The Gospel is Good News because we can repent and be forgiven of our sin, in Christ

One Campaign SG2021 – Reading the Gospels, day 5, Mark 1-3. Reflection from Mark 1.

During worship in song yesterday, before singing “the Lord is my Salvation”, Lily, the worship leader encouraged the congregation to remember their own salvation story and the person whom God used to reveal Jesus personally to them. And then she said that we too are to go and share Jesus’ salvation with others. Then Elder Ronald mentioned that “if knowing God is life eternal then our highest calling is to know Christ and to make him known is the highest calling of every disciple of Christ”. Truth indeed!

In Mark’s Gospel, John the Baptist’s first message was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4). Jesus’s first message too was about repentance, “…The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15) The Gospel is the Good News calling people to repent and find forgiveness of sin in Jesus Christ. That is why I believe Mark 10:45 is the ultimate foundation and theme verse for Mark’s Gospel: Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for us.

But, from experience, I see many who call themselves ‘Christians’ do not yet understand their need for Christ. I once attended a funeral wake. Sitting at this table of church people, I shared a little on my work at the Helping Hand and how I used the 2 EE questions as an evangelism tool to explain the Gospel. One of them asked me what the questions are. I mentioned the first question and then the 2nd question, “If you were die today and find yourself standing before God, how would you answer if he asked you, 'Why should I let you into my heaven?’” It was not a trick question so I was really shocked when one of them asked me, “so actually what is the answer?”. He had been attending church at least 30 years and in fact served on the Board of a Christian ministry. Yet, he lacked a foundation and source of his faith. As Ps Mah preached some weeks back, our faith must have an object as it is not blind faith.

That encounter made me wonder if we are assuming that people are Christians just because they do the ‘Christian thing’. That’s what I encountered when I returned back to the Helping Hand as Chaplain. In my one-on-one sessions with the residents, I would use the EE method to discern their faith’s foundations. Quite a number would answer the 2nd question with “I have been attending church for a few years before I went in”, or “inside I attend Christian counselling”, or “I go for weekly Bible classes”, etc. Very few say they know they are sinners and that they trusted in Jesus because only he could save them. That’s why after that, I assigned my staff to discern each resident’s faith and to share the Gospel with each one. Even if they did not believe, at least the Gospel seed was planted for the future. These examples reinforced my belief there may be many who think they are Christians but do not know they are not Christians.

As a pastor, though now retired, I do not take anyone’s salvation in Christ for granted. Thus, when I conduct membership classes, I will pass a questionnaire with the 2 EE questions out to each person, tell them to answer and hand up before class begins. For those who are not sure, I will follow up with them or let another mature Christian follow-up. Sometimes, I meet people who say they are coming back to the Lord. Instead of merely praying for their recommitment, I will share the Gospel, ‘Heaven->Man->Sin->Jesus Christ->assurance & growth’ before leading them to pray for themselves. When I meet someone, who has been interested in the faith, reading the Bible or attending church for some years, I will ask them if they have come to faith in Christ. Some of them reply, “not yet… slowly, slowly’. I usually will then share the Gospel with them and tell them lovingly, “there is no slowly, slowly...” to becoming a Christian. It is a step of faith. Faith in Christ is the way to becoming a Christian not more of the Bible or attending church.

The first message of John the Baptist and Jesus himself should be the message we bring to others. This is the message we cannot leave to others to carry because, as Gospel recipients, this is our calling. We diligently help our friends and family members to pass exams, to maintain their health, etc. Should we not also help them to answer the question of life in eternity? After all, the implications of their lost-ness is simply too dreadful to ponder upon.

I remember a scene from the movie ‘Justice League’. The hero, Flash, was afraid that the task of saving so many people from the invading forces was too big for him. The Batman told him before joining the fight, ‘save one, save one person'. That’s what the Flash did: save one and then he proceeded to save another. He had found his calling. That’s how I started too: shared the Gospel one person at a time. And then I proceeded to share it with a whole congregation. Every one of us can do the same, live by ‘each one, save one’. After all the same Holy Spirit lives in each one of us.