Why Should I Share the Gospel? (Part 3)
Why We Share the Gospel: The Reality of Hell and the Promise of Life
The gospel—the good news of Jesus Christ—is perhaps the most important message any of us will ever hear or share. Yet in our comfortable modern world, we sometimes lose sight of the urgency behind this message. Why should we share the gospel? What drives us to tell others about Jesus?
Two powerful motivations stand out that should compel every believer to share this life-changing message.
The Sobering Reality of Hell
Let's address something that contemporary culture—and even some churches—would rather avoid: hell is real.
In our age of relativism and feel-good spirituality, the doctrine of hell has been systematically downplayed, dismissed, or reinterpreted. We're told that a loving God wouldn't send anyone to hell, that hell is just a control mechanism invented by the church, or that everyone will eventually end up in heaven regardless of their beliefs.
Some argue that humans are born morally good or at least morally neutral, and since there's no absolute truth anyway, who's to say what's really sinful? This reasoning makes hell seem unnecessary—even offensive.
But Scripture paints a starkly different picture.
What Scripture Actually Teaches
The Bible is unambiguous about the reality of eternal judgment. In John 3:36, we read: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Similarly, Mark 16:16 declares: "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved. But he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."
What condemns us isn't God's capriciousness—it's our own disbelief and sin. According to Ephesians 2:3, we are all born "children of wrath." Romans 3 reminds us that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
Hell is not an accident. It is the fruit of humanity's own hands—the consequence of sin and unbelief.
The Nature of Eternal Punishment
The orthodox Christian understanding of hell can be summarized in three words: eternal conscious torment.
Eternal means forever—no reprieve, no remission, no end. Despite attempts to reinterpret biblical language, Scripture consistently presents hell as an everlasting state.
Conscious means you are aware of what is happening. You are not simply annihilated or snuffed out of existence. The account in Luke 16 of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates this vividly. The rich man cries out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue for I am in agony in this flame."
Imagine suffering so severe that your only request would be for a single drop of water on your tongue. The rich man is fully conscious of his torment.
Torment describes unimaginable suffering. Hell is described as a place of outer darkness and burning flames—perhaps fire that inflicts pain without providing light. It is separation from God's presence, and since all good things flow from God, there will be no good thought, feeling, or experience for eternity.
One writer suggested that if you could pile all the miseries of the world onto one person, that suffering would seem like paradise compared to the misery of hell.
Why Hell Matters to How We Share
Understanding the reality of hell should never make us harsh or judgmental toward unbelievers. Rather, it should fill us with compassion and urgency.
We share the gospel because we love people too much to let them spend eternity in conscious torment, separated from God. As Hebrews 10:31 warns, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
But here's the beautiful truth: God doesn't leave us condemned. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place, paying the price we could not pay. As 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, God "is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
Our job isn't to convert people—that's God's work. Our job is simply to share the good news with love and compassion.
Life Is So Much More
The second reason we share the gospel is equally compelling: because life is more than what most people realize.
Jesus told a parable about a rich farmer whose land was extremely productive. The man reasoned to himself, "I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones to store all my crops and goods. Then I'll say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.'"
But God said to him, "You fool, this very night your soul is required of you, and now who will own what you have prepared?"
Beyond the Material
There's nothing inherently wrong with having possessions, providing for your family, or enjoying the fruits of your labor. These are good things.
But when we begin to think that life is all about our stuff—about what we accumulate, the career we build, the pay raises we receive—we miss the point entirely.
There is more to life than material success. That "more" is your soul.
The gospel message transforms not just your eternal destiny but your present life. The good news of Jesus Christ makes you a better person now and fits you for eternity.
What the Gospel Gives Us
Consider what the gospel tells us:
The Gospel Itself Is Our Motivation
Ultimately, our motivation to share the gospel is the gospel itself.
When we truly grasp what Jesus has done for us—that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us—we can't help but want others to experience that same love, forgiveness, and transformation.
We share because hell is real and we love people too much to remain silent. We share because life is so much more than the temporary pleasures and pursuits of this world. We share because Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. We share because the church has always been a witnessing, gospel-proclaiming community.
Most of all, we share because we have been transformed by this good news, and we long for others to know the same freedom, joy, and eternal hope that we have found in Christ.
The gospel is proof positive of God's love for you. Jesus died in your place. You are forgiven. God has provided everything necessary for this life and the life to come.
That's news worth sharing.
In Christ's love,
The gospel—the good news of Jesus Christ—is perhaps the most important message any of us will ever hear or share. Yet in our comfortable modern world, we sometimes lose sight of the urgency behind this message. Why should we share the gospel? What drives us to tell others about Jesus?
Two powerful motivations stand out that should compel every believer to share this life-changing message.
The Sobering Reality of Hell
Let's address something that contemporary culture—and even some churches—would rather avoid: hell is real.
