This is the message the Church exists to proclaim. Everything else — the vision, the purpose, the structure, the commission, the mission — ultimately serves this end: that those who do not yet believe would hear the good news, repent, believe in Jesus, and be saved.
The gospel is not merely a body of doctrine to defend or a programme to run. It is the news of what God has done in Christ for sinful, lost, dying people — and the invitation for every one of them to come home. This section sets out God’s heart toward those who do not yet believe: His love, His patience, His pursuit, His invitation, His call to repentance, His offer of forgiveness, the consequences He warns of, the compassion He feels, and the open door He keeps. When the Church proclaims this message faithfully, heaven rejoices.
5.1 God’s Desire for All to Be Saved
God’s heart desires the salvation of all people. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but longs for everyone to come to repentance and be saved.
2 Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
1 Timothy 2:3-4
“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
1 Timothy 2:6
“Who gave Himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.”
Ezekiel 33:11
“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?”
5.2 God’s Love for the World
God’s love for humanity does not depend on our belief or obedience. He demonstrated His love while we were still sinners, sending His Son to die for the ungodly. This is the heart of the gospel.
John 3:16-17
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:6
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
1 John 4:9-10
“This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
Ephesians 2:4-5
“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.”
Titus 3:4-5
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy.”
5.3 God’s Patience with Unbelievers
God is extraordinarily patient with those who do not yet believe. His kindness and forbearance are not weakness or indifference — they are designed to lead people to repentance and to give them time to turn to Him.
Romans 2:4
“Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”
2 Peter 3:15
“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation.”
Romans 3:25
“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood — to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.”
1 Peter 3:20
“To those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.”
5.4 God Seeks the Lost
God is not passive about the lost. Like a shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one lost sheep, He actively pursues those who have wandered. And when one is found, all heaven rejoices.
Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 15:4-7
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home… I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
Luke 15:10
“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:20
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
Matthew 18:12-14
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”
Ezekiel 34:16
“I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.”
5.5 The Invitation to Come
God extends an open invitation to all who are weary, thirsty, and burdened. The invitation is free — without money and without cost — available to anyone who will come. The Spirit and the Bride still say, “Come!”
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
John 7:37-38
“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.””
John 6:37
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.”
Isaiah 55:6-7
“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon.”
Revelation 22:17
“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”
Matthew 22:9-10
“So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find. So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.”
5.6 God’s Call to Repentance
God commands all people everywhere to repent. Repentance is not earning salvation — it is turning away from sin and turning toward God. It is the doorway to forgiveness and new life.
Acts 17:30-31
“In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent. For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”
Mark 1:15
“The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Acts 3:19
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
Acts 2:38
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 5:32
“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 13:3
“I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
2 Corinthians 5:20
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
5.7 The Offer of Forgiveness
No matter how deep the sin or how far someone has wandered, God offers complete forgiveness. Through the blood of Jesus, sins are washed white as snow and hurled into the depths of the sea.
1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Acts 10:43
“All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
Ephesians 1:7
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
Colossians 1:13-14
“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us settle the matter, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Psalm 103:12
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
Micah 7:18-19
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”
5.8 The Consequences of Unbelief
While God desires all to be saved, scripture speaks plainly about the serious consequences for those who reject Christ. The gospel is genuinely good news because the alternative is genuinely grave. Faithfulness in proclaiming the gospel means proclaiming both the offer and the warning.
John 3:18
“Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
John 3:36
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”
John 8:24
“I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am He, you will indeed die in your sins.”
Mark 16:16
“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
“He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might.”
Hebrews 2:3
“How shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?”
Matthew 25:41
“Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.””
Revelation 20:15
“Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
John 3:19-20
“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”
5.9 God’s Heart of Compassion
God is not eager to condemn. His heart is moved with compassion for those who are lost. Jesus wept over Jerusalem and longed to gather them as a hen gathers her chicks. The God who warns is the same God who weeps.
Matthew 9:36
“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”
Luke 19:41-42
“As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.””
Lamentations 3:31-33
“For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.”
Hosea 11:8
“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel?… My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.”
Psalm 86:15
“But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.”
Isaiah 30:18
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!”
5.10 The Door Remains Open
As long as there is breath, the door to salvation remains open. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, waiting for anyone who will open and receive Him. Everyone who calls on His name will be saved.
Revelation 3:20
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
John 10:9
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”
Romans 10:9-10
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans 10:13
“For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””
Joel 2:32
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
John 6:40
“For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
Acts 16:31
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household.”
John 1:12
“Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
5.11 Summary of the Gospel Message
God’s vision for those who do not yet believe can be summarised in ten truths the Church is sent to proclaim:
- He desires their salvation — God wants all people to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth.
- He loves them deeply — God demonstrated His love by sending His Son while we were still sinners.
- He is patient with them — His patience is meant to lead people to repentance.
- He actively seeks them — like a shepherd seeking a lost sheep, God pursues the lost.
- He invites them to come — the invitation is open to all who are thirsty and weary.
- He calls them to repentance — God commands all people everywhere to repent.
- He offers forgiveness — no matter how deep the sin, forgiveness is available through Christ’s blood.
- He warns of consequences — those who reject Christ face eternal separation from God.
- He has compassion for them — Jesus looked at the lost with deep compassion and still does.
- He keeps the door open — as long as there is breath, the invitation stands.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
— John 3:16
This is the message the Church carries into all the world. The door remains open. The invitation still stands. The harvest is still plentiful. May we be found faithful in proclaiming it.
A Summary in One Picture
- God has a Vision — the salvation of all people and their entry into His eternal Kingdom.
- The Church has a Purpose — Christ is its Head, and every leadership role exists to equip every believer for the works of ministry.
- Every Christian has a Commission — the universal call to go, witness, love, serve, and proclaim Christ.
- Every Christian has a Mission — a unique calling, gifts, and Christlike character (values); a place in the Body of Christ that no one else can fill.
- The Gospel is the Message — the good news of God’s love, Christ’s sacrifice, and the open invitation to all who will come. This is what the Church is set up to proclaim.
“From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
— Ephesians 4:16