We live our lives, saved or lost, based upon two principles, action and reaction, what we must be able to discern within ourselves is which of these we do more frequently. If this happens, than that must occur is a law of nature, laws Almighty God has put into place, they cannot be changed or altered, these laws in the heart though do not always have the same effect, beings of free will are able to choose for themselves if they will act in any given situation, and if they choose not to react, that also is left to their own discretion.
I recently spoke with an individual, a very close relative, that is not saved, she assured me, as I am quite sure she has assured herself many times, that she has lived a good life and that she believes in God. As is my nature, I informed her that the place she would be residing for all eternity was not the place that she thought she would be going if she continued in this thought pattern, and the way to get there was only by faith in Jesus Christ. The conversation ended abruptly, but not until I suggested to her that finding a King James Bible and opening it up to the Book of John would be a good idea. In this particular case I reacted with action, but the beginning of the conversation was with action, one that showed concern for another human being, for their soul.
This is the path we are to constantly be on, if you wait for a lost soul to bring up anything spiritually related in a conversation, you will be waiting a very long time, perhaps too long, for the Lord knows our appointed time. (Psalm 90:12) We are called to action, we are called to go into all the world, (Mark 16:15) we are not told to sit around and wait for the lost to show up at our door, to approach us on the street, we are to be servants of action. One could compare those who wait in such matters with those who base their convictions to serve not as the weaker brother, but on those who are ashamed. This is the prevalent problem today, few are witnessing to others with their words, they do not want to seem pushy, they do not want to offend, but my friends, if you are not taking action then it is highly unlikely that you will react when the time approaches.
I fear for those who say they know Christ as Lord but do nothing to prove that statement, save perhaps for church attendance, they will be left behind at the rapture, if the Lord returns while they yet draw breath, and will be sent a strong delusion, (2 Thess. 2:11) they will receive no second chance. The lost are much easier on the heart, for if you tell them about the good news that is Christ, and they refuse Him, they will still have an opportunity after that blessed day. The actions that we take in the name of Jesus always have repercussions, always evoke a reaction, many times they are quite innocuous, a nod of the head, a sideways glance, usually you will hear what I heard, again, today, “I have lived a good life, I believe in God.” It does not take an extreme faith to act, it takes no confidence or even care for the individual, it takes love, love for Christ, and not just the love of what He did on the cross for us, but a love just because He is.
There are, I am afraid, many more than I would like to contemplate that will be ashamed at His coming, for the gate is so very narrow. (Matt. 7:14) With this relative, as with all the lost, if I would have waited for her to bring up anything of a ‘religious’ nature, much less a spiritual one based on the truths found in the Word of God, I would still be waiting. We must always remember that with these individuals, these lost souls, the preaching of the cross to them is foolishness, (1 Cor. 1:18) and we will sound as a fool to them when we even just mention the name of our Lord. Good. I would desire to look like a fool every day to them than to spend one minute in their presence as a man wise in the ways of the world.
We are called to be such, “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1 Cor. 1:21) Who is going to look more like a fool on that day that all must face, the one who not only would not act, but would not even react, or the one who gladly walked humbly in the fellowship of His suffering, knowing full well he could have done so much more. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt. 10:28)
