Have you noticed the older you get, the more urgent you become about getting things done? We only get one go-around in this life; only one chance to get it right. For some, this means cramming in as much excitement and enjoyment as they can. For followers of Jesus, it means something else entirely. We have a limited number of days to point people to Jesus.
Those we don’t reach are heading for Hell. Thankfully, it is the job of the Holy Spirit to save them, but it is our responsibility to share the truth of the gospel of Jesus with them. Hell is a place not to be wished on our worst enemies, yet abandoning them to Hell is what we are doing every time we shy away from speaking the truth of Christ to them.
I have a list of unsaved family and friends I pray through each morning. Over the years, the list has sadly not gotten shorter, but continues to grow in length. In recent days, when I finish praying, a horrible dread comes over me. The gravity of the destination for people I know and love is devastating. I’m confident I’m not alone in this. As believers, I hope the tragic doom of unsaved friends and relatives weighs heavily upon us all. We must recognize these are not just names on paper. Every name is a living and breathing person created in God’s image. It is incumbent upon each of us to give them the bad news about their sin and follow it up with the extraordinarily good news of the gospel.
We’ve got a lot on our minds these days. Politics, morality, the state of the American church, inflation, employment, and the list can go on and on. All these things weigh on our heads and distract us from the only thing that matters. Satan is a master at using everyday distractions to keep us from focusing on our purpose in this world. Our mission is to proclaim Jesus wherever we go (Matthew 28:18-20). How many of us do that? When was the last time you spoke to a non-believer about Jesus? When was the last time you told someone they were heading for Hell? It’s not enough to know God and His Word. We must take that knowledge and spread it to the streets of our neighborhoods, cities, states, and countries.
Unless we obey Christ and His great commission (Matthew 28:18-20), we are complicit in directing our friends and families to Hell. Without repentance, they are all heading for an eternity of separation from God. Don’t know that as a fact; feel the ramifications of it in your soul. Sharing your faith should not make you shy or nervous. You possess the greatest gift in all of history. It is up to you to decide if you will share that gift. Do you care enough about the lost to do something about it? Are you ready to do your part to keep them from heading for Hell?