Using how you live as a strategy for opening doors …

Want to see an occasion when two great church leaders agree on something?

The first leader is Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who claimed the following:

A man’s life is always more forcible than his speech. When men take stock of him they reckon his deeds as dollars and his words as pennies. If his life and doctrine disagree the mass of onlookers accept his practice and reject his preaching.

Agreeing with the first part of that statement — “A man’s life is always more forcible than his speech …” — would be the Apostle Paul. Even though I think Paul would say there’s great power in the words we use to teach with, this great apostle purposely used how he lived as a compelling strategy for opening doors to be able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. Paul explains how he used how he lived to open doors this way:

“Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some,” 1 Corinthians 9:19-22.

The next verse summarizes how Paul used his life to create opportunities for sharing the Gospel:

“I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” – 1 Corinthians 9:23.

Paul started his statement by noting he’s a free man, and that’s what many professing Christians today hold as primary importance. I’ve heard many people boast about how they “say what they feel” and “if people don’t like it, too bad.” Nothing could be further from the attitude and example Paul demonstrated. Paul’s approach to living as an ambassador for Christ was to purposely restrict his freedoms and edit himself so that he could have something in common with others, and use that to open doors for sharing the Gospel.

Paul did this because reaching the lost with the Good News of Jesus was more important than splattering his own freedom all over everyone else. The apostle considered how he lived his life as being a primary tool for evangelism, so he was willing to edit himself for the sake of the Gospel.

Are you?

Do you use how you live as a strategy for opening doors for YOU to share the Gospel with others? Do you, like Paul, try to find common ground with people, doing everything you can to save some?

Scotty