College campuses run rampant these days with people "preaching the gospel." Usually, these people are more of a nuisance to students than they are a help — even to Christians. Most of the time, these individuals or groups come to campuses holding signs that have sayings like "If you died today, you'd go to hell," and "You all are sinners." They yell and scream accusatory things at every student who walks by, making most students very uncomfortable.
Everyone deserves the right to say what they think and to say it in public, even if it is offensive to others; however, it is not the loving way of Jesus to teach non-Christians the Good News by accusing them of wrong and publicly humiliating them in His Name. While it is commendable for people to want to share the Gospel, we must make sure to share it in a way that promotes love, as Jesus did.
In fact, if you are wondering how to carry out Matthew 28:19, Jesus is the best guide!
One of the most prominent examples of how to teach the Gospel is found in John 8:3-11. If you don't have a Bible on hand, here is what it says:
3: The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
4: and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5: In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”
6: They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7: When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
8: Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9: At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
10: Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11: “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Jesus gently told this woman to be better, but only after telling her that she is not to be condemned! He tells the Pharisees that they should not condemn others because they are sinners too! This passage is a prime example of how Jesus teaches people to lead sinless lives, and therefore, how we should teach as well.
To follow the example of Christ, we should one, realize that everyone on Earth is a sinner. Two, understand the primary message of Jesus, which is love, and three, make sure we are sharing truth with others, not just trying to scare them or guilt them into becoming a Christian.
Everyone has sinned at some point in their lives. Yes, some people sin more than others, but that doesn't give us the right to show them anything but love. Jesus' message is and has always been love and forgiveness.
Condemnation is not His way.
The Bible repeatedly mentions how we must be wary of false teachers and gently correct them in order to make them better teachers and to enrich the correct and true learning of other believers. We must heed these warnings in order to live a truly God-centered life and to follow the demands of the Bible.
Next time you are on campus and hear, "You walk around campus dressing like whores, and you're a bunch of atheists and drunks!" coming from the mouth of a "believer," remember Jesus' message of love and acceptance of all people, and share that message with others instead of spreading malevolence and false teachings in the name of God. Use those false teachers as examples of how not to share the Word, and use Jesus as your one true guide, and remember:
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." — 1 Peter 4:8
