By Tyler Allred
Here’s my premise: If the Bible is actually God speaking to us, if Jesus is God become human, if his death and resurrection are real, and if that “gospel” is the powerful good news Christians claim it to be, then having a neutral response is not an option.
In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he explains what happens when this gospel is proclaimed:
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom,
23 but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24 but to those who are the called,
both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God
(1 Corinthians 1:22-24 NRSV)
“Good News! Our Leader was Executed by the Romans! Come Join Us!”[1]
We have this “gospel” or “good news” that, let’s face it, isn’t what you’d expect. Paul points out the fact that everyone in the known world at that time (for him there were two people groups: Jews and Greeks) would have trouble receiving this news.
For the Greeks the idea of bodily resurrection was utter foolishness; no one in his or her right mind would think such nonsense! For the Jews the claim that the enemy killed their king, and that was apparently a good thing, would have been a major stumbling block. Another translation of this passage says that the Jews were “scandalized” by the very idea of a crucified Messiah.
No more “business-as-usual”
Here’s where the stakes are raised however. Paul lays out a scenario whereby proclaiming this good news bring the possibility of making their condition even worse. The Greeks were not calling the Way of God “foolish” before they heard that he had raised someone from the dead; the Jews were not scandalized until the news of a dead Jewish king. Upon hearing this message they find themselves further away from God than before they heard.
The Gospel has the same qualities now as it did in Paul’s day. It’s unexpected, beyond reason, and for many, it’s simply scandalous. It’s why a few verses later Paul writes, “None of the rulers of this age understood [God’s Wisdom]; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Cor 2:8 NRSV).
For Paul there can be no neutral response to this gospel. Some, he says, turn away and reject the Lord of glory, but miraculously others, from both Jews and Greeks, turn toward the Lord and find that they believe this unexpected news the Bible calls “good.” Belief and salvation are obviously the hope as Paul proclaims his message, but rejection is a very real possibility.
An awesome responsibility
This realization has greatly convicted me. Every time I share the gospel, open my Bible, or in any way invite people to meet with the living God I accept a great responsibility. I become the vessel through which God will either turn people toward him, or through which people will harden their hearts and walk further away. But to walk away un-changed is not an option.
Now, it’s important to remember that it’s not up to us to save people and soften their hearts. Paul makes it clear that we may plant the seed but God makes it grow (1 Cor. 3:7). And certainly, when we share the Gospel we are prayerfully expecting that the response will be belief and not rejection. But it’s a very real possibility that people will reject God and (while I don’t advise dwelling on this too often!) they would have remained in a better condition if they’d never heard.
Our choice
So are you willing to accept the responsibility of proclaiming this good news? It might seem easier to stay silent, but if we’ve said ‘yes’ to the gospel of our king then neutrality is not an option for us either. Paul does not proclaim this good news because it makes him or others “feel good,” but because he was chosen and called by his creator to be a herald of God’s Kingdom. (see for instance 1 Cor. 1:26-30)
It’s not “good advice to make your life more manageable”- for that message would be possible to respond with neutrality: “sounds good, but it’s not for me.” No, our message is “good news:” something happened on the cross that is so monumental that everything is forever changed, to hear this gospel is to respond- do you worship the one who is now your king? Or do you walk away and fall into greater darkness?
Have you approached Jesus as though your life could remain as it was before? Are you “neutral” when it comes to following him? How are you being challenged to go “all-in?”
Who has God placed in your own life that needs to hear Jesus’ good news? Are you ready to accept the call from God to be an ambassador and herald of his gospel?
[1] I borrowed this from a chapter title in Peter Enns 2014 book, “The Bible Tells Me So.”
