Sometimes our rhetoric about gospel proclamation ignores a very important reality. The gospel is not really a non-obligatory offer for someone to be reconciled to God, it’s a command.

Act 17:29-31 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."

When Paul went to Athens (Acts 17) among all the philosophers surrounded by their idols, he told them about the unknown God of the universe who created all things and to Whom they are accountable. He showed them that they are looking in all the wrong places and that the only way of being right with the Creator is through the Savior who died and rose from the dead. Paul called them to a right response. It was not a response to an offer, or even a hopeful appeal. Paul called them to respond to the command of the gospel in obedience through repentance (Acts 17:30).

We are commanded to repent of our sins and believe upon his Son as our only way of forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. This is a command of love from God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

The gospel as a command might seem strong until you realize that without faith in Jesus Christ, there is no forgiveness of sins and an eternal judgment awaits. Unbelievers are disobedient do the gospel, not simply unconvinced or preferring something else.