Rescue Compassionately
Pastor Don Carpenter
Soul Winning: So Much More Than Evangelism / 2 Corinthians 5:11; Galatians 6:1; Jude 22–23
Don Richardson was a missionary to the cannibalistic, headhunting Sawi tribe of Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Try as he would, he could not find a way to make the people understand the gospel message, especially the significance of Christ’s atoning death on the cross.
Sawi villages were constantly fighting among themselves, and because treachery revenge, and murder were highly honored there seemed no hope of peace. The tribe, however, had a legendary custom that if one village gave a baby boy to another village, peace would prevail between the two villages as long as the child lived. The baby was called a “peace child”.
The missionary seized on that story as an analogy of the reconciling work of Christ. Christ, he said, is God’s divine Peace Child that He has offered to man, and because Christ lives eternally His peace will never end. That analogy was the key that unlocked the gospel for the Sawis. In a miraculous working of the Holy Spirit many of them believed in Christ, and a strong, evangelistic church soon developed – and peace came to the Sawis. Peace Child. (Glendale, Calif.:Regal, 1979)
This is soul winning, not because evangelism took place, but because the minds and hearts of a lost people were captured and persuaded to be receptive to the truth. Tonight is the last message in our series “Soul Winning: So Much More Than Evangelism”. Let us consider what we have learned over the last 8 weeks.
We discovered that the one place in the Bible that mentions winning souls was not directly talking about leading someone to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Proverbs 11:30 KJV
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; And he that winneth souls is wise.
We discovered that a soul is one’s heart and mind, and to “win” it is to grab hold of it, capture it. We learned that just grabbing a soul is not virtuous of itself. It has to be done as part of the fruit of the righteous.
We learned that the definition or indicator of this righteousness was not some man made external standard, but the fruit of a Spirit controlled heart.
James 3:13–18 KJV
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Since discovering these truths about what soul winning actually is, we went on to learn practically how to do it. We learned to Speak Graciously, Teach Meekly, Answer Softly, Live Peacefully, Love Truthfully, Communicate Sensitively and Reach Out Sympathetically. Tonight we will look at reaching people when the need is urgent and the stakes are especially high. We will learn how to Rescue Compassionately.
Make Your Case
2 Corinthians 5:11 KJV
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
• Based on what we know.
28.1 ???????a; ????a; ???????a; ??????a, ??? f: to possess information about—‘to know, to know about, to have knowledge of, to be acquainted with, acquaintance.’1
1 Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 333). United Bible Societies.
The verb knowing here has the idea of experiencing or being aware of something. It is more than merely knowing about something. It includes an awareness of responsibility. Mft has “with the fear of the Lord before my mind,” while NAB reads “standing in awe of the Lord.”1
1 Omanson, R. L., & Ellington, J. (1993). A handbook on Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (p. 98). United Bible Societies.
• Based on the terror of the Lord.
1. phobos (?????, 5401) first had the meaning of “flight,” that which is caused by being scared; then, “that which may cause flight,” (a) “fear, dread, terror,” always with this significance in the four Gospels; also e.g., in Acts 2:43; 19:17; 1 Cor. 2:3; 1 Tim. 5:20 (lit., “may have fear”); Heb. 2:15; 1 John 4:18; Rev. 11:11; 18:10, 151
1 Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, pp. 229–230). T. Nelson.
• Our accountability as believers
Acts 20:26–27 KJV
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
• Compassion for the plight of the unbeliever
John 3:36 KJV
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
• We Persuade – make our case
peitho (?????, 3982), “to persuade,” is rendered “agreed” in Acts 5:40, where the meaning is “they yielded to him.” See assure, believe, confident, friend, obey, persuade, trust, yield.1
1 Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 20). T. Nelson.
Make Your Repairs
Galatians 6:1 KJV
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
• If someone is overtaken=
“overtaken” in any trespass, Gal. 6:1, where the meaning is not that of detecting a person in the act, but of his being caught by the trespass, through his being off his guard.
