. . . ²⁰how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, ²¹solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul could have simply said, “I declared,” but instead he said, “I did not shrink from declaring . . .” The trials he faced in Ephesus were fearsome. Being an apostle empowered by God did not make his evangelistic ministry a cakewalk. He faced real trials, the kind many would shrink back from. Paul was not that type. Lest we put him on a pedestal, we must remember that he expected others to follow his example and not shrink back. The writer of Hebrews invites us to join those faithful ones of Hebrews 11:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:1–2)

Paul taught whatever was needed, wherever he had the opportunity. Initial gospel teaching relays the basic facts of repentance and faith in Christ. But much subsequent teaching is needed to bring new believers into the full understanding and appreciation of what they have in the gospel.

Paul took the preaching of the gospel seriously because of the high stakes involved. He writes of the Ephesian believers’ former life:

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. (Eph. 2:1–3)

Paul’s gospel is clearly stated: people need to repent because they are sinners, living by the lust of the flesh and under the wrath of a righteous God. And people need to place complete trust and faith in Jesus Christ. Apart from the gospel, the unsaved people in our lives are in a very bad way. So we all have a personal testimony that they need to hear of how the Lord showed us our sinfulness and how we came to repent of our sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died in our place on the cross. They need to hear our message.

Lord, keep reminding me of how serious it is to share my testimony with others.