Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 19
November 2, 1967
NUMBER 26, PAGE 1-2a

Let Them Die — II.

Jefferson David Tant

Having noted in our previous article the sad conditions that exist in the lives of Christians today, i.e. that so few are making any sort of concentrated effort to save souls from the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, we now turn our attention to the causes of this condition. There are many things that could be said, but there are four that we want to notice.

1. Lack of knowledge is the excuse offered by many. The plea is made, and usually truthfully, that "I don't know enough to be able to teach others." Now, while this may be a truthful statement, it by no means is a NECESSARY statement, for most of us are quite aware of the fact that we can pretty well learn what we WANT to learn. Most of the women reading this article know how to cook. Why? Because the necessity of knowing how to cook was realized early in life and you knew you had to know how to cook in order to get a husband. So you learned. Many know how to sew, which certainly does not seem like an easy task to me, simply because you WANTED to know how to sew. Many of you, both male and female, have difficult jobs requiring knowledge and skill. You didn't know how to do these things at first, but YOU WANTED TO LEARN. There was the motivation, the desire for approval from self, from family, and from employer.

As a boy, I can well remember the most fervent desire of my life at that time--to learn how to drive a car. I didn't know how, but I WANTED TO LEARN VERY MUCH. So at the age of ten, on the trails lining my uncle's farm and ranch in west Texas, I accomplished my goal. It was not easy. There were many false starts and jerks and bumps. But I learned.

I WANTED to learn, and applied myself to the task. As was stated, we can pretty well learn what we WANT to learn.

And we can learn the Word of God, and how to teach it. Paul told Timothy, "Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching... Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them... Take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching. Continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee." (I Tim. 4:13-16) Does that sound like "Read a chapter a day, and keep the devil away," or "Go to church and Sunday school faithfully, Timothy, and you'll learn all you need to know." HARDLY! Paul further told Timothy to "Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth." (II Tim. 2:15) The recipients of the letter to the Hebrews were severely rebuked, "For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God..." (Heb. 5:12) How VERY MANY need that rebuke today.

How wonderful is the assurance Paul gave to the Ephesians concerning the mystery "as I wrote before in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ..." (Eph. 3:3-4) Don't tell me you CAN'T learn! Be more truthful and say you don't WANT to learn. Paul said we COULD learn, and even commanded such: Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." (Eph. 5:17)

2. Lack of prospects is offered by many by the reason for not converting others to Christ. "I don't know anyone to teach." Oh, come now. Let's not be silly. I've got prospects running out my ears. Do you want to know some of the people I have studied with? They include a building contractor in the community, the service station operator where I trade, neighbors, the kindergarten operator where my children have gone, customers I had when I had a part-time job, salesmen who have come into my home, my postman (who was converted, resulting in ten souls converted to date, with more prospects in sight.) Others I have talked to include school teachers and principal, denominational preachers, grocery clerks, real estate brokers, PTA associates, the wife's co-workers on her part-time job, etc., etc., etc.

Now, do YOU have a postman? Most everyone does. Do you buy gasoline, buy groceries, patronize the cleaners, have salesmen come to your home, have neighbors, have teachers in the school system? Why, the world is literally FULL of prospects.

If some eccentric millionaire had given you $1,000,000, could you find someone to share this overwhelming news with? Could you find someone to listen to you and rejoice at your good fortune? Why not be just as overwhelmed with the pearl of great price which you have. You can find SOMEONE to listen to you. If you had a wonderful product to sell, could you find someone to listen to your sales pitch? Of course! They may not buy it, but that is not your job. Your job is simply to present it in an attractive and intelligent manner. And so it is with the gospel. Your prospect may not accept the gospel, but that's his problem, not yours. The only requirement Christ made of you is that you present it: "but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear..." (I Peter. 3:15)

The very poorest salesman, with the poorest imaginable sales presentation will eventually make some sales, if he works hard enough and long enough. And the very poorest teacher, with a halting, stumbling, nervous delivery, can also win souls to Christ. And how great are the possibilities for one who has prepared?

Christ has given us UNLIMITED prospects in an UNLIMITED territory. He said the WORLD is the field in which to sow the seed of the kingdom, and emphasized over and over again the fact that "ANY MAN" is a candidate for conversion. (John 6:51; 7:17; 10:9) You may think that a particular person would be the LAST PERSON ON EARTH to receive the word, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW! YOU HAVE JUDGED THAT PERSON! Give him a chance! He deserves a chance just as much as YOU, doesn't he?

The concluding article will take up two more "objections" people offer as to why they do not engage in personal evangelism.

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