In our age of relativism and feel-good spirituality, the doctrine of hell has been systematically downplayed, dismissed, or reinterpreted. We're told that a loving God wouldn't send anyone to hell, that hell is just a control mechanism invented by the church, or that everyone will eventually end up in heaven regardless of their beliefs.
Some argue that humans are born morally good or at least morally neutral, and since there's no absolute truth anyway, who's to say what's really sinful? This reasoning makes hell seem unnecessary—even offensive.
But Scripture paints a starkly different picture.
What Scripture Actually Teaches
The Bible is unambiguous about the reality of eternal judgment. In John 3:36, we read: "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Similarly, Mark 16:16 declares: "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved. But he who has disbelieved shall be condemned."
What condemns us isn't God's capriciousness—it's our own disbelief and sin. According to Ephesians 2:3, we are all born "children of wrath." Romans 3 reminds us that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
Hell is not an accident. It is the fruit of humanity's own hands—the consequence of sin and unbelief.
The Nature of Eternal Punishment
The orthodox Christian understanding of hell can be summarized in three words: eternal conscious torment.
Eternal means forever—no reprieve, no remission, no end. Despite attempts to reinterpret biblical language, Scripture consistently presents hell as an everlasting state.
Conscious means you are aware of what is happening. You are not simply annihilated or snuffed out of existence. The account in Luke 16 of the rich man and Lazarus illustrates this vividly. The rich man cries out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue for I am in agony in this flame."
Imagine suffering so severe that your only request would be for a single drop of water on your tongue. The rich man is fully conscious of his torment.
Torment describes unimaginable suffering. Hell is described as a place of outer darkness and burning flames—perhaps fire that inflicts pain without providing light. It is separation from God's presence, and since all good things flow from God, there will be no good thought, feeling, or experience for eternity.
One writer suggested that if you could pile all the miseries of the world onto one person, that suffering would seem like paradise compared to the misery of hell.
Why Hell Matters to How We Share
Understanding the reality of hell should never make us harsh or judgmental toward unbelievers. Rather, it should fill us with compassion and urgency.
We share the gospel because we love people too much to let them spend eternity in conscious torment, separated from God. As Hebrews 10:31 warns, "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
But here's the beautiful truth: God doesn't leave us condemned. He sent His Son Jesus to die in our place, paying the price we could not pay. As 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, God "is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."
Our job isn't to convert people—that's God's work. Our job is simply to share the good news with love and compassion.
Life Is So Much More
The second reason we share the gospel is equally compelling: because life is more than what most people realize.
Jesus told a parable about a rich farmer whose land was extremely productive. The man reasoned to himself, "I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones to store all my crops and goods. Then I'll say to my soul, 'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.'"
But God said to him, "You fool, this very night your soul is required of you, and now who will own what you have prepared?"
Beyond the Material
There's nothing inherently wrong with having possessions, providing for your family, or enjoying the fruits of your labor. These are good things.
But when we begin to think that life is all about our stuff—about what we accumulate, the career we build, the pay raises we receive—we miss the point entirely.
There is more to life than material success. That "more" is your soul.
The gospel message transforms not just your eternal destiny but your present life. The good news of Jesus Christ makes you a better person now and fits you for eternity.
What the Gospel Gives Us
Consider what the gospel tells us:
- We are saved
- We are forgiven
- We have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light
- We are born again
- We are redeemed
- We are reconciled to God
- We are justified—declared righteous
- We can live at peace with God
- We can enjoy the fullness of joy in our Lord
- We are adopted and have the right to be called children of God
The Gospel Itself Is Our Motivation
Ultimately, our motivation to share the gospel is the gospel itself.
When we truly grasp what Jesus has done for us—that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us—we can't help but want others to experience that same love, forgiveness, and transformation.
We share because hell is real and we love people too much to remain silent. We share because life is so much more than the temporary pleasures and pursuits of this world. We share because Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. We share because the church has always been a witnessing, gospel-proclaiming community.
Most of all, we share because we have been transformed by this good news, and we long for others to know the same freedom, joy, and eternal hope that we have found in Christ.
The gospel is proof positive of God's love for you. Jesus died in your place. You are forgiven. God has provided everything necessary for this life and the life to come.
That's news worth sharing.
In Christ's love,
Pastor Kirk Flaa
Posted in Bible, Care, Discipleship, God, Jesus, Scripture, Worship
Posted in God, Word of God, Jesus, Faith, Bible, Scriptures, Holy, Trust, truth, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Hell, Life, 1 Thessalonians, Eternity, Parables, Gospel, Love
Posted in God, Word of God, Jesus, Faith, Bible, Scriptures, Holy, Trust, truth, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Hell, Life, 1 Thessalonians, Eternity, Parables, Gospel, Love
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