There are many things that interfere with our ability to reach the lost for Jesus Christ. Sometimes it is fear or because our heart is not in the right place. However, what may be even more dangerous is a quiet acceptance of the lost. This means that at some point, we have come to rationalize or emotionally accept that our friends and neighbors are “just fine” and don’t really need salvation. How have we gotten to this point?
Perhaps it is a practical matter. They are relatively good moral people, they have no major issues in life, they are healthy and stable people, and there is no immediate crisis that might prompt them to need salvation. We have a good relationship with them, and we are afraid of challenging them or creating some conflict between us since they don’t appear to need anything. But is salvation just for moments of crisis or those who are struggling? Certainly not! The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all (Rom 1:16).
Maybe it’s not a practical issue, but a problem with our beliefs. Do we truly believe that our friends and family are lost? Perhaps they profess some faith in Christ or attend a church of some kind. We might think to ourselves, “Who am I to judge them?” Even though we might not verbally deny the necessity of baptism, we have quietly and practically denied it through our silent acceptance of their faith. But for us to be true followers of Christ, we cannot reject what Jesus himself said is the path to becoming a disciple (Matt 28:19-20).
Finally, perhaps we have forgotten the urgency and seriousness of the lost state of humanity. The Bible says that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). Without Christ, no one can come to the Father (John 14:6), and no one can come to Christ except by putting him on in baptism (Gal 3:27). Everyone outside of Christ is lost, and so are those who have not been joined to Christ in baptism. While this may be an uncomfortable truth, it is one that we need to remember and stand upon as we go about life and consider the people whom we interact with.
By Spencer Clark