Who Can Be Saved?

Then who can be saved?  Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:26b-27

Many of us Christians have someone in our life who just does not agree with us on this whole Jesus thing.  That person may be a family member, a friend, a co-worker, or just an acquaintance.   Their face probably just flashed into your mind.   I have many of those faces in my life.  I see many of them every single day.  I know where their hearts are.  I know what they think about “religion”.  I know that they do not recognize the redeeming work of Jesus.  I know that they are lost.  I know what the Bible says that their future will be and I do not want that for any of them.  Yet, I say nothing! 

The majority of us have people in our lives that are lost and yet we say nothing.  What are your reasons? 

An excuse (yes, I said excuse) that I have used is that I just don’t have the gift of evangelism.  That is usually translated as meaning that there are people out there who have this way (this gift) in presenting the gospel that is so convincing that the skeptics just fall like dominos.  Is that true?  Is it possible to mimic their evangelical method?  What happens if I don’t remember the method or I get confused in the discussion; will I screw things up? 

I recently preached on Mark 10:23-31.  Peter wanted to know who could be saved.  Jesus’ response was that no one can save themselves.  It is impossible for anyone to do that.  Jesus tells us that salvation is only possible through God and by God.  The implication of that is staggering.  It is unique to Christianity.   When anyone receives the gospel it is a complete work of God.  It is not about you or what you do or do not say.  It is about God.  Here is the comforting aspect of this truth – “you cannot screw up presenting the Gospel”.  Does that comfort you enough to share the gospel with that face in your mind?  Or is there something else that makes you hesitate? 

Are you afraid of being that “religious guy”?  If we are honest, I think that the fear of offending or being rejected is the main reason that we don’t talk about Jesus.  We all need to assess the impact of our vanity in relation to the eternal destination of those we care about.  Could it be that the “gift of evangelism” is simply the willingness of a person to set aside their vanity and be rejected and scorned for the sake of the gospel?  Are you willing to be hated for His name’s sake (Matt. 10:22)?

(Imagine from www.aaronproffitt.com)