Gospel Goals of the Apostle Paul

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Eckhard Schanbel’s book Paul the Missionary: Realities, Strategies and Methods (IVP, 2008) provides readers with an indispensible look at Paul’s evangelistic methods. I especially like his description of Paul’s gospel goals (pp. 32-33) in which he delineates the following principles.

The aggregate of these goals may be summarized with the words “Gospel Renewal.” Indeed, this is what we are seeking accomplish—to see the church embrace our evangelistic calling and pursue it as though life depends on it, because it does. 

  1. “Paul knew himself to be called to preach the message of Jesus Christ.” [Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 2:2]
  2. “Paul knew himself particularly called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to Gentiles, that is, to polytheists who worshiped other gods.” [Rom. 1:14; 1 Cor. 1:23; Rom. 1:16]
  3. “Paul’s goal was to reach as many people as possible.” [Rom. 1:14; 15:19, 23-24]
  4. “Paul seeks to lead individual people to believe in the one true God and in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, Savior and Lord.” [1 Thess. 1:9-10; 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5]
  5. “Paul established new churches, communities of followers of Jesus Christ—both Jews and Gentiles, men and women, free and salves—and teaches the new believers the Word of God, the teachings of Jesus, the significance of the gospel for everyday living.” [Col. 1:25-29]
 
HT: Justin Taylor

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