What People Need
I don’t know about you, but I like the feeling of being able to accomplish something myself. I’d prefer not to ask for help, but I’ve come to realize that it is often wise to seek some; especially when I truly need it. Does my pride stop be from asking for help sometimes? Of course. But knowing pride isn’t good to lean into and being on the giving side of helping someone are a couple factors which help me embrace the help…
Then there are situations where neither I nor anyone else can help me. When it comes to our status with God, this is where we all find ourselves. Maybe you are not ready to admit this to yourself, but this is reality. I can’t save myself and neither can you. We are in a truly hopeless situation. It doesn’t matter how much you are willing to do to try and save yourself, or even if you are willing to humble yourself to ask every human being alive to help you out of this scenario. The ONLY ONE who can save us is Jesus Christ — God Himself. As our friend John Gresham Machen states above, we don’t need directions for saving ourselves, but rather knowledge of how God has saved us. In other words, we need the gospel. Those of us who have been on the receiving end of the gospel are now ambassadors for the gospel. We don’t need to save people (as if we were capable anyways) or tell them how they can save themselves, but rather we should refer them to what God has done. Jesus dying on the cross was not just some historical event, but our only means to salvation! Why wouldn’t we speak of this good news? People need to hear this gospel. God does the convincing, convicting, saving, and all the other stuff we can’t do. We simply have to give people what they need. But what if they don’t think they need it or reject what I have to say? I’ve got a few verses for you which address that —
2Co 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
2Co 2:15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
2Co 2:16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
2Co 2:17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
—2 Corinthians 2:14-17
What’s the answer to the question, ‘But what if they don’t think they need it or reject what I have to say?’ Thank God. Continue to share the gospel whenever possible. Accept the fact it will be the fragrance of life to some and the fragrance of death to others. Continue to walk before God as someone commissioned by Him (because we are as Christians) and speak about Christ sincerely. Then pray for God’s will to be done. That’s our job description as ambassadors. We should take sharing the gospel as seriously as any other command God has given us, and not be deterred by the perceived results. After all, it’s God’s will, not our will that will be done. That’s what we say we believe in other areas of life and our faith, so why wouldn’t it be true in this area? Now, what is stopping you from going to offer someone what they truly need today? What excuse do you have to not engage in your ambassadorial duties today? Please, go walk in God’s will for you today.