How to Deal With Those Who Have Little or No Concern About Their Souls

The largest class of men and women are those who

have little or no concern about their salvation.

There are some who contend that there is no use

dealing with such, but there is. It is our

business when a man has no concern about his

salvation to go to work to produce that concern.

How shall we do it?

I. SHOW HIM THAT HE IS A GREAT SINNER BEFORE GOD.

There is no better verse for this purpose than

Matthew 22:37-38:

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy

God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and

with all thy mind. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT

COMMANDMENT."

Before the one with whom you are dealing reads

these verses, you can say to him, "Do you know

that you are a great sinner before God?" Very

likely he will reply, "I suppose I am a sinner,

but I do not know that I am such a great sinner."

"Do you know that you have committed the greatest

sin that a man can possibly commit?" "No, I

certainly have not." "What do you think is the

greatest sin that a man can commit?" Probably he

will answer, "Murder." "You are greatly mistaken.

Let us see what God says about it." Then have him

read the passage. When he has read it, ask him,

"What is the first and great commandment?" "Thou

shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,

and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."

"Which commandment is this?" "The first and great

commandment." "If this is the first and great

commandment, what is the first and great sin?"

"Not to keep this commandment." "Have {45} you

kept it? Have you put God first in everything,

first in your affections, first in your thoughts,

first in your pleasures, first in your business,

first in everything?" "No, I have not." "What

commandment, then, have you broken?" "The first

and great commandment."

Some time ago a young man came into our inquiry

meeting. I asked him if he was a Christian, and he

replied that he was not. I asked him if he would

like to be, and he said he would. I said, "Why,

then, do you not become a Christian tonight?" He

replied, "I have no special interest in the

matter." I said, "Do you mean that you have no

conviction of sin?" "Yes," he said, "I have no

conviction of sin, and am not much concerned about

the whole matter." I said, "I hold in my hand a

book which God has given us for the purpose of

producing conviction of sin; would you like to

have me use it upon you?" Half laughing, he

replied, "Yes." When he had taken a seat, I had

him read Matthew 22:37-38. When he had read the

passage I said to him, "What is the first and

great commandment?" He read it from the Bible. I

said, "If this is the first and great commandment,

what is the first and great sin?" He replied, 'Not

to keep this commandment." I asked, "Have you kept

it?" "I have not." "What have you done then?"

Said he, "I have broken the first and greatest of

God's commandments," and broken down with a sense

of sin, then and there he went down before God and

asked Him for mercy, and accepted Christ as his

Savior.

Another excellent passage to use to produce

conviction of sin is Romans 14:12:

"So then every one of us shall give account of

himself to God."

The great object in using this passage is to bring

the careless man face to face with God, and make

him realize that he must give account to God. When

he has read it, ask him, "Who has to give

account?" "Every one of us." "Whom does that

take in?" "Me." "Who then is to give account?"

"I am." "To whom are you to give account?" "To

God." "Of what are you to give account?" "Of

myself." "Read it that way." "I shall give

account of myself to God." "Now just let that

thought sink into your heart. Say it over to

yourself again and again, 'I am to give account of

myself to God. I am to give account of myself to

God.' Are you ready to do it?"

Amos 4:12 can be used in much the same way: {46}

"Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and

because I will do this unto thee, PREPARE TO MEET

THY GOD, O Israel."

Another very effective passage with many a

careless man is Romans 2:16:

"In the day when GOD SHALL JUDGE THE SECRETS of

men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

When the one with whom you are dealing has read

the verse, say, "What is God going to do in some

coming day?" "Judge the secrets of men." "Judge

what?" "The secrets of men." "Who is it that is

going to judge the secrets of men?" "It is God."

"Are you ready to have the secret hidden things of

your life judged by a holy God?"

II. SHOW HIM THE AWFUL CONSEQUENCES OF SIN.

A very effective passage for this purpose is

Romans 6:23:

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of

God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our

Lord."

When he has read the passage, ask him, "What is

the wages of sin?" "Death." Explain to him the

meaning of death, literal death, spiritual death,

eternal death. Now say, "This is the wages of sin;

have you earned these wages?" "Are you willing to

take them?" "No." "Well, there is one

alternative; read the remainder of the verse."

"The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus

Christ our Lord." "Now you have your choice

between the two, the wages that you have earned by

sin, and the gift of God; which will you choose?"

Another very useful passage along this line is

Isaiah 57:21:

"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."

Another verse declaring the fearful consequences

of sin, is John 8:34:

"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto

you, Whosoever commiteth sin is the servant of

sin."

Have the one with whom you are dealing read the

passage, then ask him what every one who commits

sin is. "The servant of sin." "What kind of a

service is that?" Bring it out that it is very

degrading. Ask the inquirer if he appreciates that

this is true of him, that {47} he is the servant

of sin, and then ask him if he does not want to be

set free from this awful bondage.

There is another passage that one can use in much

the same way, Romans 6:16:

"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves

servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye

obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience

unto righteousness?"

III. SHOW HIM THE AWFULNESS OF UNBELIEF IN JESUS

CHRIST.

