There's not much room around this verse in 1Corinthians9:16-17:
I cannot be proud because I preach the Gospel. I have been told to do it. It would be bad for me if I do not preach the Gospel. If I do this because I want to, I will recieve my reward. If I do not want to do it, I am still expected to do it.
I have met too many Christians who are lackadaisical in their efforts to witness to others who have been burned by self-professing believers. Being someone who was a student body evangelism leader of a Bible College, I know better than most how hard it is to get Christians to talk to random people about Jesus. They just don't want to do it. Imagine the scenario: Bible College students NOT wanting to tell people about Jesus. Unless, of course, you give them (most of them, anyway) a microphone in a room full of other Christians. Then you can't shut them up!
I don't know if the Apostle Paul ever didn't want to do it, but I know what he said in the above verse. If he didn't want to do it, he was still expected to and had a responsibility to do it; more importantly, he did it! There needs to be a reformation in personal witnessing within the Church. I don't want to go on and on about this, but I just wanted to bring attention to this verse which had lain silent in my own Bible until 2 days ago.
Get over yourselves, Christians, and take up your crosses. See the bigger picture. Grab hold of the cause.
Put yourselves through a test. See if you belong to Christ. Then you will know you belong to Christ, unless you do not pass the test. (2Cor13:5 nlv)
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