“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:18–19
Jesus commands believers to go and make disciples in His name. Yet, more than half of those who attend church say they’ve never heard of the Great Commission. And to compound the issue, the majority of church goers believe that sharing our faith is optional. If sharing the gospel is the mission of the church, then it’s also the work of every believer.
Yes, soul-winning is work. In Matthew 9, Jesus describes the lost world as a vast field ready for harvest but lacking workers (vv37-38). When we share the gospel we are answering His prayer for more workers in the field. Since the mandate in Scripture is clear, why then aren’t more believers engaging in the work of soul-winning? The most likely answer is indifference.
Dr. Roy Fish, long-time professor of Evangelism at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, speaks of the sobering result. “There is no more frightening reality in the life of any Christian than being held responsible for the souls of others. That we, by our negligence, can be stained because of indifference toward those who are lost—what an awesome truth! The reality of blood on our hands rebukes anything short of total commitment to the task of sharing the exciting news of Jesus Christ.”
Our Lord was not indifferent toward the lost. He calls every believer to be His voice to those in distress and despair; to compassionately share the hope found only in Him. So, sharing our faith is not optional if we’re truly following Jesus.
Of course, we can’t win anyone to Christ on our own. God, however, always enables what He commands. Acts 1:8 tells us, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
What was true for those first disciples is still true for us today. The Holy Spirit is our enabling power to boldly share the gospel. Some will refuse to listen. They’re not rejecting you—they’re rejecting God’s gift of grace through Jesus. Even then, don’t give up. No one is beyond God’s reach through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Our job is simply to go and share.
Previous devotions in this series: What it Means to be Lost, The Value of a Soul,