Who are the “unlikely” who may hear and obey the gospel? Let us preface by saying that these are only the “unlikely” in our minds.
The Jews who crucified the Savior are the “unlikely” who heard and obeyed the gospel (Acts 2:23; 3:17). “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41).
A blasphemer, persecutor, and violently arrogant man (1 Tim 1:13) is the “unlikely” who heard and obeyed the gospel. “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison” (Acts 8:3). “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). “…and he arose and was baptized” (Acts 9:18).
The carnally-minded, immoral and worldly are the “unlikely” who heard and obeyed the gospel in Corinth. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor 6:9-11).
Idolators who worshipped other gods are the “unlikely” who heard and obeyed the gospel. “For as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship,” Paul said, as he began to preach the one true God to the religious but idolatrous men of Athens. Although the gospel was rejected by most, “some men joined him and believed” (Acts 17:34).
Those in high positions of authority are the “unlikely” who heard and obeyed the gospel. While the truth is that “not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Corinthians 1:26), “not many” is not the same as “not any”. Sergius Paulus, “an intelligent man” who was the proconsul – the governor – of a Roman province, called for Barnabas and Saul and “sought to hear the word of God” (Acts 11:7), and he obeyed the gospel (Acts 13:12).
What about someone we know who is not a Christian or who has fallen away? Without even trying, we may be inclined to say, “he or she won’t listen to me” or “it will do no good.” But we must not eliminate any from hearing the gospel. We must not eliminate any from repenting in response to the gospel, whether one who has never obeyed the gospel or one who has fallen away. Let’s be sure we don’t judge the soil and decide not to sow. “A sower went out to sow” (Mark 8:3). That’s our job; let us be faithful in that.
-Larry Jones