In this day and age when the truth of the gospel gets watered down by the many lies of the enemy, we should all take heed of what the apostle Paul said to Timothy, and consider it our own:
"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season." (2 Timothy 4:1-2)
The command is for all
Yes, although young Timothy was instructed to take charge of a church in those days, the work of preaching the gospel was entrusted to all believers, and not just a select few people who have the Bible school diplomas and the mentoring of some preachers. All believers are to spread the gospel:
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen." (Matthew 28:18-20)
The gospel is no gospel if it's not delivered as a whole
Friends, we should be prepared to preach the gospel in its entirety today. Many gospels have arisen lately, some of which have taken the power out of what Christ has done. These false gospels bring people a false hope, leading all who wrongly believe in them into mistake and error.
There's a false gospel that highlights the blessings that God gives to His children in Christ, all the while minimising the fact that Christ paid a high price for our freedom, and also the high price that we must pay to follow Him. This gospel makes people wrongly believe that it's OK to live a self-centred life while asking God to bless us.
There's another false gospel that emphasises God's love, wholly forgetting His holiness, righteousness and justice. God loves us alright, but we must understand that our sins gave us a one-way ticket to hell, and that because God loved us, He sent Jesus – He who died for the forgiveness of our sins, and was resurrected for our hope. We must realise that if we love God, we will turn away from our sins in repentance and follow Christ.
We must be ready
Friends, we must do our best to prepare ourselves to preach the true gospel of God in Christ to a world that's dying with every moment. Many are dying without knowing Christ. We all need to be ready in season and out of season.
"Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one." (Colossians 4:5-6)
