The Bible commands all believers to go
soulwinning. Matthew 29:19,20 states... "Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Some will contend that this command was given solely to the Apostles; however,
we know this is not true because Jesus said to teach new converts to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Clearly, Jesus commanded
His disciples to go make disciples of other men, and then teach those new
disciples ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.
The Wise Believer is a Soulwinner!
Furthermore, Proverb 11:30 states... "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." Now it doesn't require a doctorate's degree to know that the opposite of "wise" is "fool." Thus, the believer who refuses to go soulwinning is a fool. A Christian who loves the Lord, and believes the Word of God, knowing that unbelievers who die in their sins will burn in the fires of Hell forever, will gladly share the Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ with others. A believer who doesn't share the Gospel with others is out of fellowship with the Lord. Jesus said in John 15:5... "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." If we abide, i.e., live in the Scriptures, then we will be compelled to go soulwinning.
In the Old Testament, Jeremiah had become discouraged, so he decided to quit preaching the Gospel. But Jeremiah's heart burned with conviction, and he couldn't hide the truth any longer... "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay" (Jeremiah 20:9). Jeremiah went back to preaching the Word!
Every believer should have a desire to share the Gospel with lost sinners. We know that most people won't repent of their unbelief, BUT some will. You never know what God is doing in someone's heart. The very person that you think is the least likely prospect to get saved just may surprise you one day. And of course, the opposite is true as well. I have spent quality time witnessing to people, who I sincerely thought were going to get saved, but they didn't.
Hell is real if you believe the Bible
is God's Word. Billy Graham may be uncertain if Hell has fire or not; but
the Word of God is certain, and it certainly states that Hell has fire... "In
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey
not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2nd Thessalonians 1:8). Only
a fool believes that God won't send someone to Hell to burn for all eternity, in
lieu of a plethora of Scriptures that promise that He will (Psalm 9:17; Psalm
55:15; Matthew 5:22, 5:29-30, 18:8-9, 23:33, 25:41; Mark 3:29, 9:47; Luke 12:5;
1st Timothy 5:12; and Revelation 20:10-15 to mention a few).
All Soulwinners are Precious to God
"...How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" -Romans 10:15
Some Bible colleges only recognize the soulwinners who have the most converts. This is terribly wrong and unbiblical. They're turned soulwinning into a competition (a game). 1st Corinthians 3:6,7 is our guide in this matter... "I [Paul] have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." In other words, we should not glory in ourselves because it is God alone who saves lost sinners. The correct response is to recognize ALL soulwinners for their efforts to win the lost.
A Christian missionary in the Philippines or Mexico (both poor countries) will receive many more converts than a missionary in a spoiled rich nation like America, even though they've both spent the same amount of time and effort to win souls. God has promised to reward us for our time spent soulwinning, because whether or not the person gets saved is not up to us. It is God that gives the increase. A drunk once said to the preacher, "Thank you reverend for saving me." The preacher responded, "I must have saved you, because God didn't!" Let us never forget that we have no part in one's salvation. We can lead a horse to the water, but we cannot make them drink. Our part is to preach the Gospel.
Biblical soulwinning does NOT require a formal education, skill, or salesman tactics--it just requires a sincere desire to share with others how you were saved from the Word of God. That's all soulwinning really is--telling someone else how you got saved from the Word of God, and then asking them if they'd like to get saved too. The Word of God is the 'SEED' by which we are born again, so every soulwinner should carry a Bible with them... "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." It is by God's Law that we realize our guilty, condemnation, and need for a Savior (Romans 3:19).
Galatians 3:24 says, "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." The purpose of the Law isn't to keep so we can attempt to merit Heaven. No one can merit eternal life, for all have sinned (Romans 3:23). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But God in His merciful love sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to pay for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). It is our faith ALONE in the finished work of Christ, i.e., Jesus' precious blood, that saves us. 1st Peter 1:18-19 state... "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." What a Savior!
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be
ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as
ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1st Corinthians
15:58). Don't worry about getting people saved, you just get the Gospel
out to as many people as possible and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. It
is not our eloquent speeches or shrewd tactics that win people to the Lord; but
rather, the POWER of the Gospel (Romans 1:16).
