Through Love

James 5:20 "Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." The only way to convert a sinner is through Love. Proverbs 10:12 "Love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." Above all things, we as Born Again Christians are to have love without ceasing. Our love toward the lost of the world should be an earnest expression of God's compassion toward them.

If we can share the Gospel with someone and he or she accepts the Lord, their soul is saved from hell and death. We have a responsibility toward the whole human race. If we are truly children of God, and in us, we possess eternal life, "we carry in us hope." If a Fire Fighter saw a house on fire and did not attempt to rescue the occupants and to extinguish the fire, then he would have failed in his oath as a Fire Fighter.

When we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts as our personal Savior and make him Lord over our life, we make an oath with God. Our oath is that we will believe him, trust him, follow him and be obedient to what is in his Word. We must be faithful to our promise and the oath that we have made. It is a blood oath, which is sealed by the Holy Spirit!

Ezekiel 3:18 "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous [man] doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous [man], that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul."

Knowing that if a person does not repent they will die eternally it is important that we as the rescuers attempt as many rescues as we can in our lifetime.

1 Timothy 4:16 "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee."

Luke 13:3 "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

If we are to believe that God's Word is true and that the saved go to be with God in eternal paradise in the end, then we are also to believe that the wicked will be forever punished without hope of rescue after the return of Christ.

Jude 1:22 "And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

Christians are the rescuers! We pull the lost and helpless from the fire! The day of judgement is coming for the world. If Jesus Christ is living, abiding and walking up and down inside of you, then you have a duty and a responsibility as a light bearer to shine your light to a dark world. You have an obligation, not because of who you are but who you are in Christ Jesus the Savior of the world.

Some people say that they are not preachers. That they do not feel comfortable talking about God to other people. Others say that their Christianity is personal and they do not feel the need to share it with those around them. The gift of life which Jesus gives us is a gift which we are required by his Word to give to others. Everyone is a preacher of the truth if they are Born Again.

Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

Act 10:42 "And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead."

2 Timothy 4:2 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

We know that Jonah was commanded by God to go and preach to a wicked city. Jonah 3:2 "Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." We also know what happened when Jonah refused and tried to run from God. He was swallowed by a whale!

What did Jesus say about preaching? Luke 9:60 "Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." It was very important that people who claimed to follow or who wanted to follow Christ be prepared to preach the gospel.

Judgement is coming because Jesus is returning. Revelation 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Do you call yourself a Christian? Have you been Born Again by the Spirit of the Living God? If you say yes to these questions then I encourage you to become a rescuer if you have not already. Share your faith with those around you. Let your light shine that the world might see Jesus living in you.

Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

What is our testimony? We are the testimony. We are living sacrifices unto God as a witness to the world of his love. Revelation 19:10 "And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See [thou do it] not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." What is this spirit of prophecy? It is the theme which is carried from the Old Testament through the New and given to us. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ!

In Christ Jesus,

Dale Thompson