The Gospel: Not of Us, but of God; Not Pride but Humility.

© 2026 by C. O. Bishop

2^nd Corinthians 4:5-7

⁵ For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Introduction:

As we attempt to share our faith with others, we are plagued with the sense that it’s not “Normal” to talk to people about Jesus. We shrink from doing so, because it is socially unacceptable, and potentially offensive. We fear the rejection of our fellow humans.

There are several ways to address that fear:

First, We All Evangelize About Everything Else!

We tell people about a great restaurant we really like: “Great food, great portions, great prices, friendly staff, etc. ….” And no one is offended! They are glad to know about that place.

We tell people about the great recipe we tried recently, and we offer to send it to the other person: They are glad to receive it, even if they never actually use it. Or we tell them about a great book we just read…or where we got our shoes, or the effectiveness of the new medication for (whatever the ailment)…and no one is offended.

But if we tell them about the Great God, the Creator: If we tell them of the Savior…Then we are seen as transgressors, and proselyters. They see us as zealots at best, and false witnesses at worst. Many people take offence at such talk: And we fear their disapproval.

We can observe, then, that evangelism is not the problem. The Person and Message of the Gospel is the Problem.

Second, The World Habitually Rejects the True God

Romans 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;”

Because the Human Race does not want to think of God, and does not want to see Him for who He is, (The Creator, the Lawgiver, the Judge, and the Savior,) God has allowed them to follow their natural trajectory away from Him and to reap the inevitable results of their rebellion.

From a Biblical perspective, the reaction people have to the Gospel is completely predictable.

Consider The Following:

I have read, many times, that when a horse barn catches fire, the panicked horses will fight against any attempt to lead them out of the barn. The barn is their “safe place.” The fact that the barn is now burning around them does not translate in their minds to “GET OUT of the Barn!” Without intervention, they will stay there and burn.

The only way to calm them, so that you can lead them out of the fire, is to cover their eyes with something: A cloth, or a gunny sack, or some other covering, so that the only thing they can now trust is the hand on their bridle. Then you can lead them to safety. They no longer see the Terror around them.

So, Where Are We Hiding, as Humans?

Our “safe place” as humans, has been our ordinary life, among ordinary people, neighbors, friends, and co-workers: It includes our usual experiences, and our usual, habitual responses to those experiences. We have been taught by our societies (all of them) that we, as humans, are sufficient in ourselves. But Romans 1:22 says, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” And the universal result of that folly, according to the following verses, is that we turn away from God, preferring virtually anything else.

It may involve literal idolatry: The worship of false Gods and bowing to their images. Or it may be the humanistic idolatry of believing that, somehow, WE have all the answers, or at least we will soon find them. But the literal idols have never replied to the prayers of their worshippers. And humanism can’t even cure the common cold. We are not nearly so “self-sufficient” as we want to believe.

So, God offers to take our eyes off of the surrounding devastation, and to turn our eyes to Him as our only hope. We are not “brute beasts,” like the horses, but we do have some of the same tendencies. We focus so completely on the insurmountable dangers and tragedies of our fallen world, that we fail to see the sovereign hand of God. He offers us eternal safety and peace in the Person of Christ. Because we fail to see Him, we are still trapped in the destruction of this world.

We Must Understand Where the People of the World are Living

Remember that the people of the world are not “just waiting for you” to tell them how to have eternal life. They have been trained to see themselves as having no need for help from God. They see themselves as being “just as good as anyone else,” (which doesn’t particularly help.) Or perhaps they see themselves as “beyond help.” I have had people tell me that they are too much of a sinner for God to save them.

This is where it is critical that we see what Paul says in verse 5. “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

We don’t have the answers, any more than they do! Jesus is the only answer. He alone is God’s solution for the lostness of the Human Race. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the Life: No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” So, we have nothing to offer except Him!

Remember Why He has Ordained Us to Shine for Him

Verse 6 says, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

The same God who originally spoke the physical light into existence is the One who has commanded us to shine in the Darkness of this World. And, He has shined in us, enabling us to shine for others. In Matthew 5:15-16, Jesus commanded us to shine for the Glory of God. In Philippians 2:15-16, He says we are doing it!

And right here in 2^nd Corinthians 4, He says how that is even possible: He first shined in us, so that we could shine for Him in this dark World!

If God’s light has taken root in your life, it not only ordains you as a holder of that light, but it also commissions you to shine as a reflection of His Glory: He commands us to Supernaturally Shine, in three specific ways:

1. The Supernatural Agape love, abounding in our lives. (John 13:34, 35)
2. The Supernatural Unity of the Spirit, demonstrated among us. (John 17:21)
3. The Supernatural lifestyle of Spirit-driven Good Works, evidencing God’s Presence. (Matthew 5:14-16)

Remember Where You Came From!

Sometimes we forget that we are just “saved sinners,” and we begin to evidence our unregenerate ego, our old sin-nature. We become proud and self-righteous, rather than humble and only Righteous in Christ. Paul warns us against that trap:

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We may be tempted to think that “we are Fine China, of the best raw materials available!” There are two answers to that idea:

1. God says we are “earthen pots.” We are cheap clay vessels, available in any marketplace. The treasure inside these “cheap clay vessels” is what is important!
2. Suppose you do have some sort of “evidence” that you are “a cut above:” You are convinced that you are different, that you are “Fine China!” You should bear in mind that (ironically) toilets are made of fine china, too! Whatever “special stuff” you think you are made of is not necessarily an indicator of your superior status with God.

We have a few “fine china” plates at home that are made to hang on a wall, as decorations. Some of them actually have holes cut in them as part of the design. You can’t use such a plate for much of anything practical. They are just ornaments!

My Choice?

I’d rather be a plain vessel, consecrated to God’s use, and willing to actually do the job He has ordained for us, as opposed to a “classy-looking, but useless” ornament. I want to actually be useful to Him, not just “look good.”

When we do what He tells us to do, we are being practical. When we pray for the lost souls around us (and for one another,) we are being practical. And, when we share with someone else the good news that they can have Eternal Life today, we are being practical, too!

The people with whom you share may or may not respond well to your offer. But if you continue to love them, regardless of their response, that is a further evidence of practicality. Let’s try to take a practical, active stance, regarding the Word of Christ and the Work of the Gospel.

Lord Jesus, please clear our minds of the baggage and debris of human opinion, and the fear of human rejection, and allow us the privilege of sharing Your Love with the lost souls around us.