Why Should I Be a Soul Winner For Jesus?
A favorite hymn, we have often sung, says: “I want to be a soul winner for Jesus every day.” But why? The song goes on to give several good reasons: First, “I want to aid the lost sinner to leave his erring way, and be from bondage free.” Second, “And bring the lost to Christ, that they His grace may know.” Another reason would be, “I want to hear Him say, servant, ‘You’ve gathered many sheaves, receive a starry crown.’” In the refrain the final reason is: “He’s done so much for me.” Yet there are some other good reasons to be soul winner.
I Want to be a Soul Winner for Jesus Because…
▸ Jesus has Commanded Me to Share the Gospel
The Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark. 16:15 is clearly given to the apostles. The apostles are all dead and gone, but this does not mean all responsibility to save the lost is out of the hands of man. Preaching the gospel is the responsibility of every Christian. Part of the apostles’ commission was to teach the disciples. The apostles were to teach all disciples to observe all things which Christ had commanded them (Matthew 28:19). Paul illustrates this, when he told Timothy to commit the gospel to faithful men who were “able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). The duty to teach others went from the apostle Paul to Timothy to faithful men, and finally to others who are able to teach. This has continued being passed along right down to today. If a church has 100 members it should have 100 soul winners. “Every Christian this side of heaven ought to be concerned with every sinner this side of hell.”
▸ Jesus Left Us His Example to Follow
Christ was a Soul Winner. At the age of twelve Christ was teaching in the Temple, saying: “know ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” ( Lk. 2:49) What is the Father’s business or work? (Jn. 4:34). The Father’s business Christ was to do involved saving the world (Jn. 12:4); calling sinners to repentance, Mt. 9:13); seeking the lost (Lk. 19:10); and making fishers of men (Mk. 1:17). Jesus was always willing and ready to teach multitudes as well as individuals. We are to be as our mater (Mt. 10:25).
One passage in particular helps us identify Jesus’ attitude toward the lost. “When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things” (Mk. 6:34). Sheep need a shepherd, else they wander unprotected and will die of hunger and thirst. People are the same (1 Pet. 2:25). Jesus had feelings for those lost: “He had compassion on them.” Compassion is “a sympathetic consciousness of the condition of others with a desire to alleviate it.” What did Christ do about it? “He began to teach them.”
▸ The Example of the Early Christians
Notice how natural it was for the early disciples to share the Good News with others. Philip spent a night with the Master and went out and found Nathaniel to bring him to Jesus. Andrew found his brother, Simon Peter. After Peter and the other apostles preached on the day of Pentecost, the Lord continued adding to the church those being saved daily (Acts 2:47). Later, 5,000 obeyed as a result of the apostles preaching daily in the temple (4:4). Even after suffering persecution for preaching the Gospel, they continued to preach in the temple and in every house, daily (5:42). Many priest were among the disciples that were made in Jerusalem (6:7). Stephen died preaching to the Jews (Acts 7). After Stephen’s death “there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. …Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (8:1,4). Notice the Apostles stayed in Jerusalem as others went out to be soul winners for Jesus. Philip preached in Samaria with great success (8:5,12). Philip taught the Ethiopian (8:26-39). Soon all of Palestine was taught (9:31). By 63 AD all the (Roman) world was evangelized (Col. 1:23).
▸ Our Salvation Depends On Our Efforts To Help Save Souls of Others
God gave a warning to those of the Old Testament, He had commissioned them to speak words or warning to the wicked. “If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul” (Ezek. 3:18,19). Personal evangelism is personal preservation. Paul warned that a good soldier of the cross does not entangle himself in this world (2 Tim. 2:3f). We were saved to save. We cannot sit down and expect the world to become Christians spontaneously. Like Paul we need to feel a great urgency to share the Gospel. “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1Cor. 9:16).
▸ Being a Soul Winner Brings Great Joy
Those who received the Gospel in the New Testament went on to rejoice (Acts 8:39; 16:33,34). Great joy is found in knowing you are saved. Great joy is also experienced by those who share the Gospel with others. Personal joy comes in working with God and being helpful to the lost Paul often expressed his joy over the souls he helped lead to Christ. He told the Philippian saints that he counted them as his “joy and crown” (Phil 4:1). The Thessalonians were his hope, joy, and crown (1 Th. 2:19,20). “Crown” is used in the sense of a wreath or chaplet worn by athletes in the Grecian games for their king. Today, we win trophies or gold metals for our nation.
Sharing the Gospel is in fact sharing the joy. We share things joyfully everyday of our lives. A housewife shares a real bargain with her neighbor. A business man shows others of new tax-saving laws. A farmer shares a new fertilizer that increased his crop yield. Fishermen share favorite fishing spots. The shepherd who lost one sheep out of 99 and then found it called his friends and said, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost” (Luke 15:6). The woman who lost one coin out of ten called her friends and said, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost” (Luke 15:9). Jesus made the application for us, “just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
▸ Being a Soul Winner for Jesus is Wise
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). Therefore, those who are not soul winners cannot be wise. He is like a man who can save many from a burning house, but will not.
It takes great wisdom in saving souls (Mt. 10:16). Wisdom includes great foresight as well as application of hindsight. The Soul Winner must see the lost and their needs. He sees the “fields white unto harvest.” He esteems that which is most valuable in life – that is the soul. Soul winning is wise, for in saving others we are saved. It is wise, for we hide a multitude of sins (Js. 5:19,20). It is wise because it will bring eternal glory for them and for us. Those saints who lack such wisdom should pray for it (James 1:5).
▸ One Soul is of Great Value
Jesus said, “for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). The soul’s value can also be seen in its immortality (Lk. 20:37,38). Where your soul spends eternity depends on how you spend your life here on earth. Where the lost spend eternity depends on whether you take the gospel to them and they obey it (2 Th. 1:7-9). The Day of Judgment for the immortal soul is coming (Mt. 24:35-44). No man is certain as to when to will happen. All men should be certain that it will happen and be prepared when it does happen.
The value of the soul can be seen in what God has done to save it. The cost of redemption is the blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:17-19). God gave His only Son to die for us (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8).
Perhaps it could be argued that the greatest achievements or successes or work a man could do in this life is related to winning lost souls First, one must see to it that is own soul is saved. Second, sharing the Gospel to save others. In this time of wickedness soul winning is one of the greatest challenges. It does, however, bring the greatest rewards. To save a lost soul will bring the saved joy, personal joy, and rejoicing in Heaven. Our own salvation is tied to the responsibility to save others.
– Daniel R. Vess