Are you a Herald? 2

By Tosin Lawal

Devotional Reading: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16NIV

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, just before his ascension into heaven, he (Jesus) instructed his disciples to preach the gospel to all creatures. He affirmed that those that believe and are baptized will be saved, and those that do not believe will be condemned. Of course this was not the first time he will be instructing them to preach the gospel. He only emphasized and reiterated the instruction he has always given to them before he finally ascended into heaven.

We believers cannot run away from this reality that we need to preach the gospel. It will be wickedness on the part of any believer who knows yet is not preaching the gospel.

Many Church attendees are not saved but think that they are saved in their hearts. They have confused regular church attendance, praying to God and having their needs met as being equal to being saved. The devil rejoices in their ignorance because he knows that going to church regularly, praying to God, and having your needs met by God is not the same as being saved.

God will answer everyone’s prayer because he is a generous God who gives without finding fault. The ignorance of most Church-goers has confused them into thinking they are saved children of God.

God’s word says that the preaching of the gospel saves a man from his sins. The preaching of the gospel makes a person become a child of God. God’s word says in Romans 10:9:10 that If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. Can you see that? That is how a man gets saved and becomes a child of God.

The challenge now is that many will not be saved if no one preaches the gospel. God’s word says, “But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14HCSB It is the preached gospel that people will hear, believe and become saved.

Many people are in confusion as to how a person becomes saved. Some think they are saved, whereas they are not. Some think joining a workforce in church automatically brings then into the league of saved men. What a misleading school of thought. You have an obligation to preach the gospel if you don’t want to be wicked. Preach the gospel. Spread the love of Christ. Get men saved. Lead them into salvation. The Lord is your strength.

Prayer and Confession
Make me a better Christian Lord. I will herald your gospel. Give me fresh burden for preaching the gospel in a world full of hostility.

Further readings: Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10: 1-21
Reading The Prophets: Isaiah 61-66