Topical Bible: The Heathen: Necessity for Preaching To

◄ The Heathen: Necessity for Preaching To ►

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The term "heathen" traditionally refers to those who do not acknowledge the God of the Bible, often synonymous with Gentiles or pagans in biblical contexts. The necessity for preaching to the heathen is a recurring theme throughout Scripture, underscoring the universal scope of the Gospel and the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ.

Biblical Mandate for Evangelism

The call to preach to the heathen is rooted in the Great Commission, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus commands His disciples, "Go, therefore, 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). This directive emphasizes the inclusivity of the Gospel message, extending beyond the Jewish people to all ethnicities and cultures.

Old Testament Foundations

The Old Testament lays the groundwork for the inclusion of the heathen in God's redemptive plan. God's promise to Abraham includes a vision for all nations: "And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed" (Genesis 22:18). The prophetic literature also anticipates a time when the Gentiles will seek the Lord. Isaiah proclaims, "I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6).

New Testament Expansion

The New Testament further develops this theme, with the Apostle Paul serving as a primary example of a missionary to the Gentiles. In Romans, Paul articulates the necessity of preaching to those who have not heard: "How then can they call on the One in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach?" (Romans 10:14). This rhetorical sequence underscores the essential role of preaching in the process of salvation.

The Role of the Church

The early church understood its mission to include the heathen, as evidenced by the Council of Jerusalem's decision to welcome Gentile believers without requiring adherence to the full Mosaic Law (Acts 15). The Book of Acts records numerous instances of the apostles reaching out to Gentile communities, demonstrating the church's commitment to this mission.

Theological Implications

The necessity for preaching to the heathen is grounded in the belief that all humanity is in need of salvation due to sin. Romans 3:23 states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" . The universality of sin necessitates a universal offer of redemption, which is available through faith in Jesus Christ. The exclusivity of Christ as the means of salvation is affirmed in Acts 4:12: "Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" .

Practical Considerations

The task of preaching to the heathen involves both proclamation and discipleship. It requires cultural sensitivity and an understanding of diverse worldviews, while remaining faithful to the core message of the Gospel. The church is called to equip believers for this mission, fostering a heart for evangelism and a commitment to cross-cultural ministry.

Conclusion

The biblical mandate to preach to the heathen is clear and compelling, rooted in the character of God and His desire for all people to come to a knowledge of the truth. The church, as the body of Christ, is entrusted with this mission, carrying the light of the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Preaching among the Heathen
... Lesson 18 Preaching Among the Heathen. ... and Barnabas sought earnestly to show them
the necessity of laboring ... Barnabas as they preached the gospel in heathen lands ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 18 preaching among the.htm

The First Preaching at Antioch
... of the extension of Christ's message to the heathen, and, quite ... prior in time or
no, the preaching in the ... nothing of that spirit which said: 'Necessity is laid ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture the acts/the first preaching at antioch.htm

1 Cor. I. 10
... for that which was of the greatest necessity." For preaching ... Baptism has no labor,
but that preaching has ... tone, whereas in the comparison with heathen wisdom he ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily iii 1 cor i.htm

The Cry of the Heathen
... Come over and help us by preaching Christ's holy gospel ... Methinks, I will stand here
as a heathen this morning ... he will not do that; there is no necessity for you ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the cry of the heathen.htm

The Foundation of the Church among the Heathen
... the {26} gathering in of the first heathen converts. ... of Cornelius; and, even whilst
he was preaching to him ... Peter to do away with the necessity for Holy Baptism ...
/.../blunt/a key to the knowledge of church history/chapter ii the foundation of.htm

Sanctification.
... to be attainable, it no more disproves its attainableness, than the fact that the
heathen have not ... 5. You see the necessity of fully preaching and insisting ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlii sanctification.htm

Necessity of the New Birth.
... NECESSITY OF THE NEW BIRTH ... in truth, and who purifies the hearts of the heathen also
through ... of which it is truly said that it comes by preaching, which, however ...
/.../schleiermacher/selected sermons of schleiermacher/iv necessity of the new.htm

Preaching (iii. ).
... at Bethlehem; and Jerusalem was in heathen hands till ... be the instrument of supernatural
effects in your preaching. ... other hand to magnify the necessity of grace ...
/.../moule/to my younger brethren/chapter xii preaching iii.htm

Though in Almost Every Age There have Indeed Been in the Heathen ...
... interest, and friendship, and laws, and the necessity of society ... which overspread
the face of the heathen world, but ... part of mankind, as the preaching of Christ ...
/.../vi proposition vi though in.htm

Of the Necessity of Divine Influences to Produce Regeneration in ...
... or endeavors, from the reality and necessity of a ... it may be fashionable to treat
such preaching, we must ... in their character below those heathen moralists, whom ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse vii of the necessity.htm