Faith Hurdles (1)

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.Romans 10.17

The Good News of the Kingdom
Christians rightly think of their message as Good News. The Gospel of the Kingdom announces a new beginning for humankind and the world. It opens the door to a way of life so completely different from the worn-out worldviews of the day, that those who observed the first Christians were persuaded they were turning the world upside-down for Jesus Christ (Acts 17.1-9).

The Gospel offers the promise, not only of forgiveness of sins and a glorious eternity in the presence of God, but of new beginnings every day, here and now, in every aspect of our lives. The Kingdom of God is power, power for righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 4.20; Rom. 14.17, 18). All who make the Kingdom turn into this new reality discover that old things indeed have passed away, and all things have become new, and are filled with meaning, purpose, and power.

Christians have Good News for the world, the Good News that, in Jesus Christ, the Kingdom of God has come to earth.

So why is it that so many people in the world continue to remain apart from the Gospel of the Kingdom? Why is there still so much unbelief among the people we know – our neighbors, friends, co-laborers, and people in every walk of life? What keeps them from seeing what we see, understanding what we have come to know, and entering with us into newness of life in Christ? And what does full faith require of us in helping others overcome these hurdles to faith?

At least seven powerful obstacles prevent people from receiving the Good News of the Kingdom and entering into newness of life in Jesus Christ. It might surprise us to know that perhaps the most common obstacle is that people just do not understand the Gospel. They have never heard the Word of Christ clearly, in a way that they can understand and that helps them to see the true beauty of the Gospel.

Two wrong conclusions
Faith, Paul explained, comes from hearing the Word of Christ. In our day those who have come to know the truth that is in Jesus Christ have made two conclusions concerning their unbelieving neighbors, both of which are false.

The first is that everyone they know already understands the Gospel. They’ve heard it a thousand times already and understand clearly what the Bible teaches concerning how to be saved. They’ve heard it; they just aren’t interested in believing.

My experience, however, tells me that this is not true. Over the years, using a simple questionnaire, I’ve found that most people who do not believe the Gospel simply do not understand what it teaches. If they ever heard a clear presentation of the Good News, it did not register, and they continue to believe that Christianity is a religion in which salvation comes by doing good works, following the example and teaching of Jesus. People will never get on track with a full faith race in the Lord until they become disabused of this false idea.

The second conclusion that Christians make about their unbelieving neighbors is that they aren’t interested in spiritual matters. This also is false. Again, using this same questionnaire, I have found people more than willing to talk about spiritual matters and to hear the true teaching of Scripture concerning the Gospel.

And years of equipping others to bear witness for Christ, and leading them to do so, also assures me that the unbelievers we see each day are not closed to conversations about spiritual matters. They will be eager to talk with someone who is confident and knowledgeable, and who treats them with respect.

Our task
The first obstacle to believing the Gospel is simple ignorance. People cannot believe what they do not understand. They need to hear the Good News, and not just once, but again and again, until it begins to sink into their souls where it can work its transforming power.

Paul says that they cannot hear with understanding unless someone goes to them and proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.

And this, my friends, is a task which has been appointed to each one of us.

For reflection
1.      Suppose you were asked to explain the “Good News” of the Christian faith. What would you say?

2.      Why do you think Christians today are so inconsistent and timid about sharing this Good News with the people around them?

3.      What evidence have you seen to support that claim that people today (a) don’t really understand the Gospel and (b) would be happy to discuss it?

Next steps: Download the free questionnaire mentioned in this article. Read and study through it, then practice using it with a Christian friend. Ask the Lord to give you opportunities to go through it with any unbelievers in your life.

T. M. Moore

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This week’s ReVision study is Part 7 of a 10-part series, “Full Faith.” You can download “Faith Hurdles” as a free PDF, prepared for personal or group study. Simply click here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.