Five Motivations For Soul Winning

Five Motivations For Soul Winning
   Anytime a group of people come together under the pretense of worship and the
edification of one another and then turn right around and use that precious time to
engage in social chit-chat and carnal-mindedness; --- had that church existed in the
first century, they might well have come into a stinging rebuke such as the apostle
Paul gave the church in Corinth. "I do not praise you, because you come together
not for the better but for the worse." (1 Cor. 11:17)
   And the Lord, Jesus had this to say concerning this type, (Mt. 15:7-8); --- "You
hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, --- 'This people honors Me with
their lips, --- But their heart is far away from Me."

   Sadly and shamefully there are far too many churches like that today. WHY? ---
Because they lack the proper motivation and purpose. Instead, why can't these who
profess to be Christians, become visionary?? Oh, I don't mean to imply God's elect
should start seeing visions today; --- But we can allow ourselves to be affected by one
of God's great men who did. You may recall Luke's account found in (Acts 16:6f); ---
"Now when they(Paul, Silas, Timothy and possibly Luke himself) had gone through
Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach
the word in Asia.
   After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not
permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. --- (May I suggest right
here, --- these men were striving their dead-level best to spread the word of God; ---
they were determined, motivated; --- BUT, it had to be as the Spirit directed!!)
And a VISION appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded
with him, saying, --- 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' --- Now after he had seen
the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had
called us to preach the gospel to them.

   Brethren, why shouldn't we base our motivation on the "Great Macedonian Call"?
When a church is assembled to reverently worship God in spirit and in truth; ---
Also, to provoke one another to love and good works in order to go out and serve God
by godly living and saving lost souls. --- That's your personal, individual responsibility,
brethren, --- and MY individual responsibility!!

   So with this thought in mind; --- Please prayerfully and seriously consider these ---
                                          Five Motivations For Soul Winning

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1. FEAR OF GOD:

   The apostle Paul declares in (2 Cor. 5:11); --- "Knowing, therefore, the terror
(NASV - fear) of the Lord, we persuade men; ---"

   So often when we refer to fearing God, we quote Solomon in (Eccl. 12:13); ---
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His
commandments, For this is man's all." --- And we generally understand the word
"fear" as rendered here to mean "reverence" for God, and rightfully so. ---
   The Hebrew word, "yare" or "yaw-ray" means reverence.

   This is the idea Solomon had in (Eccl. 3:14) when he said; --- "I know that whatever
God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should FEAR before Him." (Or hold Him in awe!)

   But dear friends, that is NOT the kind of fear Paul had in mind when he said; ---
"Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men". --- This is the same
Greek word from which we get the word "phobia", which means a morbid,frightful,
terror-filled FEAR!! --- And if you don't fear God with "phobia", than you don't fear
God; --- It's just that simple!! --- Need more evidence?

   Paul, in reference specifically to those who would willfully sin by forsaking the
assembly, and generally any Christian who would continue in willful sin (unrepented
sin), in (Heb. 10:27f), has this to say; ---" For if we sin willfully after we have received
the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain
fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three
witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy
who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which
he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him
who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD
will judge His people."--- Based on that fact, Paul warns; --- "It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God."

   You talk about motivation; --- Brethren, I don't know about some, but I'm persuaded
that we belong to a kingdom which cannot be shaken!! --- Do you, in your heart of hearts
truly believe that? --- If so, then just what should you and I be doing about it?

   (Heb. 12:28-29) Is very motivating; --- " Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom
which cannot be shaken, let us have grace (show gratitude), (How?) by which we may
serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. (Motive?) For our God is a
consuming fire." --- And it's a terrifying thing to fall into His hands!!

   But let's notice; --- As a Christian begins to grow in Christ and mature in faith, this
fear (phobia) begins to develop into a love so strong that fear is cast out.
   (1 Jno. 4:16f), John writes; --- "And we have known and believed the love that God has
for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has
been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; ---
because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love(mature
love) casts out fear," --- So we can see one motivation for saving souls is "Fear of the
Lord"; --- And when we begin to realize that God IS a consuming fire, and realize the
high value that our merciful God places on lost souls that are dying every day; --- We will
as Jude says, (Vs. 23); --- "Save others, (as it were), snatching them out of the fire!!"

