Why Evangelize Anyway?
Relativism is perhaps the most intoxicating "heresy" (quotes due to the fact it is only a heresy if it originates from Christians) of our time since it both makes religious belief complacent and is a license to engage in favored sins without guilt. Presumption employs relativism as well, God is merciful and forgives sins, my sins only need to be forgiven for me to be saved (a bold assumption), and therefore, anyone can love sin and still be saved. This conveniently denies the need for both redemption and sanctification and allows one to be unrepentant and believe they have no need to change. Don't let this adoption of convenient belief deceive you. Hell exists for a reason and not all make it to Heaven. It is undoubtedly a matter of life and death. The Gospel is very clear about what it asks of its followers, the logical necessity it poses is large and very "invasive" in the follower's life. It demands transformation and yet this transformation is not contrary to our good but is its fullness (John 10:1-10). Such a statement can only be backed up by the believer's experience, and for those who do in the active sense, no proof is needed because it is possessed. It is here we must realize our terms. As Pope Paul VI defines it, evangelization is "bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new: 'Now I am making the whole of creation new.'"[1] If we are truly Christians and mean to live up to the title, then we will believe its every tenet, do our best to live by it, and take its conclusions to be the premises for our whole life.
First, its a real world out there, a fallen one. Christianity is the hardest thing anyone can do, since it requires every bit of our being. This does not mean it is not possible, only that it demands our greatest, with the help of God's grace, and our intentional reception and response to it. "All strata" includes oneself, the depths of one's heart where despair, brokenness, and sinfulness contradict the meaning of the Good News. Christianity (more as we are called than as it is practiced) being both uncommon to the world of sin and emphasizing the opposite of sin, love, healing, etc., is the light that must pierce all. "There is no salvation outside of Church" [2] This quote almost requires a post itself, but in short, one's participation in the Church can be implicit, even if one is not a Baptized Christian, God works beyond the potencies of the human organization. The Ark of Noah is a great image to be mentioned here, because on the sea of sin, the Church remains unconsumed, and it is only participation in that buoyancy that prevents hell from having control/consumption of the soul. If we don't, "Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly" (Proverbs 26:11). This is to say there is great and real danger afoot, and the Christian should not just be motivated to do something in its way, but to truly participate as called in that Messianic mission.
Second, we know the content of divine revelation concerning the "last things" i.e. eschatology. Every soul will live somewhere. How is our conduct bringing forth the Kingdom of God? How are we living what we believe? It seems the effect of truly aspiring to live the content of Christianity looks different than what one would hope. This both means we need to evaluate our application of the principles so as to not to be attached to the way in which we do things now, to the way we think about things now, etc. but rather to "ponder things in our hearts", and to always grow in understanding of the state of affairs and what is to be done about them. Simply by following Christ and suffering well with Him, we pull the world back to Heaven little by little, just as every sin drags it to hell. Living what we believe, makes us capable of evangelization in ways we may not even be conscious of.
Thirdly, this is done by predicating conclusions of our lives, actions, words, etc. both in judgment of the past and present, that our future goals may be better conformed to His will i.e. our flourishing. Conformity to this will, in our lives is one thing, it is another when you consider having relationships and fulfilling the second part of the two-fold commandment of love i.e. to love one's neighbor. If there is anything true of the first and second points as far as we are concerned, then the following logic must apply. Understanding an eternal soul will either suffer the loss of God entirely as that existence continues or be perfectly happy with Him, to know this and to not be inspired to evangelize is to will the greatest possible suffering on another. To be clear, it is not that it would be one's fault, but one would have had the opportunity to perhaps extend just the right amount of invitation or challenge. To do it is not necessarily to prevent that suffering, but it is to open up a little more the possibility of them choosing the path of true joy instead of fleeting and mortal happiness and, ideally, to be with oneself in Heaven.
In conclusion, why should one evangelize? There are lots of good reasons to evangelize, which itself does not guarantee the desired result nor is it always of one expression, the reasons consist of the conclusions of faith and the will to love one's neighbor properly. We have a great call to love and if the truth is what it is, that means both keeping others open to the prospect of Heaven and toward encouraging that direction for one's neighbor in any way possible. Sometimes there are folks that are not open to any sort of effort of this kind, and the good news is that is not our fault. Our part is doing whatever we can, if we can at all, to help people toward and/or nudge them in the direction of a loving relationship with God. Moreover, this end is the greatest imaginable for both them to find and us to will for them i.e. receiving the greatest and most real love from Love Himself. You have heard it said that you are not yourself without a Snickers. Indeed, it ought to be said you are not yourself without God. ;) Bring the light to the darkness.
Written by Carter Carruthers & also available soon at Missio Dei
FN:
- Evangeli Nuntiandi 18
- CCC 846-848
