(Matt 4:9) “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Have you ever wondered why some Christians are on fire, desiring to please the Lord in every area of their lives, while others pick and choose convenient areas of their lives in which to adhere to God’s standards and other areas not so much? One area in many Christian lives where they choose to not adhere is the area of soul-winning. Many Christians are comfortable in leaving this duty up to the pastor or the missionary. They are willing to give their money to this cause, but when it comes to actually putting their own boots to the ground, they are hesitant. Here are five reasons many professing Christians fail to soul-win.
1. They are blatantly disobedient. They know clear commands in scripture and may be able to even quote them. They know of the testimony of the apostles in the book of Acts, and have read of the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. However, they decide to be blatantly disobedient in the area of personal evangelism. As Christians, sharing our faith is not an option; it is not for some but for all. The Bible admonishes us in Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” May I encourage you, that if this is you that you repent and begin sharing the gospel with all you come in contact with on a daily basis.
2. They do not have unsaved relatives. If you are like me, having unsaved brothers, sisters, parents, and in-laws, then you know the pain of having unsaved love ones. You see that person whom you love beyond belief on their way to a Christ-less eternity. You witness to them whenever the opportunity presents itself. You pray daily for their lost soul, pleading to God that they would repent and turn to Christ before it is too late. And as your heart yearns for them, somehow you are compelled to go and tell others of the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ according to the Bible. (II Cor 5: 14, 15) “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
3. They do not believe in real place called hell. Have you ever looked at your co-workers, friends, and family in light of eternity? Do you see them as on their way to an awful place called hell? If you believe in hell, a place “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9: 44, 46, 48), then you should be motivated to sound the alarm, provide a warning, and make an earnest appeal for men to be saved.
4. They are sluggards. They never share the gospel to those they meet daily, they never attempt to share the gospel to their hairdresser or barber, and they never have time to join the local church in its door-to-door evangelism efforts. They reason this away with excuses or scheduling conflicts. (Proverbs 26:16) “The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.” My friend, there is work to be done. The field is ready and the Lord of the harvest has sent you. Do not be “As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes” to the Lord who has sent you. (Pro 10:26).
5. They are not saved. Why else would they not obey a clear command in scripture? Why else would they not seek to please the One who died for them and rose again? Why else would they not care for the souls of men? Could it be they have never experienced salvation themselves, therefore they have no desire to go and tell others? If this is you, you are in need of someone to share to gospel with you, to declare to you your sinful state and your need for the Saviour. Either that or you are a carnal Christian – who needs to repent.
This week let none of these reasons be descriptive of you. Set out time in your schedule for personal evangelism. Thankfully, the local church body has made this easy by having set times where you can team up with another brother or sister and go out and share the good news. Not only would you enjoy great fellowship with other believers and get some exercise, but you would have the joy of knowing that you have been obedient to the Lord in the area of soul-winning. Let this week be the week you start!
“But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” (Acts 26:20).
