WHO CARES?

 by Dr. Hank Lindstrom

     Who cares?  Do you?  Jesus Christ gave the command, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15)," nearly two thousand years ago.  And yet the world is not reached.  Why hasn't the world been reached?  Does any one care?

1.     God cares.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)."  God so loved all of mankind even though there was nothing lovely or deserving about any of us (Romans 5:8).  God does not want us to go to a lost eternity to be separated from Him for all eternity in the lake of fire.  God cared enough to provide the way of salvation.

2.   Jesus cares.  Jesus said in Luke 19:10, "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."  Jesus Christ cared enough about each one of us in the human race that He was willing to die on the cross of Calvary to pay for our sins.  We are told in I Timothy 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  His whole purpose in coming into this world was to rescue us from an eternal hell.

     I believe that we need to realize that we are on a dying planet that is scheduled to be destroyed by fire according to God's Word.  II Peter 3:12 says, "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat."  In other words, God did not leave us here on this earth to make the earth a better place to go to hell from.  God wants to rescue us from a dying planet and an eternal hell.  Our purpose, therefore, as Christians is to become concerned about a person's destiny above all else and tell them about Jesus Christ.

3.     The Holy Spirit cares.  The Holy Spirit according to the Bible is convicting the world (mankind) of their need of a Saviour.  "And when he is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on me (John 16:8-9)."  No man would seek after God or realize their need of God if it were not for the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of men.  God the Holy Spirit cares for every single individual of the human race and is convicting each one.  As a result no one in the human race will have an excuse (Romans 1:19-20).

4.     People in heaven care.  The angels in heaven care.  Jesus said, "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth (changes his mind) (Luke 15:10)."  The miracle of the new birth occurs each and every time a member of the human race puts their trust in Jesus Christ as their only hope for reaching heaven.  The saints (believers) and angels in heaven care and rejoice each time a person gets saved.

     What do you suppose is wrong with us if we do not get excited when a person gets saved?  The people in heaven know the value of a soul and get excited when one soul is rescued from hell.  Do Christians really care?  Do you care?  I don't know of another verse in the Bible that tells of anything that brings joy to a person in heaven, but the saving of a soul.

5.     The lost in flame and torment care.  In Luke chapter 16 Jesus Christ pulls back the curtains so we can catch a glimpse into hell (hades).  An unsaved rich man dies, "And in hell (hades) he lifted up his eyes being in torments (Luke 16:23)."  The rich man said, "I am tormented in this flame."  After being told that there is no second chance after you die, nor was there any relief from the torment (Luke 16:24-26) we see that the lost man's concern was for souls.

     The lost man in hell (hades) pleaded for someone to witness to his five brothers still alive on the earth.  He said, "For I have five brethren; that he may testify (witness) unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment (Luke 16:28)."  The lost in hell (hades) are pleading right now that someone would witness to their relatives because they care.  It is too late for them but they care about those who are still upon the earth and are lost.

     Do you have any unsaved relatives that have died?  If so, then they are as the rich man in Luke 16.  If you could hear them cry out right now, they would be pleading with you to witness to the rest of the family "lest they also come into this place of torment (Luke 16:28)."

6.     Satan Cares.  Satan's major objective to prevent people from going to heaven!  Satan wants to take as many persons to hell with him as he can!  II Corinthians 4:3,4 tells us, "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."  You may want to ask yourself the question, Is Satan successful?

     Oh Christian!  What will it take for you to see that the things of earth will soon be past, and only things that are done for Christ will last.

     The question is, DO YOU CARE?  Do you care for the lost enough to give them the gospel?  God cares!  Jesus Christ cares!  The Holy Spirit cares!  The saved in heaven care!  The lost in hell (hades) care!  But what about you, you are the one who can do something about souls.

Jesus said, "Go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."  Mark 16:15.


Will you go?  Do you care?