Title: They have not all obeyed the Gospel
v16/17 (read)
Here Paul is quoting Isaiah 53:1, where the great prophet is prophesying concerning the remnant of people who are preaching the Gospel. This verse goes on to ask, “To whom has God revealed his outstretched arm?”
If Paul’s claim is that faith comes by hearing, and one can only hear the Gospel if the Gospel is indeed preached to them, then it stands to reason that if the Jews have not heard the Gospel, then how can they be expected to obey it?
This brings us to a very interesting question theologically.
Should we, as Christians, hold non-Christians, to Biblical standards?
Another way to ask it is this: How can we fairly expect non-believers to make the same choices we do morally and spiritually?
It alarms me how many Christians never think about this. They are quick to call the world evil, they are quick to judge and determine who is and who is not going to Hell, they are quick to call the world’s movies, music, television and internet instruments of the Devil, yet it seems that’s all they are fit to do, observe, criticize, and judge.
Yet our Lord had some very striking words for people who saw fit to judge others. Let you who is without sin cast the first stone.
So what is the answer? What should our attitude be? Love. Pity. Patience. Endurance.
What is the greatest expression of these characteristics? GOSPEL.
I have been saying over and over and over again from this pulpit, the world will not know that they need a savior until they know what they are being saved from.
I was watching an ABC report on Mormonism last Sunday night after church. Each summer about this time, there is a huge gathering of Mormons at their central cathedral in Salt Lake City, Utah. And each year, a group of evangelical Christians also goes to S.L.C. To witness to the thousands of Mormons who have been led astray by this apostasy. Sounds good, right?
The one clip that ABC chose to show was not of a Christian brother or sister taking a Mormon aside to have a conversation, or to discuss truth, but rather, what ABC chose to show was a man shouting at the top of his voice to a group of Mormons three feet from him, crying out, “Your God can’t save you, your god is the brother of Lucifer!”
I know why ABC chose this man, I know his “in your face” style of “witnessing” was perfect for the cameras. I don’t know if this man was the norm, or the exception, but as I watched this unfold, I couldn’t help but thinking, I am that man.
I have no problem standing on the sidelines and calling out the sins and errors of non believers, I have no problem calling out the sins and errors of other believers, but when I do these things, do I honestly believe that the object of my criticism looks back at me and sees love?
Do you think this young group of Mormons, if they had been later interviewed by ABC would have said, “I think that man was so angry and spiteful because he loved us.”
Paul tells us in I. Cor. 13 that if we have words so powerful they are as brass or clanging cymbals it will do nothing to change anything if we do not also have love. What is the motivation for your criticism of the world? Is it that you hate the world, or love the sinners that comprise it?
To be truthful is our call. To defend the rightness of God is our duty. But if we do not do these things in love, we are not God’s ambassadors, we are an embarrassment to the Kingdom. Peacemakers throwing the first stones at creatures made in God’s image.
Do we honestly expect the world to hear our cat calls, hear our cries of “Sin!” and “Outrage!” and to suddenly have faith come from our hate from their actions?
What does Paul tell us in verse 17? Faith comes from hearing. When you talk to a non-believer, regardless of what sin that non-believers life is consumed with, do your words inspire them to have faith, or to feel condemned by you?
Let me make this as plain as I can: When you talk, others should hear the Word of God. Can you honestly say that is the case?
I know many of you are fond of criticizing our government, its elected leaders, and the press that reports such matters. For you I have two questions:
1. Do you do anything about it, or just complain?
2. When you are complaining, do others see the love of the Gospel and hear the Word of God, or do they just hear you…complaining?
Paul tells us in these two short verses that they have not all obeyed the Gospel, and that faith comes from them hearing the word of God.
If you want the world to change, stop complaining about the state that it’s in, and share the gospel.
People will not change, unless their hearts change.
Wars will not stop unless hearts change.
Famine and genocide will not cease unless hearts change.
Hearts will not change unless the Gospel goes forth.
Paul quotes Isaiah as Isaiah asks, “Lord, who has believed our report?’
I ask you this morning, “Who has heard your report?”