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The Gospel is NOT a Sales Pitch

As Christians we are commanded to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We know we need to do this, but the way we have often been taught how to do it is wrong. This problem runs down to our very conception of what the Gospel is and how we should think about responding to it.

Most of the ways I've heard of sharing the Gospel is essentially a sales pitch. Whether you start with a corny line such as "Do you have a moment for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?" or sometimes even if you begin with your own personal testimony, the point is often to try and "sell" the story. Then you need to be prepared for the inevitable questions and objections. You're essentially trying to sell eternal life and convince others that they need it.

That's not what the Gospel is. The Gospel isn't something we try to sell or convince others to buy into. The Gospel is something we proclaim.

The Good News of Jesus Christ is the announcement of a new world order. It is a fact that is not dependent upon the decision of the people hearing the news. The fact is that Jesus, through his atoning death and resurrection, has conquered Sin, Death, and the Powers and now reigns over the universe at the right hand of the Father. 

The nations that squabble over the Earth are not in command. The Enemy is in full retreat. The Kingdom of God is at hand, and Jesus is coming back to finalize his victory. The question is how do we respond to such news?

A lot of times when we proclaim the good news it is more like conditional good news. It's only good if the person we are trying to convince agrees. Otherwise it isn't very good at all. The true Good News of Jesus Christ is something that has happened, is happening, and will happen regardless of us. Jesus has won the battle. God is victorious.

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