Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20020721.htm

CHRIST'S SCRIPTURE PROPHECY ON CONTEMPORARY EVANGELICALISM
Part II: Christ's All-Sufficiency For Evangelicalism Presented
C. Christ's All-Sufficiency For Reaching The Unsaved
(Revelation 3:14b(c))
  1. Introduction
    1. If Christ predicted our current Evangelical era of Church History, we should expect Him to comment on effective ministry to the unsaved as this is such a key goal for Evangelicals (see Part I in this series).
    2. Revelation 3:14b(c) shows us Christ's All-Sufficiency for ministry to today's unsaved people as follows:
  2. Christ's All-Sufficiency For Reaching The Unsaved, Revelation 3:14b(c).
    1. In preparing to comment on today's Evangelical era, Jesus gave a threefold description of Himself in Rev. 3:14b(NIV): He is "The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, The Ruler of the Creation of God."
    2. His third title, "the Ruler of the creation of God" (NIV) shows Christ's All-Sufficiency for evangelism:
      1. In the Greek N.T., only in Rev. 3:14 and Col. 1:15-18 are archay ("Ruler" NIV) & ktiseos ("creation") used to show Christ's relation to creation, Moulton & Geden, A Conc. to the Grk. T., p. 110-111, 564.
      2. The Col. 1:15-18 context [with Rev. 3:14b(c)] reveals Christ as the Preeminent Source of evangelism:
        1. Col. 1:15-18 is couched between verses describing the salvation of the Colossians, cf. 1:13f, 19-23.
        2. Then, Col. 1:15-18 with Rev. 3:14b(c) shows Christ is the Preeminent Source of their conversion by way of the term, "Firstborn": (a) In Col. 1:15, Jesus is the "Firstborn of all creation" (ktiseos). (b) Then, in Col. 1:18, He is the same "Firstborn" put in apposition to the "Beginning," or archay rendered "Ruler" in Rev. 3:14b(c)(NIV). (c) Well, the Col. 1:15, 18 title, "Firstborn" expresses Christ's Preeminency, Col. 1:18. (d) So, as Col. 1:15-18 pictures Christ as the Preeminent Source of all things in the context of the salvation of Paul's Colossian readers, Col. 1:15-18 with Rev. 3:14b(c) details Christ's role as the Preeminent Source of evangelism in ministry to the unsaved!
    3. Using Col. 1:15-18, we can thus discern the needs and solutions for evangelism in the Evangelical era:
      1. We itemize the unique needs in Evangelicalism's efforts to evangelize the unsaved (as follows):
        1. Some Evangelicals have relinquished belief in pure creationism in favor of evolution or theistic evolution to evangelize, but Christ counters He is the Cause & Sustainer of all creation, 1:16a, 17b.
        2. Some Evangelicals have themselves tried to defeat demons in outreach (using "strategic-level spiritual warfare," etc.), but Christ counters He is the Cause and Sovereign over all spirits, 1:16b.
        3. Some Evangelicals have modified their theism to hold to an impotent God in reaction to Calvinism for evangelistic efforts (Armstrong, The Coming Evangelical Crisis, p. 33-36), but Christ counters He existed before creation, and made all things through & for Himself as Almighty God, 1:16c-17a.
        4. Some Evangelicals have tried manipulation for outreach results, but Christ counters this: He is the Head of His Body, the Church, Col. 1:18a, a title explained in the assuredly sister Ephesian epistle (cf. Guthrie, N.T. Intro., p. 492-493) at Eph. 1:22-23; 4:15f. There, ((1)) Christ rules and ((2)) gifts ((3)) each believer ((4)) so the Body can comprehensively and ((5)) effectively minister, cf. 4:7-16.
      2. Thus, the solutions to Evangelicalism's outreach needs are these: (a) we must hold to belief in Christ's absolute Preeminence as Sole Cause and Sustainer of the universe and thus His All-Sufficiency in evangelism, and (b) thus align with His Word for effective outreach (1) by individually in local churches staying at those ministries that utilize God's spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:1-6a), (2) by heeding God's geographical assignments (Acts 16:6-10; Jas. 4:13-15), (3) by trusting God's power to live a winsome life before the lost (Gal. 5:16ff; Col. 4:5-6), (b) by praying for opportunities to witness (Col. 4:3), (5) by praying for God's enabling in witnessing to give the Gospel, the power of God (Col. 4:4; Rom. 1:17), (6) by trusting God to convict the lost (Jn. 16:8-11) and (7) by trusting God to save the lost without our trying to manipulate believers, the lost or evil spirits toward that end, cf. Col. 1:18.
Lesson: Evangelicals have DEEPLY erred in seeking to reach the lost in their OWN methods and means (see Part I in this series). As only CHRIST is the Preeminent Entity in ALL effective evangelism, we must yield to HIS Biblical methods, means and theology for ALL effective outreach.

Application: Evangelicals must REPENT from self-help evangelistic efforts and heed Christ's lead!