False Soulwinning
Biblical soulwinning must center around the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. There's an epidemic of apostates running around the country leading people to "receive Jesus" or "invite Jesus into one's heart." The problem is that there can be NO salvation without the Law of God. If you don't realize your GUILT as a sinner that DESERVES to be punished in Hellfire for your own sins, then you cannot be saved. If you're not a sinner deserving of Hell, then why would you need a Savior? So you see, it is important that you realize your hopeless situation because of your sins.
Jesus Christ wants to save you (2nd Peter 3:9), but only if you're willing to come as a dirty, rotten, sinner in need of forgiveness. Thus, soulwinners need to show people that they've violated God's Law, and are therefore GUILTY, under the condemnation of God's Law, deserving of Hellfire, and in desperate need of a Savior. This obstacle must be passed. Many people are OFFENDED by God's Law, and refuse to become a Christian because of it. The famous author Mark Twain said, "If there is a God, He is a malign thug." Mr. Twain is burning in Hellfire this moment. The Bible OFFENDS people! The Old Testament pronounces the death penalty on all witches (Exodus 22:18) and homosexuals (Leviticus 20:13).
As you can imagine, this offends an increasingly homosexual-friendly society in America. The fact that Harry Potter (a wizard) is so loved and praised by tens-of-millions of children is evidence alone why people hate the Bible. So men try to rewrite God's Word to fit their tastes and lifestyle. Is it any wonder why there are nearly 1,000 different Bibles available today? And let me say confidently, the KING JAMES BIBLE is the only trustworthy Bible on the English market today.
True soulwinners use the King James Bible. How can you win someone to the Lord with a New International Version (NIV) of the Bible, when Romans 10:9 of the NIV says you have to "confess, Jesus is Lord" to be saved. That's NOT what the King James Bible says, it says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus..." There's a big difference between the two, the difference between Heaven and Hell. If a person must make Jesus their Lord to be saved, then that is self-righteousness. There is a damnable doctrine which has crept into many of our churches today, which teaches that a person is required to forsake their sins and make a commitment to Christ to be saved.
This heresy is known as "Lordship Salvation." If this doctrine were true, then no one could ever be saved, because even the best of Christians still commit sin. Lordship Salvation is a lie. The only sin that a person needs to repent of to be saved is unbelief, for it is the only sin which can keep a person out of Heaven. A lost sinner doesn't have to forsake sins, make a commitment, or make Jesus their Master to be saved. Romans 10:13 simply states... "For whosoever shall call [rely] upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Galatians 2:16 states... "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." Could the Bible be any plainer? We are saved by faith alone in Christ Jesus, not by works. And again in Romans 4:5 we read, "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Amen and Amen!
Biblical soulwinning must include the Law, the blood of Jesus, and faith alone in Jesus Christ. We are sinners, and Jesus is the Savior! It's that simple. Tragically, men complicate salvation--requiring lost sinners to forsake sin, make a commitment, pray a prayer, join a church, get water baptized, partake of sacraments, speak-in-tongues, et cetera, to be saved. In sharp contrast to all that nonsense, the Word of God simply requires us to BELIEVE on Jesus Christ to forgive our sins. The Apostle Paul even warns us in 2nd Corinthians 11:3 about being CORRUPTED FROM THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST. So as a soulwinner, make sure that you uphold the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus died, was buried, and rose again (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). That is
the basic Gospel. If a person realizes their guilt and condemnation,
because of their sins, and believes on Jesus Christ to forgive those sins by His
blood, then they will be saved. Salvation is not a magic prayer, or
a ritual. Salvation is not a philosophy that one adheres to. Salvation is a supernatural act of God in response to our faith in Jesus Christ
alone as our personal Savior.
Someone Please Print Some Biblically Correct Gospel Tracts!
Gospel tracts are an excellent way to reach people, especially tracts with pictures. There is a great need in America for better tracts, that present the Gospel correctly. Perhaps God is leading you into this needful ministry. If I were to make a Gospel tract, I would present the plan of salvation as follows:
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Admit that you are a GUILTY sinner, under the condemnation of God's Law (the Bible), deserving of Hellfire.
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Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, who died on the cross, paying for your sins with His own precious blood to wash them away.
