August 20, 2017
For this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. 1 Timothy 2:7 (NIV)
Whenever you see the word Gentiles in the Bible, you will find it helpful to replace it with, “all nations.” That’s what it means—all the nations of the world outside of Israel.
It is hard for us to grasp how astonishing this was in the early church. God made a covenant with Israel, and to many people, the God of the Bible was the God of Israel. So when Paul says, “I was appointed an apostle to the Gentiles,” he has to add: “I am telling the truth, I am not lying.”
Millions of people today would say that Christianity is the religion, not of the Jews, but of the West. But gospel churches take their stand with Paul, saying, “The good news is for all nations.” Our calling is to herald the true faith to all nations, and we are telling the truth. We are not lying.
Paul’s missionary strategy is right here: He was:
- A herald: Wherever he went, he proclaimed the gospel.
- An apostle: He was a pioneer sent to plant churches where they did not exist.
- A teacher: He established the church by teaching truth and refuting error.
The gospel advances through the ministry of the Word and prayer. And the advance of the gospel is in the DNA of a gospel-centered church.
What role are you playing in the advance of the gospel in your church?