejecting it, and the Lord Jesus Christ will bring it before these people as they stand before Him. They rejected it, and He now formally rejects them before all. What He is doing with these lost people is demonstrably 100 percent righteous, totally fair.

The Apostle Paul. Paul knew he would never convert many or most. In fact, he confessed that his preaching would only save “some” Jews from their national apostasy (Romans 11:14; 1 Corinthians 9:22). Father God will use us, the Body of Christ, to reach everyone with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork. This way, no one can say, “I did not know” or “I did not have chance.” But, only a few will choose to trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Even though God knew just a few people would believe His written Word, He still preserved it for the benefit of those who would believe it. Yes, God’s preserved Word and our preaching it will be used against the lost when they are ultimately judged. Paul wrote, “In that day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” (Romans 2:16).

CONCLUSION

Brethren, let us warn everyone we can of their need of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for their sins! The rich man in hell wanted his loved ones on Earth to hear God’s Word, that they not come to the same place of torment he was now suffering (Luke 16:28). Let us remember all of these peoples’ relatives who are in hell today. Those people would want us to tell their family and friends on Earth about the reality of everlasting hellfire and God’s solution for it. They must be told about God’s righteous wrath against their sin, and we Christians need to tell them! They need to hear about the shed blood of Jesus Christ to pay for their sins! If they do not believe the Message of God’s Grace that we preach, they will be haunted forever in hell about why they did not have to go there. Let us reach them in love and for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ… before it is too late!

Colossians 1: “[28] [Jesus Christ] Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: [29] Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”

2 Timothy 2:24-26: “[24] And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, [25] In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; [26] And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

2 Corinthians 5:11: “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.”

Also see:
» What about those “strange distractions” when we witness to others?
» Is there a simple way to present the Grace Message to children and teens?
» Why did Jesus forbid others from preaching that He was Christ?