Hope for the Evangelist from Romans

Hello dear reader(s).

I have been reading through the book of Romans with an unsaved fella the past few months in order that he might be saved. I believe in the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation, and yet I know that this young man is commanded by God in the scriptures to repent and believe the gospel, and so I do try to impress that upon him, to call on the name of the Lord and be saved (Rom 10:13). The great thing about evangelizing through the whole book of Romans is that all of the necessary information to receive the gospel as good news is present: the law, our transgression of the law, the penalty for breaking the law, etc. Also the gospel itself is in Romans: the perfect life, penal substitutionary death, and triumphant resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

To you dear reader, who does not have the opportunity to read through the whole book of Romans with someone whom you wish to be saved, there is still great encouragement to be had here.

1) Romans 1:19-20 ESV:

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

God has revealed Himself in His creation, it is evident by the stars and planets and trees and bugs that there is a powerful Creator God. Therefore the evangelist can appeal to creation as witness to the existence of God.

2) Romans 2:14-15 ESV:

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them

God has written His law on the heart of every man and every woman who has ever lived, this is where the conscience comes from. What a great hope! This means that when you are showing the sinner his true self in the mirror that is the law, he will not like what he sees but he will know deep down that it is true! I think this is where a lot of the vehement reactions come from, there is a chord struck within the sinner when he hears the law, if the conscience is fertile enough, this can cause great reverberations throughout his heart.

The ultimate encouragement is of course that the Holy Spirit is the one who does the work of convicting, regenerating and giving the gift of faith - the evangelist is to be merely a herald. Endeavor today to be a herald, friend.

"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"