Going Beyond the Command of “GO!”

When it comes to reaching lost souls, many of us refer to the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20. We say that we seek to reach lost souls because God commanded us to do so. And while that is true, do we merely go just because of a command? Or is there a deeper purpose beyond that command that compels us to go. If there wasn't a command, would we still have the urgency to spread the good news of Christ's love to a dying world?

Of course, I could list a whole bunch of reasons why, but I merely want to list five.

1. The Crisis of a Christless Humanity
The Bible paints for us a very real dilemma facing the human race.

Act. 4:13—“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which they must be saved.”

John 14:6—“Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Bible makes it clear that Jesus is the only means of salvation. Without Him, this Christless humanity is faced with a looming crisis--absolutely no hope of salvation. Without this hope of salvation, the only option they have is to be lost—not just a temporary, transitory loss, but an eternal lost. The loss of an infinite life—a life for which Christ sacrificed His own—is not just a trite loss. It is an immeasurably and inconceivably great or extensive loss.

Notice Paul's motivating factor for sharing Christ. 2 Cor. 5:10-11—“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men...” Paul knew that for the wicked who do not know Jesus, His coming would be a sheer terror. Paul said this fact was what drove him to share Jesus with others. He didn't want to see a Christless humanity that had no hope of salvation. And note the urgency by which he states this...he was persuaded to tell others. This is not a casual, nonchalant telling of the gospel. When people are seeking to persuade someone, they pull out every possible argument and reason to convince the other person. This is the urgency Paul felt. He did not want a Christless humanity to experience the crisis of an eternal loss.

We should have this same passion for lost souls.

2. We cannot assume that people will be saved.
In Zech. 13:6, we are given an account of individuals in heaven that will be perplexed about the nail prints in Jesus’ hands. They will inquire into the meaning behind them and it is then that Christ will be able to unfold to them the plan of salvation and how His death on the cross was the means of their salvation.

Some will use this passage to say that reaching lost souls for Christ is really not that necessary then since some will be saved never hearing the name of Jesus. Although it is possible for those who have not had direct instruction about Christ to listen to the wooing of the Holy Spirit through their quickened conscious, nature, or some other means, as followers of Christ, we must never take for granted that this is likely to occur. While we can hope that the world will hear about Jesus Christ, we must act and work as if they would not unless we directly told them.

Also, consider how we would feel if we were in their shoes. If we were them, wouldn't we wish that someone would tell us about the love of Jesus so that we would have the opportunity to be saved? This is a deeper application of the Golden Rule. We should do unto others as we would want them to do to us.

3. Reaching lost souls places us right in the center of God's work.
Have you ever wished you could have worked alongside Christ when He was on earth, to witness His teaching or experience His miracles? Just because we didn't live back then, doesn't mean we can't work alongside Him now. God's business is saving souls. Luke 19:10—“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” If we want to be in the direct center of God's will and His work, we will find ourselves reaching souls.

4. Reaching lost souls brings joy to the heart of God.
When you kneel to pray at night, have you ever thought about asking God how His day went? Can you imagine how He would answer? “My child, I witnessed over 100,000 deaths today. I wrapped my arms around a lot of hurting people. I shed tears with them as they hurt. I saw crime, violence, pain, and suffering. It was a rough day.” And then you ask Him, “But God, was there anything today that made you happy.” “Oh, yes,” He says, “I saw this couple give a Bible study to an individual and that person accepted Jesus Christ into their life. And let me tell you, all heaven started rejoicing over that one sinner that repented! That brought Me joy.’

Imagine that we can be instruments to help bring joy to the heart of God! That is an awesome thought!

5. Reaching lost souls brings us into harmony with Christ.
Notice this statement...“God could have reached His object in saving sinners without our aid, but in order for us to develop a character like Christ's, we must share in His work. In order to enter into His joy,—the joy of seeing souls redeemed by His sacrifice,—we must participate in His labors for their redemption.” (DA 142)

Reaching others does something in our own lives. It teaches selflessness, humility, love, compassion, sensitivity, and develops in us a character like Christ’s. And notice as well, that we can experience some of that same joy that Christ experiences by seeing souls won to Him.

So do we reach out to others merely because we are commanded to go? Oh, no! It goes way beyond the command. It should stem from a heart of love that realizes the crisis of those who don't have Christ. It should stem from a sense that we cannot assume a person will hear about Jesus and we must act as if they won't. It should come from a desire to be yoked with Christ in His work of reaching the lost. It should be driven by our desire to bring joy to the heart of God. And finally, it should be driven by our own longing to have a character more like Christ's and to experience His joy.

And that goes a whole lot deeper than a mere command to “Go”!