Very few out of Christ realize that unbelief in

Jesus Christ is anything very bad. Of course they

know it is not just right, but that it is

something awful and appalling they do not dream

for a moment. They should be shown that there is

nothing more appalling than unbelief in Jesus

Christ. A good passage for this purpose is John

3:18-19:

"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he

that believeth not is condemned already, because

he that not believed in the name of the only

begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world, and men loved

darkness rather than light, because their deeds

were evil."

When the passage has been read, say, "Now this

verse tells us of some one who is condemned

already; who is it?" "He that believeth not."

"Believeth not on whom?" "On Jesus." "How many

that believe not on Jesus are condemned already?"

"Every one." "Why is every one that believeth not

on Jesus condemned already?" "Because he has not

believed on the name of the only begotten Son of

God." "Why is this such an awful thing in the

sight of God?" "Because light is come into the

world, and men loved darkness rather than light

because their deeds are evil." "In whom did the

light come into the world?" "In Jesus." "Jesus,

then, is the incarnation of light, God's fullest

revelation to man: to reject Jesus, then, is the

deliberate rejection of what?" "Light." "The

choice of what?" "Darkness." "In rejecting Jesus,

what are you rejecting?" "Light." "And what are

you choosing?" "Darkness rather than light." Ask

all the questions that are necessary to impress

this truth upon the mind of the unbeliever, that

he is deliberately rejecting the light of God, and

choosing darkness rather than light.

Another very useful passage for the same purpose

is Acts 2:36-37: {48}

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know

assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus,

whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now

when they heard this, they were pricked in their

heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the

apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

When the passage is read, say, "Now here were

certain men under deep conviction of sin, crying

out, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' What

was the sin that they committed that produced such

deep conviction?" "They had crucified Jesus."

"What had God done with Jesus?" "He had made Him

both Lord and Christ." "These men had rejected One

whom God hath made both Lord and Christ. Is that a

serious sin?" "Yes." "And are you not guilty of

that very sin today? You are rejecting Jesus, and

this Jesus whom you are rejecting is the very one

whom God hath made both Lord and Christ. Is it not

an awful sin to deliberately reject one whom God

hath thus exalted?"

Another good passage to use is John 16:8-9:

"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."

When the passage has been read, ask the one with

whom you are dealing, "Of what sin is it that the

Holy Ghost, who knows the mind of God, especially

convicts men?" "Of the sin of unbelief." "What,

then, is the crowning sin in God's sight?"

"Unbelief in Jesus CHrist." "Why is unbelief in

Jesus Christ the crowning sin in God's sight?"

Then bring out that it is because it reveals most

clearly the heart's deliberate choice of sin

rather than righteousness, of darkness rather than

light, of hatred to God rather than love to God.

In some cases it is well to use Hebrews 10;28-29:

"He that despised Moses' law died without mercy

under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer

punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought

worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of

God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,

wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and

hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

When the passage has been read, ask the inquirer,

"How serious an offense was it in God's sight to

despise Moses' law?" "The one who did it died

without mercy." "Is there any offense more serious

in God's sight than despising the law of Moses?"

"Yes, treading under foot the Son of God." "Does

not every one who rejects Jesus {49} Christ

practically tread under foot the Son of God, and

count the blood of the covenant wherewith He was

sanctified an unholy thing?" "Yes, I suppose he

does." "Are you not committing this very sin?"

IV. SHOW HIM THE AWFUL CONSEQUENCES OF UNBELIEF.

For this purpose begin by using Hebrews 11:6, the

first of the verse:

"But without faith it is impossible to please

him."

"Now this verse tells you that there is one thing

that God absolutely requires if we are to please

Him: what is it?" "Faith." "And no matter what

else we do, if we have not faith, what is

impossible for us?" "To please Him."

Follow this up by John 8:24:

"I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in

your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye

shall die in your sins."

"What does this verse tell us will happen to you

if you do not believe in Jesus?" "I shall die in

my sins." Then have the inquirer read verse 21,

"Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and

ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins:

whither I go, ye cannot come."

That will show the result of once dying in his

sins.

Further follow this up by 2_Thessalonians 1:7-9:

"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when

the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with

his mighty angels, 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."

Say to the inquirer, "This verse tells us of a

coming day in which Jesus is to take vengeance

upon a certain class of people, and they are to be

punished with everlasting destruction from the

presence of the Lord and the glory of His power.

Who is it that are to be thus punished?" "They

that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of

our Lord Jesus Christ." "Are you obeying the

Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ." "No." "If,

then, Christ should come now {50} what would be

your destiny?" "I should be punished with

everlasting destruction from the presence of the

Lord, and the glory of His power."

Then turn to Revelation 21:8. This verse needs no

comment, it tells its own story:

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the

abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and

sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall

have their part in the lake which burneth with

fire and brimstone: which is the second death."

Revelation 20:15 may also be used:

"And whosoever was not found written in the book

of life was cast into the lake of fire."

V. SHOW HIM THAT ALL ONE HAS TO DO TO BE LOST IS

SIMPLY TO NEGLECT THE SALVATION THAT IS OFFERED IN

CHRIST.

