Living a self-centred life only requires us to please ourselves. A Christ-centred life must bring Him pleasure (2 Corinthians 5:9). Knowing that we will all have to appear before the judgement seat of Christ should be an awesome prospect for us, motivating us to humble submission, contrite repentance, loving obedience, and joyful service (2 Corinthians 5:10). At the same time, the gospel which informs us about how we must live, also gives us a responsibility to persuade others to look to Jesus - because that pleases Him (1 Corinthians 1:21).

The gospel message is not just an interesting option for those who like to consider it. It charts out the only way to be saved from condemnation on Christ's Judgement Day. Although it is very good that we believe the gospel and are saved, if our faith does not stir us to urgency about the eternal fate of others - something is wrong. The gospel should induce in us a deep compassion for those who have not yet submitted to Christ, and a willingness to do whatever we can to see others share in the joy of salvation (1 Corinthians 9:22).

Paul does not want his passion for the gospel to be perceived as 'doing good' or earning the approval of zealous people, but he does want his example to kindle a motivation for living godly lives and sharing the gospel message (Titus 3:3-8). He dares to point to his own life, and that of his team, as examples of how Jesus Christ had transformed them; even though many in Corinth had been urged by false teachers to think that Paul was a little insane and therefore to be ignored. But Paul's passion was based on a deep Holy Spirit inspired compassion, so he pleaded with the church to get back on-side with God's agenda (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Some of our family and friends may think that our faith is too extreme, even to the point of distorting our thinking. They reject our attempts to share the gospel with them and we become discomforting influences in their Christless universe. They mistake our zeal as promoting our own ideas; whereas our motivation is that we want them to be saved, because we love and care for them – as God also loves them and wants them to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). They easily identify flaws in our character and faults in our behaviour, considering us weak while they are strong. The fact is that we are weak: that is why we need Jesus. They too are far weaker than they know and need to be prepared before they meet Jesus. If you love the Lord you will love people He loves, and for whom Christ died. That love should want to reach out with gospel truth. Let it. The Holy Spirit will help you to be gracious and truthful at the right time.