Have you ever sat and thought about eternity? I know I have, and I’ve tried to think about what it will be like for the follower of Christ and the non-believer. For me, it is a thought process that is beyond comprehension. The beauty of Heaven is described to us in some measure in the Bible. If you read Revelation chapter 21 you will get some idea of the splendor of Heaven. You will understand how glorious and joyful it will be. We are told in this chapter there will be no more tears, no night, nothing unclean, it is an unrivaled beauty, and there will be sounds of singing of the glory of God. This is a place we all want to go to and should want others to experience too. The Bible also gives us a picture of Hell. The place where those who do not follow Jesus will spend eternity. It is the complete opposite of Heaven. II Thessalonians 1:9 teaches us the presence of God is absent from this place. In Matthew 13:50 Jesus says it is a roaring furnace and there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there. Mark 9:43 Jesus teaches us that the fire never goes out. Those in Hell will experience torment forever. They will not burn up and cease to exist, they will not get accustomed to it and settle down, or have their friends there to lament with. There will be no comfort of any kind in Hell. So, what are you willing to do to help others escape that awful place? A place they may not believe even exists. What are you willing to do for the souls of others?
II Thessalonians 1:8-9 “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”
Matthew 13:49-50 “So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Mark 9:43-44 “And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched.”
In Philippians 2:17, Paul gives us his answer to the question what will you do for a soul? He is willing to die! The word “offered” in verse 17 means to be poured out. Paul uses this same phrase in II Timothy 4:6. He says he is ready to be offered, poured out, ready to die for them. He feels his life may be coming to an end and he wants to know that he has done all he could to win them, and disciple them to be a servant of Christ themselves. In verse 16 he tells us that he wants to rejoice when Christ returns, or when he meets Christ at death because if they are right with God, he will know his labor was not in vain. It was not worthless. Paul had suffered much to spread the gospel. He was now in a Roman prison, not sure if he would ever be free, but to him, it was worth it in order for others to know Christ.
Philippians 2:16 “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”
Philippians 2:17 “Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”
II Timothy 4:6 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”
Paul doesn’t know what the future holds for him, but his goal is to continue to make disciples and win all he can to Christ while here on this earth. He doesn’t complain about his circumstances or make excuses as to why he can’t witness and further the gospel. He keeps his focus on obeying Christ. He’s not sitting around feeling sorry for himself, he is being as creative as he can be to further the gospel and encourage other believers.
Paul continues in his letter to the Philippians to encourage them. While he desires to be with them to help them grow and win others, he sees that it may be a while before he is released or that he may never be released. He doesn’t beg for their pity or help. Instead, he sends Timothy to them. He gives accolades to them about Timothy. He is setting the stage for them to follow the instructions of Timothy. He also is sending Timothy so he can bring a report back to him of their wellbeing. He is concerned that the church continues to press forward for the cause of Christ.
Philippians 2:18-24 “For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.”
Paul is a splendid example to us as to the extent we are to go to win souls to Jesus and disciple those who are already in the faith. We make all kinds of excuses, but the truth is we are too lazy or selfish to go the extra mile, to be creative, to spend time in prayer, and ask God for direction. We fear we will be rejected, or people will make fun of us. We think other things are more important than the souls of others. Why do I say this, because we place everything else as a priority to witnessing to others? We all live busy lives but there is nothing more important than the souls of men and women, boys, and girls. Be creative, pray for opportunities, make opportunities wherever you go, and keep the main thing the main thing. There are many things we will be ashamed of when we stand before Christ, but we will never be ashamed of the time and effort we have spent seeking to win others to Jesus. What is a soul worth to you?
