The Soul Winner's Fire

James 5:20 – “He which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death.”

It is related that one fearfully stormy night a boat was wrecked. As the dawn came, many were seen out in the icy waters, holding on to anything that would prevent them from sinking. Ed and Will Spencer came to the scene. Ed was a fine swimmer. He swam out and out again until he had rescued many, and was almost exhausted. He saw a woman holding on to a piece of board and crying for help. They said, "Ed, you'd better not go." But it was too much for him. He swam out into the icy waters and brought her to shore. Then he swooned. He was taken to the hospital. After some hours, he became conscious and said to his brother Will, "How many were drowned?" Will replied, "I do not know." Then he said, "How many did I save?" Will replied, "Ed, you saved seventeen." But Ed sadly said, "Did I do my best?" He would become unconscious, and every time ask the same question when he would revive. "Will, did I do my best?"  Have we done our best? We fear we are playing at religion and soul winning.

All around us we see men and women, boys and girls who know not the free pardon of sin.  We see them walking past us – we see them working around us – we see them rushing headlong down the broad road of destruction.  And it is our God-given duty to try to rescue as many as possible.  We have a special commission to win souls – the Great Commission – Matthew 28:19-20, “Go . . . teach . . . baptize . . .”  We are commanded by Christ to win souls to salvation.  In Mark 1:17, Christ told Simon and Andrew to “Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”  Christ Himself gives us an example of soul-winning in John 4 – the woman at the well.  The early church gives us an example of soul-winning in Acts 2, 4, and 5.  Acts 5:42 tells us, “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” 

We have the testimony of Paul telling us to win souls.  He says in Acts 20:20, “How I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house.”  So we have Paul’s example for soul-winning – 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.”  Winning souls reveals to us the wisdom of God.  Proverbs 11:30 tells us, “He that winneth souls is wise.”  Winning souls brings glory to God.  Psalm 79:9 tells us, “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.”

Soul-winning saves people from hell.  Our text verse tells us that if we convert a sinner from the error of his ways, we save a soul from death (or more literally, hell).  Jude 23 tells us, “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.”  We can literally save unsaved men from hell.  And in so doing, we can deliver ourselves from blood-guiltiness.  Ezekiel 33:8 warns us, “That  wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”  Any man we have the opportunity to witness to and don’t, God holds us accountable for that soul.  That is an awesome responsibility. 

God used D. L. Moody so greatly because of his consuming passion for the salvation of the lost. Mr. Moody
made the resolution, shortly after he himself was saved, that he would never let twenty-four hours pass over his head without speaking to at least one person about his soul.  We need to adopt the same resolution.

Quote - "The most important thing for Christians to do is keep people out of hell." - Dr. Lee Stuart

"Lord, Give me that passion for souls that drove D L Moody.  Help me to have such a love for the souls of men that I would never let an opportunity to speak for you pass me by. Amen."