In this week’s “Answers” video (right), the atheist Penn Jillette asked the question, “How much do you have to hate someone to believe that everlasting life is possible and not tell them about it?”
That’s a really stark question which has kept coming back to me all week, and I think it has to cause us to pause and reflect. I mean…are we telling people about Jesus? It might be worth thinking back for a moment. When was the last time we made an effort to reach someone with the gospel? And I don’t necessarily mean standing on a soap box on a street corner or approaching people on the street. That’s not for everyone. But I mean, in any way at all? When did we last consciously make that effort? Last week? Month? Year?
I think this is an area where it’s so easy to drift, whether that be because it’s socially awkward; because we’re afraid to be called bigots; or because we’re just not sure how to go about it. But the Great Commission was a command given to every believer, meaning if we’re not contributing to the work of reaching the lost, we need to make a plan for how we’ll get involved. (Matt 28:18-20)
That’s just a something that’s been challenging me this week. If we truly believe everlasting life is possible, we must make an effort to tell other people about it somehow, whatever the consequences may be. There’s really nothing more important.