1 W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 1996), 454.
• You which are spiritual=
(and presumably that should be everyone’s goal)
The spiritual among the Galatians, namely, those who were still living their lives in dependence upon the Spirit, are exhorted to restore those Galatians who had abandoned that method for the one taught by the Judaizers.1
1 Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 165.
• Restore – Repair
The word restore is from katartiz? (?????????). This word has the following meanings: “to repair, to restore to a former good condition, to prepare, to fit out, to equip.” It is used of reconciling factions, of setting bones, of putting a dislocated limb into place, of mending nets, of manning a fleet, of supplying an army with provisions. It is used by Paul usually in a metaphorical sense of setting a person to rights, of bringing him into line. Those Galatians who had not abandoned their dependence upon the Holy Spirit, now are asked by Paul to set those Galatians right who had been seized unawares by sin because they had deprived themselves of the ministry of the Spirit.1
1 Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 165.
The following is from a sermon David Dykes, “How Should We Treat Someone Who Messed Up?” 8/11/2010
One of the most touching moments in NBA history took place in a 2003 playoff game between the Portland Trailblazers and the Dallas Mavericks. Actually, it happened before the game began.
Natalie Gilbert was a 13-year-old 8th grader who had won the chance to sing the national anthem a capella before the game. Even though she had been in bed all day with a flu, she was determined to do her best. She was obviously nervous, and a few lines into the song, Natalie forgot the words. She stood there embarrassed in the spotlight in front the crowd and a national television audience. It had to be the most agonizing moment in Natalie’s young life – and everyone there was embarrassed for her as well.
But after only a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Maurice Cheeks, the Trailblazers head coach walked to Natalie’s side, put his arm around her and helped her with the words. They started singing together, and soon the entire crowd was singing the national anthem. His act of helping Natalie brought the entire crowd into the song. There was thunderous cheering when they all reached the words, “o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”
Natalie messed up, but fortunately there was someone there to help her recover, and she finished strong. Wouldn’t it be great if Christians would could come along side our brothers and sisters who have messed up and help them recover spiritually so they can finish strong?
Everybody messes up, even Christians. But we don’t have a very good reputation for how we treat them. Someone has said that “the Christian army is the only army that shoots its wounded.” When a Christian sins, and it becomes public knowledge, we often refer to them as “fallen.” They haven’t fallen from salvation, they’ve fallen down in their walk with God. But instead of extending a hand to help them up, many Christians react by kicking them when they’re down.
Make a Difference
With Compassion
Jude 22 KJV
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
????? or ?????; ?????, ??? n: to show kindness or concern for someone in serious need—‘to show mercy, to be merciful toward, to have mercy on, mercy.’
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains. New York: United Bible Societies.
Because the words of the apostates were confusing, probably many believers were in doubt as to whether to follow them. Such persons, Jude wrote, should not be slandered or criticized. They should be dealt with in love and mercy—the same way in which the Lord dealt with them (cf. v. 21). They needed encouragement, not criticism. They needed to be built up, not torn down.
Pentecost, E. C. (1985). Jude. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 923). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
With a Sense of Urgency
Jude 23 KJV
and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire” refers to sinners whom we consider hopeless. It seems impossible that they will ever be saved. And yet I have seen some of these folk come to know Christ by hearing God’s Word by radio. Jude admonishes us not to give them up—“others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire.” What a tremendous statement!
In Zechariah 3:2 we read this: “And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” When God intended to save Jerusalem, He said, “I am just taking a brand out of the fire.” Apparently there is no one who is beyond redemption, if they want to be saved.
McGee, J. V. (1997). Thru the Bible commentary (electronic ed., Vol. 5, p. 874). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
Conclusion:
So what have we learned? God is very much interested in us becoming soul winners. But the Biblical kind of soul winning is not just the ability to get someone to repeat a prayer or even just to get someone to genuine faith in Jesus as Savior. It is the skill, wisdom, and spirit control needed to grab a wayward heart and mind as redirect them to the glory of the Savior. The lost need to be won, and the believer needs to be won. May God give us the drive and discipline to be Soul Winners that are so much more than evangelists.
Exported from Logos Bible Software, 4:53 PM October 5, 2022.