Ephesians 6:18-20
“To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”
The good news of the Kingdom needs to be proclaimed and communicated.
God has chosen to communicate the gospel through the people of the Church. Through the followers of Christ.
Yes, we must live and work in such a way that our behavior displays the fruit of the Spirit. Scripture is also clear that we must communicate the good news. Jesus told the disciples: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). The Lord sent the disciples into the world to proclaim the gospel clearly and boldly. He asks us to do the same thing.
Our role in proclaiming the goods news is laid out in 2 Corinthians 5.18-20: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
Note the double emphasis in this passage. Paul says the Lord “gave us the ministry of reconciliation,” and then in the very next verse says the Lord “entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.” That is what it means to be an ambassador for Christ. God works through us to proclaim the gospel to the world.
We should communicate the gospel in a clear, respectful way. How we communicate is nearly as important as what we communicate. “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Colossians 4.5-6).
We should study and prepare so that we are able to respond to the questions or objections that others may have. “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3.14-15).
It must be noted that in the Ephesians 6 passage, Paul asks for prayer so that he will boldly proclaim “the mystery of the gospel.” This is a reference to what he previously wrote in chapter 3.
“When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3.4-6).
Remember, the believers in the early church were almost entirely Jewish. The great mystery is that Gentiles who trust in Christ are now full participants in the kingdom of God. Through faith in Christ, Gentile believers are fellow heirs with Jewish believers of the promise that God made to Abraham. The mystery — now revealed — is that through Christ, the community of the King is made up of Jew and Gentile. Full inclusion and participation in God’s covenant community is not through ethnicity; it is through faith in Christ.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” (Galatians 3:28-29)
“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Jesus is the solution to the social and racial division, discord, and conflict of our time.
Coram Deo
