“For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'” – Romans 10:13
That word “whoever” is powerful—it opens the door of salvation to all who believe and call upon Christ. Paul reinforces this by quoting Joel 2:32, showing that even the Jewish Scriptures proclaimed that salvation was never meant to be exclusive. But how can someone call on Jesus if they’ve never heard of Him? And how can they hear unless someone goes and preaches? Paul answers with a vivid image: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace…” (Romans 10:15). It’s not the feet themselves that are beautiful—it’s the message they carry.
The gospel was meant to flow from Israel to the world, not be locked within the borders of tradition or fear. Sadly, many resisted this call, just as Jonah did when God sent him to Nineveh. He wanted restoration for Israel, not redemption for its enemies. Yet when he finally obeyed, one reluctant sermon led to mass repentance. The message—not the messenger—was beautiful.
Jonah’s story is more than a tale of a runaway prophet—it’s a mirror held up to every believer who hesitates to share the gospel beyond their comfort zone. Jonah was bold when preaching to his own, but bitter when called to reach outsiders. The church today can fall into the same trap. We speak boldly in safe spaces, but grow silent where the gospel is most needed. We fear being stained by the world, so we stay clean in our Christian bubbles. But Jesus didn’t call us to safety—He sent us into the mission field, “as sheep among wolves.” (Matthew 10:16). The gospel must go beyond our spiritual borders. We are called to be holy, yes—but holiness includes compassion, courage, and obedience. Just as God came down to dwell among sinners, we must go out to those still trapped in sin. The message of salvation is for “whoever”—and that includes the broken, the searching, and the ones we’re tempted to avoid.
So what do we do with this truth? We go. We speak. We carry the gospel of peace to the Ninevehs of our world. We remember that righteousness was never meant to be hoarded—it was meant to be shared. If we’ve been made right with God, then our feet must move toward those who haven’t. The message we carry is beautiful, even if our steps are hesitant. Let’s not be willfully ignorant of how far the gospel is meant to go. Let’s not be content with preaching only to those who agree with us. Instead, let’s be bold, knowing that we are new creations in Christ, filled with His Spirit, protected by His grace. May our feet be beautiful—not because they are perfect, but because they carry the perfect message of salvation.
“The gospel is for all, without distinction; but it must be proclaimed, and it must be believed. The chain of necessary links—sending, preaching, hearing, believing, calling—shows the indispensable role of evangelism in God’s plan of salvation.”
— F.F. Bruce
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