Begging the question

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” Matt 28:19

If you have ever felt guilty because you haven't been on the street corner preaching, on the soap box shouting, or handing our tracks at the airport or door-to-door... don't.  One of the biggest hindrances to the spreading of the gospel is the lie of the enemy that we are all to do it.

The command was to teach and to baptize.  Both of these require both people to be involved.  There is a sense of unity and union in them.  When people want to learn… you teach.  When they have heard the Word… they are baptized.

But we aren’t all called to evangelize…

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” Ephesians 4:11

The call to evangelize is one that the Lord gives.  Not everyone is called to evangelize.

But we are all called to be witnesses:

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Act 1:8

The difference between the two is simply this…

A witness only answers questions.

We are to be able, when asked, to tell people what we have seen and to point to Jesus as the One Who has done it.  “Witnesses unto me” He said.

A witness speaks when spoken to.  And evangelist speaks whether you like it or not.

If we are all called to be witnesses and commanded to teach and baptize than it stands to reason that they (the unsaved) have the ball in their court with the majority of us.  It is up to them to ask the question.

So…

Do you live a life that begs a question?