.. [we] preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.
— 2 Corinthians 3:15 —
Dmitriy Zherebnenkov: Word of Grace Bible Institute | USA
This wonderful and encouraging passage should stir the heart of every Christian toward global mission work. The apostle Paul was a zealous and passionate promoter of what he believed in. Before his conversion, his zeal for the Law created a wave of persecution of the early church. When God turned him around on the road to Damascus, he instantaneously became passionate about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. But what is more exciting and encouraging is that his zeal spread like an infection to the people around him. Global mission work was so contagious that there were others who had become partakers in it. So it must be with us! It seems that many who interacted with Paul became zealous evangelists and missionaries. We often get inspired for specific tasks by the zeal of others. We find the same to be true in spiritual disciplines. In 2 Corinthians 8:1–8, Paul provokes believers in Corinth to be sacrificial in their giving by the eagerness of the Macedonian believers. He invites those same believers to imitate him as he imitates Christ (1 Cor. 11:1).
The implied we in our passage, communicates that this vision for global mission work was so contagious that there were others who had become partakers in it. So it must be with us! Take time to pray for the preaching of the gospel to all the people groups of the world. But also evaluate your own heart, and answer this simple question: Am I zealous for the gospel to be preached to the ends of the world to such a degree that people around me are catching the same vision and passion?
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