   Why should I be interested in saving souls?? --- Because ---

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2. THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONTROLS ME:

   (2 Cor. 5:13-15), Paul continues; --- "For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; ---
or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ compels (controls) us,
because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that
those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and
rose again."

   Remember; --- When you call on Jesus as SAVIOR; --- you also call on Him as LORD!
The Greek word for Lord is kurios, which means "supreme in authority, controller. ---
   Ask yourself this question; --- "Do I allow Christ the LORD total and absolute control
over my life?" --- Or, "Is my body taken over and moved into by the Holy Spirit of God?"
You say you are a Christian? --- Then you ought to know that you are a "purchased
possession of God.
(1 Cor. 6:19-20); ---"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were
bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

   Jesus Christ and His gospel is your "pearl of great price"; --- And you are His!

   Let's just for a moment put things in simple terms; --- Let's say you go down and buy a
nice car for cold cash, or you send in that last payment; --- You are said to "own" that
car; --- You've got the title deed; --- It's your "purchased possession"!
   Now, lets say, you're driving down the street in the winter time, and hit a solid sheet of
ice, and you make the wrong tug on the steering wheel, or hit the gas or brake at the
wrong moment; --- and go sliding off into something you shouldn't oughta; --- It is said;
you lost control!! --- No matter the conditions and excuses, you LOST CONTROL!!

   Some of us are like automobiles; --- We forget who's in the drive's seat and get to
thinking; --- "I'm in full control!!"; --- And there we go, slipping and sliding all over the
place; --- banging into obstacles and debris that Satan has cast before us; --- until we
don't look, feel and drive like a shiny new car anymore! --- Some of us are pretty well
"banged up" and in need of repair work. --- And some of us have just about become
"spiritual wrecks"; --- We need a major overhaul!!

   And the sooner you resign yourself to the fact that YOU are the possession and not the
possessor/owner/controller, the better off you will be!! --- Place Jesus Christ in control
(in the driver's seat), and keep Him there. --- He'll steer you right every time! --- He never
loses control!!

   So if Jesus Christ is in full control; --- If Jesus Christ is your Shepherd; ---you will hear
His voice!! --- And Jesus said; --- "GO!" --- "Go into all the world and preach the gospel
to all creation!" --- And the apostles faithfully carried out that "Great Commission"; ---
But they started in Jerusalem.

   Today you and I must do likewise, starting right where we are. --- Why should we? ---
What's our motive?? --- The love of Christ controls us, that's why!! --- Therefore we
conclude; --- " One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live
should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

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3. I AM A NEW CREATURE:

   (2 Cor. 5:16-17), Paul writes; --- "Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according
to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know
Him thus no longer. --- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; ---
old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

   To me, there is no greater thrill in this life than to see some poor worthless, filthy, ugly
sinner REPENT and TURN to God, to be buried into Christ in baptism for forgiveness
of every sin. --- To see someone who has "lived it up", "seen it all" and "done it all"; ---
Wallowed in the filth of sin; --- Then to see one day when the love of God reaches down
and scoops that worthless soul up and draws it tenderly to His breast, by the power of
His mighty gospel. --- I know of some like that, don't you?

   When I think of my own former manner of life; --- I tremble, as I sing that old song;---
"Alas, and did my Savior bleed, And did my Sovereign die? --- Would He devote that
sacred head for such a worm as I? --- Was it for crimes that I have done, He groaned
upon the tree? --- Amazing pity, grace unknown! --- And Love beyond degree!"

   I can't help but worry though, when so often I see so many who allow themselves to be
immersed in baptism; --- But behold, --- all things do NOT pass away. --- They continue
being the same old creature; --- living in the same old sins, day after day, week after week
and year after year! --- Fully content, thinking; --- "I've been baptized"; --- "I've got my
ticket punched"; --- "I'm on my way to heaven!!" --- And, sad to say; --- some of you
reading this very message may be among such who simply fool themselves; --- but dear
friend, you do not fool the God of heaven!!

   The question begs; --- What are we who ARE faithful going to do about it? ---
Paul says; --- "We recognize no man according to the flesh." --- What do you suppose he
means by that? --- What he's actually saying, is that; --- "Once my fear of God has been
taken over by my love for Christ, who controls me; --- And I realize that I am no longer
in the driver's seat; --- I'm no longer in charge, but rather I live my life totally for Him; ---
I will no longer distinguish a man by what or who he is in the flesh."

