Read Romans 10:12-17
Paul starts out in verse 12 telling the reader that anyone is able to come to the Lord. Whatever your social standing, race, gender, etc, salvation is available to you. We see in verse 13 that salvation comes to those who call on the name of Jesus Christ. With that basis, let's follow Paul's simple reasoning in verses 14 and 15 that show us how this gospel message is to be carried to the lost.
Put simply, people come to Christ when they hear the gospel. Sharing the gospel was (and still is) Jesus' plan to bring people to Christianity. After His resurrection, Jesus' final words to His followers before ascending into heaven are, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Christians call these final words "The Great Commission," and acknowledge that we are to carry out these same orders today. There are many ways the Lord could choose to convert people. He could have the gospel message appear automatically in their minds, for example. But, the way God ordained for the gospel message to spread is for believers to preach the gospel to others. This was and still is His best plan for bringing people to Christ.
In verses 14-15, Paul lays out the way people come to Christ. I've labeled the Christian "X" and the unbeliever "Y." This is the reasoning he follows:
X is Sent-> X Preaches the Good News -> Y Hears -> Y Believes -> Y calls on the Lord -> Y is Saved
This is simple, but I want you to think about what this means for us as Christians. We are called to preach the gospel. This means that actions are not enough to convert someone. You could show love and kindness to an unbeliever all day. However, if that is all that you do, that person will not come to Christ. Your actions will often open the door for you to share the gospel, and they may make a profound impact on unbelievers who have never seen the love of Christ displayed. However, you can't stop there. That person simply can not and will not become a Christian unless he/she actually hears the gospel. Actions are necessary, but they are not enough in and of themselves to bring someone to Christ. I don't want to minimize the importance of actions. However, I also don't want you to make the mistake that many Christians do in thinking that the gospel does not need to be spoken along with those actions. Verse 17 states it well when it says, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Unbelievers can't receive the gospel without hearing it first. If you don't tell them, who will?
Who do you know that needs to hear the gospel message? Pray for boldness. Also pray that God will open doors for you to share your faith, and that you will have the courage to seize those opportunities. I don't know about you, but I know that I have remained silent far too many times...