A popular Gospel tract
circulating in our churches today disturbs me greatly, which presents an
additional step which requires a person to "be willing to turn from sin" to be
saved. This is dangerous teaching, because it implies that a sinner must
forsake his sins to be saved, which is damnable heresy. The idea that a
person needs to be willing to "turn from sin" is not found in the Word of God. Biblical "repentance" by every definition of the Word simply means "a change of
mind." The teaching that a person cannot be saved unless they are willing
to forsake sin after being saved is self-righteousness.
The Need is Great in this Present Hour for Soulwinners
"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." -Matthew 9:36-37
This is a very interested portion of Scriptures. Here is a quote from the man of God, Pastor J. Vernon McGee...
Having said this to His disciples, He now sends them forth. My friend, when you pray for something, it is always well to be willing to do it yourself. When our Lord asked the disciples to pray for laborers, He sent into the harvest these very men whom He asked to pray about it. This is very interesting indeed. An old bishop in the Methodist church in Georgia years ago said, "When a man prays for a corn crop, the Lord expects him to say ‘Amen’ with a hoe." I have always believed that you should not pray about anything unless you are also willing to do it yourself.
SOURCE: Thru The Bible With J. Vernon McGee, commentary on Matthew 9:36-37
It is worthy to note that there is a vast difference between SOWING and HARVESTING, which any crop farmer knows. As believers, it is our duty to sow the seed of God's Word into the hearts of lost sinners, and to water that seed with more Scriptures, as 1st Corinthians 3:6-7 instructs.
However, is God alone who giveth the increase, i.e., souls saved. Carefully notice that the disciples were being sent to labour in HIS HARVEST. It is God's harvest. When we plant the seed of God's Word (the Gospel) into a lost sinner's heart, the Holy Spirit works in that person's heart. Sometimes a person will get saved immediately, others will not, but the seed has been planted. God's Holy Spirit (through His Word) will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:8). Hopefully over time that soul will become receptive and obedient to the Gospel.
There are many souls in this world today, who are lonely and confused, frustrated and tired, and God has been working in their heart. They are in desperate need of a soulwinning Christian to help them see the light, just as Philip helped the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:26-38. Acts 8:35 states... "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus." The man was already searching through the Bible when Philip found him. The Holy Spirit had sent Peter to witness to the man, and he did get saved. Amen.
Another good example of a soul ripe unto harvest was Cornelius in Acts 10. Acts 10:1,2 states... "There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." You might be surprised to know that Cornelius was an UNSAVED man here, but yet a good men as far as sinners go. Cornelius wasn't saved until Acts 10:43-48 when he believed on the Lord... that through his [Jesus] name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins (verse 43). Cornelius believed and was indwelt with the Holy Spirit, as are all believers.
The need is great today. Society is turning to demonic influences like Oprah Winfrey, John Edward, James Van Praagh, Dr. Phil, and a host of other Godless influences for answers, not realizing that Satan is behind all of them. America is dying for Christians to speak up. If you love the Lord, and care about the souls of men, then I beseech you in Jesus' name to become an aggressive soulwinner, preaching the Gospel to as many people as you can.
Here's a man after my
own heart, Raymond Rogers. Christians all across America need to do things like this. Mr. Rogers paid
to have a mural painted on the side of his own building, showing that Hell is
real, and proclaiming that JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN. He's
soulwinning even when he's sitting down resting. This thought compelled me
when I started my website back in 2002, that my ministry would be reaching
people 24/7 around the globe, even while I was sleeping at night. Not bad,
not bad at all. Some people rent bus stop benches for advertising, or pay
for a mural on a building alongside a busy highway. The ideas are endless
on ways to get the Gospel out, or to at least plant a seed.
Conclusion
There is nothing any more dear to the heart of God than soulwinning. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26). To reject the Bible is to sell one's soul to Satan. A recent poll showed that only 7% of American adults believe the Bible. The need is greater than ever before for the preaching of God's Word. In a sick, demented, backwards, immoral, perverted, pleasure-seeking society like the United States, genuine soulwinners are few and far between.
Oh! How we need dedicated soulwinners today. So fill your pocket with Gospel tracts, carry a soulwinner's New Testament in your jacket, memorize some Scriptures concerning salvation, pray for the Holy Spirit's power, and get busy for God!
