A friend of mine believes that because of the sovereignty of God he does not have to witness or reach out to the lost. He seems to have taken what I consider to be an ultra-Calvinistic position. I am looking for Scriptures that show that even though God is sovereign He intended us to have dominion and to work for His glory and occupy til He comes.
First, let’s understand that Matt. 7:7-8, John 3:16 and John 6:40, Romans 10:9 and Romans 10:13, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, and 2 Peter 3:9 all speak against the Calvinist position on salvation. Any person can choose to accept the pardon the Lord purchased for us with His shed blood.
Second, in Matt. 28:18-20 Jesus gave us what’s been called the Great Commission, to make disciples of people in all the nations. Since He used the phrase “all nations” and said He would be with us to the very end of the age, we know He wasn’t speaking just to His followers seated there with Him but to all who would come after them as well.
In Romans 10:13-15 Paul wrote,
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Paul’s point was even though everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, most of us heard about the Lord through people who were sent to share the Gospel, whether as pastors, evangelists. teachers, or ordinary people from all walks of life who have been led to talk with others about their own faith.
It’s not that God couldn’t accomplish His goals without us. But He has chosen to let us help, and those who do so find it brings great blessings.
This is so important to the Lord that He will award a special crown to those who qualify. In the Bible it’s called the Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thes. 2:19) but it has also become known as the soul winner’s crown. It’s hard to imagine a greater joy than to be awarded that crown.