In this series we are reprinting Spokesman articles by early leaders in the CLC. Pastor Emeritus James Albrecht is the curator of the series. Pastor Robert Mackensen (1920-2012) was a charter member of the CLC, and served congregations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado and North Carolina. This article is from the Lutheran Spokesman of September 1988. Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
In his tenth chapter, Matthew tells how Jesus sent the twelve disciples on a missionary journey. The Lord told them, “Go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'” (verse 7) He meant they were to preach God’s Law and Gospel, for after Easter Jesus said that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations.
Sin and Grace
God’s strict Law must be preached first, for through it the Holy Spirit reveals our great sinfulness, God’s righteous anger over sin, and our impending doom. After the Law has troubled people in their minds because of their sins, they should be told the Gospel of how Christ Jesus graciously rescued the human race from its deserved punishment by dying on the cross in full payment of all our sins. Through that good news, God the Holy Spirit enables sinners to trust in Jesus for their salvation.
All Christians are privileged to share this message of sin and grace with others. The powerful words from God enable people to realize they need a Savior and that they have a Savior, Jesus.
Harsh Treatment
But Christians should not expect this world to thank them for sharing Jesus. Just the opposite! Christ warned His disciples, “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” (verse 22) We are to expect the same treatment from non-Christians that Jesus received from the scribes, Pharisees, Roman soldiers, King Herod, and Pontius Pilate.
The reason for this hatred is that all who are born of earthly parents come into this world full of rebellion against our Maker, inclined only toward evil, and conceited enough to think we can merit God’s forgiveness by outward deeds of kindness.
Romans 8:7 teaches, “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” Preaching the Gospel to every creature is like trying to free a vicious animal from a trap. The beast instinctively attacks his benefactor.
Displeasing Ways
There is no God-pleasing way to avoid such hatred from the world as we carry out the Lord’s command to make Christians of all nations, but there are God-displeasing ways to do so.
One of these is to refrain from preaching God’s sharp Law to willful sinners and, instead, picture Him as a doting father Who overlooks cocky disobedience to His commands. Another God-displeasing way to avoid the world’s hatred is to teach that the act of believing in Jesus is meritorious. A third way to remain popular with the world is to use Christ’s name merely as a springboard from which to launch sensational religious ideas such as talking with spirits, reincarnation, get-rich promises, the tribulation, the rapture, and the millennium.
Such errors neglect the clear Bible teachings about Christ’s unexpected return on the Last Day, the resurrection of all the dead, His judgment of all nations, the eternal punishment of non-Christians in hell, and the everlasting blessedness of Christians in heaven. The world dislikes those Bible teachings.
“Fear Not”
Yet Christians need not fear the world’s hatred. Our Lord told His disciples, “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him [God] who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)
God is on our side! There is no need to fear the opposition. We can tell the good news of salvation boldly. We can preach it from the housetops. What can man do unto us when the very hairs of our heads are all numbered?
We need not be afraid when sharing Jesus with others, for absolutely nothing in all creation can cancel the love God has for us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
: 1920-2012