   The point is; --- So often we get all wrapped up and concerned about the lives of those
who are close to us (family, friends, other church members); --- that we tend to take on a
"That's a shame" attitude toward that poor lost soul out there who is drowning in sin,
who we may not know quiet as well!! --- We need to get out there and administer the
gospel to him; --- teach him; --- save him and make him into a new creature in Christ
Jesus!! --- And always remember; --- By the grace of God, I AM A NEW CREATURE!!
                                              That's one motivation!

   To know there are others who are lost and need saving; --- That's another motivation.
WE NEED MOTIVATION, BRETHREN!!!

   Back to our text, (2 Cor. 5:17-19); ---"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ---
   Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ,
and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling
the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the
word of reconciliation." --- What an awesome responsibility; --- What a wonderful
opportunity and what a powerful motivation!! --- He has committed to us (through the
apostles); ---

                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4. THE WORD OF RECONCILIATION:

   To be RE-CONCILED means to be RE-STORED to Divine favor. --- It goes right back
to the earlier illustration; --- You take a bright shiny new car off the showroom floor; ---
Not a pit, dent or flaw on the body; --- The engine (or heart of the car) is perfectly tuned,
full of zip and go. --- You jump right in the driver's seat and off you go; --- Everything is
wonderful for a while (the honeymoon period); --- Then comes the nicks, scrapes, dents,
rust and problems in general; --- Finally, after so many thousands of miles; --- You're
going to need some repair work; --- The engine needs an overhaul; --- The body needs
restored!! --- That old "wreck" needs to be brought back to it's original condition.

   Now, when you were born into this world (a little infant child); --- There was not one
spot or flaw of any kind on your soul; --- Your heart was perfectly "tuned"(spiritually).
   But then, as you entered the highway of life; --- You found the going rough; --- You ran
into "detours" from the paths of righteousness; --- "yielded" to temptation; --- "sped"
down a divided highway; --- and disregarded God's "stop signs"! --- You became LOST;
Your once pure heart was now "wrecked" and "twisted" in SIN!!

   Now, you who was once in God's Divine favor (Or "conciled" with God); --- Needs to
be RE-CONCILED!! --- And that's where God steps in. ---
(Rom. 5:6-10), Paul puts it thusly; --- "For when we were still without strength, in due
time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; ---
yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His
own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more
then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son,
much more, having been RECONCILED, we shall be saved by His life."

   Now, if you are a Christian, Paul says; --- "You were reconciled (restored) to divine
favor by the blood of Christ." --- Paul and the other apostles had been committed to the
word of reconciliation; --- And Put that together with (2 Tim. 2:2) and you've got another
motivation for winning souls!! --- "The things which you have heard from me in the
presence of many witnesses; --- these entrust to faithful men; --- (WHY?) That they may
be able to teach others also!!"

   Brethren, let us be "on fire", NOT lukewarm; --- Let us be highly MOTIVATED with;
The FEAR OF GOD; --- LOVE OF CHRIST (which controls us); and will make NEW
CREATURES out of us and others!! --- And let us be motivated by the WORD OF
RECONCILIATION!!

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OH! You say; ---"Earl, I thought you said 5 motivations for soul winning??

No, I intentionally left this very important motivation for last; --- Back to the beginning
of our text, (2 Cor. 5:10) ; --- "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that each one may receive the things [done] in the body, according to
what he has done, whether good or bad." --- So, motivation number five; ---

5. WHAT WILL OUR ANSWER BE IN THE JUDGMENT???

   Jesus may very well say on that day; --- "I have brought to thee, down from My home
above, Salvation full and free, My pardon and My love; --- I bring, I bring rich gifts to
thee, --- What hast thou brought for Me?"

God warned Ezekiel, in (Ezk. 3:18-21); ---"When 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,
to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will
require at your hand. "Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his
wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered
your soul. "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits
iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you did not give
him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done shall not
be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the
righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live
because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul."

(Prov. 11:30); --- "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is
                              wise.

(Ps. 51:10-13); ---"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit
within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit
from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous
Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You.

                                                                  Work, for the night is coming;
                                                                         Earl Wilburn

Questions and comments welcome: ewilburn@austin.rr.com