Leighton Ford is an associate evangelist with the Billy Graham Evangel istic Association. This is part of his address given to 12,300 delegates at the recent Urbana Conference.
Boswell recorded a conversation Samuel Johnson had with Sir Joshua Reynolds about his fear of death. "What are you afraid of?" asked Reynolds. "Damnation, sir" replied Johnson, "damnation." How many are concerned today about damna tion and being saved? Zacchaeus, the old-time IRS of ficial, was a comfortable material ist— a "successful sinner" — who did not seem very "lost" to most of his contemporaries. Yet he wel comed Jesus into his house in great excitement and joy, saying "Sir, from now on I will give half my wealth to the poor." And Jesus told him, "Salvation has come to this home today." Evangelistic concern is born when, like Jesus, we walk with God among men. This con cern need only start with the one Zacchaeus we meet. Only God can carry the burden of the world. People say, "Modern man is not concerned about salvation." But even though people may not talk about damnation, ifwe care enough to listen we will find that most of what they are saying is about be ing lost and saved. People who do not see themselves as lost from God will freely admit they are lost because they have found no mean ing. How many live with a terrible sense of loneliness — how many others are gripped by despair about the world situation? Get behind
If the whole world can be moved to concern for three men lost in space, how much more Christians should be motivated to rescue mil lions from spiritual disaster? Jesus was convinced that men were lost when He wept over Jeru salem, as was Paul when he cried, "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel." Trace the history of the movements which have brought great numbers to Christ, and at the heart you will find the one over whelming concern — that man should not perish. That man should not be lost. But today we are not comfort able with dividing men into those "lost" and "saved." In philosophy, morals and everyday life, we are told: do your own thing. A new sense of honesty and realism has humbled our self-righteousness. We have learned that God is not our "Great White Father" and that Jesus does not wear red, white and blue. Historic evangelism has said to men: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." The so-called "new evangelism" says to men, "You are already saved. Be lieve it!" This tempts us to think, first, let us change the earth then we can talk about heaven. But the core issue is, can we change the world without saving souls? And can men really be saved without trying to change the world? Page 12
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