•8:00 AM
By: Tom Smith, Wooddale Church of Christ
How many times have you been with someone you knew was lost, but simply didn't have the guts to look them in the eye and share with them a chance to be saved in Christ?
I have been in several situations over the years when I was with someone who I knew was lost, knew that if he or she died, they would spend eternity in hell, and simply didn't have the guts to look them in the eye and tell them that Jesus was their only hope for eternity.
How many times have we been with family members, friends, people we know, who are lost and without Hope will die and spend eternity in hell, and simply didn't have the courage to tell them the truth and give them an opportunity to be saved in Jesus? We either believe that those who are lost will end up in the flames of hell or we don't. If we believe it, how can we not tell those who God brings into our path?
The primary reason is that we don't want to offend them. We have been intimidated into silence because we are told to "respect the beliefs of others." Often, we simply don't want to appear weird to those we know and love. In many cases, we are afraid how they will react. Sometimes it simply boils down to the fact we don't want the confrontation that will most likely occur when you tell someone the truth of the Gospel.
Years ago, after missing opportunities to share the truth of the Gospel with people I loved and cared about, I decided that if I really loved them, really cared about them, I would tell them the truth about eternity. No matter what the consequences, the greatest way I could show that person how much I really loved them and cared about them was to tell them the truth about what will happen when they die and give them a chance. They might be offended, but how much more offended will they be when they die, end up in the flames of hell because I was too afraid to tell them the truth and give them that opportunity to know and put Jesus on in baptism.
I won't condemn anyone for not taking someone and explaining to them that there really is a heaven and hell, and that the only way to be saved is in Jesus. Taking the time and effort to walk them through the Bible way to be saved. Telling them why the Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult for denying the deity of Jesus, why Islam is a lie from hell, why the New Age teachings, and all the rest they have been exposed to are lies that will lead the souls of men to hell and the only Truth is in the Bible. Taking those few minutes to give them the opportunity to obey the Gospel.
Of course, it would be up to them to either accept the Truth or reject it. We can't save anyone, all we can do is deliver the truth. At that point it is up to the person you are speaking to to decide what they will believe, who they will put their faith in. We can't force anyone what to believe, and we can't force anyone to get saved. That is the free will choice each person has to make for themselves.
My heart breaks for those few occasions when I passed, for whatever reason, on telling someone about the hope for which we have in Jesus and giving them a chance to be saved.
This life is so brief, it is over so fast.
Eternity awaits each of us.
Satan has no problem telling people lies to lead them to hell, why do we have such a problem telling people the Truth that can save their souls?
Would Michael Jackson have renounced the lies of the JW cult, Islam, and all of the other false teachings he had been exposed to and obeyed Christ?
We will never know.
Will your family member, friend, or person you care about obey the Gospel when you tell them the Truth and give them a chance to obey Jesus?
That will be up to them.
However, unless you tell them and give them that opportunity they may never hear the Truth of the Gospel or have that chance again and die and end up in hell.
Don't miss your chance to see the one you love and care about escape the horrors of hell for a mansion in Glory!
