Spoil the Ending!

Don’t you hate it when someone spoils the ending of a movie, show, or sporting event? I know I do. If you’re like me, what I say next may shock you: spoil the ending! No, I’m not talking about a movie’s plot twist, final score, or a show’s finale. I’m talking about the conclusion: the end of history. The truth is, we will all die one day. Prayerfully, that day won’t come for many years. However, we don’t know when that day will come. We’re all living on borrowed time.

Someone once said, “There are only two guarantees in life: death and taxes.” I’m not here to argue the latter, but I can guarantee that the former is true without a shadow of a doubt. We will all one day die. That’s true for me, you, and everyone else. According to the Bible, everyone will live in eternity somewhere. Knowing Jesus will determine one’s destination. Please spoil the ending!

In the book of Ezekiel, God calls for the prophet Ezekiel to be a watchman over the house of Israel. In chapter 3, God says, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul (Ez. 3:17-19).”

I want us to notice a few things from this passage and other passages of Scripture.

The Call to Evangelize Comes from God’s Heart

Evangelism and missions begin with God. This truth unfolds from the beginning of Scripture. Think back to the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, who approached who? Did Adam and Eve approach God, or was it vice versa? God approached them. After hiding in shame, God called out, “Where are you (Gen. 3:9)?“ God knew where they were. He was calling them out and to Himself. God’s purpose in questioning the two was to draw out their confession and their need for grace and mercy.

God delights in the salvation of sinners. Later, in Ezekiel, God says, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, and turn from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel (Ez. 33:11)?” The heart of God is a heart for salvation. In John 3:16, John writes, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” The mission of Christ is the mission of salvation. Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).”

This is true. However, the wicked will suffer under God’s just wrath unless they repent. Jesus says, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:5).” This is reality. This is the truth of the Bible. Please spoil the ending.

Evangelism is a Call to Lovingly Confront Sin

Ezekiel’s call was a call to confront the wicked. He was to speak the truth to them. He was to acknowledge their wickedness and call them to flee from it. Today, the call to repent is often viewed as unloving or intolerant. However, we must not cower to the court of public opinion. Our consciences must be held captive by the Word of God. Please, friends, don’t buy into the lie that to call others to repentance is unloving. Calling others to repentance and faith in Christ and Christ alone is the most loving act we can do.

If you were about to step into a trap and break your leg, would you want someone to warn you before doing so? Any person in their right mind would agree. There’s something worse than a trap that lies ahead for the wicked: eternal judgment under the wrath of the Almighty God. No, your message may not be received warmly by everyone, but it will be a joyous occasion for those who hear and accept it. No proper gospel proclamation can exist without a call to repent and believe. The gospel is the good news of salvation, but there can’t be good news unless there is first the bad news, which is the understanding that we have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard, and apart from repentance and faith in Christ, we will perish justly for our sins.

Joe Rigney writes, “…faithfulness to Jesus means that we don’t have the right to adjust the truth to suit their sin.” We cannot and must not compromise biblical truths for the applause of man. Yes, the world may despise your message. But please be reminded of these words from Jesus: Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt. 5:11-12).

Again, Jesus says, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you (John 15:18).” Friends, your identity is not in what the world says about you but in what God says about you, and if you are in Christ, what God has to say about you is that you are His and you are pardoned. Be encouraged by that reminder today. The gospel produces Biblical boldness and confidence.

We are to Preach Indiscriminately

Ezekiel is to proclaim this message to the righteous and the wicked (v.21). As Christians, we should believe in the free offer of the gospel to all men. We are not to be the arbiters of who shall hear and who shall not. The gospel’s offer of salvation should go forth to all men. We are not responsible for their response, but we are responsible for our faithfulness. Preach Christ and let the decision fall onto the Lord’s sovereignty. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15).”

In Romans, Paul writes, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:12-13).” We must call the wicked and the righteous to repentance. The righteous are not invincible to sin. We must proclaim the Word of God to all men.

So, friends, everyone will die. Everyone will spend eternity somewhere. Please, for heaven’s sake, spoil the ending!

Soli Deo Gloria,

Josh Chambers

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