God At Work

“I would try to share the gospel with them, but they are far too sinful to be saved.” Ever heard that? More so, ever thought it? I am willing to bet that at some time that thought has produced itself in your head, even if just ever so briefly- I have. It doesn’t take a scholar to figure out what the Bible says on this and I’m going to give a small example. I was spending time in my Bible tonight when I came across Ezekiel 3:18-21. It reads,

  “If I say to the wicked person: You will surely die, but you do not warn him-you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to save his life-that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 19 But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have saved your life. 20 Now if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. 21 But if you warn the righteous person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to [your] warning, and you will have saved your life.” (HCSB)

Wow. Those are some pretty harsh punishments for not sharing God’s word. Of course, through the blood of Jesus Christ, we would be forgiven, but you still see the seriousness. This passage tells us that we need to share the gospel with everyone, regardless of whether we think that they can be saved or not. After all, that isn’t our place to decide whether someone is to be saved or not; we have no control over that what so ever. That goes into the “only the Holy Spirit can save” topic but that post is for another day. Back to the discussion at hand.

This passage tells us that if we see that someone is leading a life that is ultimately going to result in doom and destruction, then we need to warn them (in a loving way of course). Though, if we do see this and decide that it isn’t going to have an effect on them, then not only will they perish and be eternally damned, but their blood will be on our head. It will be considered our fault. Take that in. If we don’t trust God enough to talk to somebody, then when they are in hell for all eternity, and it very well could be because of us. One of my favorite quotes is,

“HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE TO HATE SOMEBODY TO NOT PROSELYTIZE?”
-Penn Jillette

In case you aren’t aware of who that is, he is an atheist. That’s pretty much all you need to know about him for the purpose of the article. There is so much truth to that quote. We just read that if you don’t let them know of the good news, there is a chance that no one else will either and that means suffering for eternity, apart from God, and in a lake of fire. That is pure hate to wish that on someone. “What? I would never wish that on anyone.” Let me give an example. Let’s say there is a truck barreling down the road, coming right at you and while you are unaware, I knowingly watch and don’t say or do anything at all and you get hit and killed. Someone later asks why I wanted you dead. I respond, “I didn’t want him dead.” I mean come on, there is no way that would pass. Sure, I may not have had anything against you, but I didn’t make an effort to let you know that you were in danger.

  “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

-Charles Spurgeon

My dad has the first sentence of this quote in his office which is where I became familiar with it. This one involves the imagery necessary to get the point across. “Let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies… Let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees… If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions” This is exactly how we should be spreading the good news of Christ. Actively pursuing people with the word of God.

Next time that you have the thought, “He’s too far gone to be saved”, I want you to think of two people in particular. The first one is Paul. Yeah you know, perhaps the greatest missionary to ever live, encouraging thousands of people and giving his life up for the faith. Well, before that he was Saul. Ah yes, Saul’s resume was more like, killing hundreds of Christians, imprisoning even more; standing watch during the first martyr (Stephen). Now this is the kind of guy that would make you think that he couldn’t be saved. I’m sure you know what happens. Paul is on the road to Damascus when Jesus appears before him and blinds him. The men then led him to Damascus. Then this happened.

“10 Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Here I am, Lord!” he said. 11 “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so he may regain his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before Gentiles, kings, and the sons of Israel.” Acts 9:10-15 (HCSB)

In case you didn’t catch it, even Ananias was scared. He had his doubts and his trust seemed to waiver there for a second. But look at the last verse: “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go! For the man is My chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and the sons of Israel.'” So here is God, taking a man whom everyone thought hopeless; a man with his own struggles with doubt, and using him for His own glorious purposes.

“Well yeah, but this person isn’t in a position to tell people about the gospel because they are sick or old.” God doesn’t bring people to Him just to share the good news. He brings people to Him because he loves them and wants them to be close to him. Look at Luke 23:40-43 ESV,

 “41 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Whoa. Let’s look at that again. Verse 43, “And he (Jesus) said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’ Now I don’t hear a lot of talk about this verse but it’s clear what happened. Crucifixion was the punishment given out for some of the worst crimes unless you were a slave. If you were a slave, you may have stolen a horse and been crucified. But if you weren’t a slave, there were much more serious reasons. One of those reasons was murder and worst according to the Roman empire was being an enemy to the State. There is evidence in Luke 23 that tells of this. Here is Luke 23:18-19 when Pilate is asking whether the people wanted him to release Jesus or Barabbas.

18 “But they all cried out together, ‘Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas’– 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder”

With this knowledge, one can only imagine what the sinner on the cross had done. Yet, when he was dying, when he wasn’t going to become a great missionary or teacher bringing thousands to Christ, the Holy Spirit saved him. So, the next time that thought comes up, that nagging voice in the back of your head, ignore it. Because, it isn’t ever too late for the Holy Spirit to change someone’s heart.