A verse which will serve for this purpose is

Hebrews 2:3:

"How shall we escape, if we neglect so great

salvation; which at the first began to be spoken

by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them

that heard him?"

When the verse has been read, ask, "What does this

verse tell us is all that is necessary to be done

in order to be lost?" "Simply neglect the great

salvation." "That is the very thing that you are

doing today; you are already lost. God has

provided salvation for you at great cost: all you

need to do to be saved, is to accept the

salvation, but you cannot be saved any other way;

and all you need to do to be lost, is simply to

neglect it. You do not need to plunge into

desperate vices, you do not need to be an open and

avowed infidel, you do not need to refuse even to

accept salvation. If you simply neglect it, you

will be lost forever. Will you not let the

question of the text sink deep into your heart:

'How shall we escape if we neglect so great

salvation?'"

Another passage to use for this purpose is Acts

3:22-23:

"For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet

shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your

brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all

things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it

shall come to pass that every soul, which will not

hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among

the people." {51} "This passage tells us about a

Prophet that Moses said the Lord would raise up.

Who was that Prophet?" "Jesus." "What does God

tell us to do with that Prophet?" "Hear him 'in

all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.'"

"What shall happen unto him who does not hearken

unto the words of that Prophet?" "He shall be

destroyed from among the people." "Are you

hearkening unto the words of that Prophet?"

Still another passage to use is Acts 12:38-41:

"Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren,

that through this man is preached unto you the

forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe

are justified from all things, from which ye could

not be justified by the law of Moses.

"Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which

is spoken of in the prophets; Behold, ye

despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a

work in your days, a work which ye shall in no

wise believe, though a man declare it unto you."

"These verses tell us about Jesus. They tell us of

something that is preached to us through Him. What

is it?" "Forgiveness of sins." "They tell us what

it is that a man has to do to obtain this

forgiveness of sins; what is it?" "Believe on

Him." "What blessing comes to all that believe?"

"They are justified from all things." "On the

other hand, what comes to us if we neglect to

believe?" "We shall perish."

Still another passage to use for this purpose is

John 3:36:

"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."

When the passage has been read, ask, "What does

every one who believes on the Son get?"

"Everlasting life." "But on the other hand, if

one simply neglects to believe what will be the

result?" "He shall not see life, but the wrath of

God abideth upon him."

VI. SHOW HIM THE WONDERFUL LOVE OF GOD TO HIM.

Oftentimes when every other method of dealing with

the careless fails, a realization of the love of

God breaks the heart, and leads to an acceptance

of Christ. There is no better passage to show the

love of God than John 3:16:

"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."

{52}

Generally it will need no comment. I was once

dealing with one of the most careless and vile

women I ever met. She moved in good society, but

in her secret life was as vile as a woman of the

street. She told me the story of her life in a

most shameless and unblushing way, half-laughing

as she did it. I made no further reply than to ask

her to read John 3:16 to which I had opened my

Bible. Before she had read the passage through,

she burst into tears, her heart broken by the love

of God to her.

Another excellent passage to use in the same way

is Isaiah 53:5:

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was

bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of

our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we

are healed."

God used this passage one night to bring to tears

and penitence one of the most stubborn and wayward

young women with whom I ever dealt. I made almost

no comment, simply read the passage to her. The

Spirit of God seemed to hold up before her, her

Savior, wounded for her transgressions, and

bruised for her iniquities. Her stubborn will gave

way, and before many days she was rejoicing in

Christ.

Two other passages which can be used in the same

way are Galatians 3:13 and 1_Peter 2:24:

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the

law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,

Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on

the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live

unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were

healed."

After showing the love of God through the use of

such passages as these mentioned, it is oftentimes

well to clinch this truth by using Romans 2:4-5:

"Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and

forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that

the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

But after thy hardness and impenitent heart

treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day

of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment

of God."

Before having the passage read, say, "We have been

looking at the love of God to you; now let us see

what God tells us is the purpose of that love, and

what will be the result of our despising it." Then

have the passage, Romans 2:4-5 read by the one

with whom {53} you are dealing. When he has read

it, ask him what is the purpose of God's goodness.

"To lead to repentance." "If it does not lead us

to repentance, what does it show us about our

hearts?" "That they are very hard and

impenitent." "And if we refuse to let the

goodness of God lead us to repentance, what will

be the result?" "We treasure up wrath unto

ourselves against the day of wrath and the

revelation of the righteous judgment of God."

Of course it will not always be possible to get a

person who has little or no concern about his

salvation to talk with you long enough to go over

all these passages, but not infrequently he will

become so interested after the use of the first or

second passage that he will be glad to go through.

Oftentimes it is not at all necessary to use all

these passages. Not infrequently I find that the

first passage, Matthew 22:37-38, does the desired

work, but it is well to be thorough, and to use

all the passages necessary.

Sometimes one will not talk with you for any

length of time at all. In such a case, the best

thing to do is to select a very pointed and

searching passage and give it to him, repeating it

again and again, and then as he goes, say to him

something like this, "I am going to ask God to

burn that passage into your heart"; and then do

not forget to do what you said you were going to

do. Good passages for this purpose are Romans

6:23, Mark 16:16, John 3:36, Isaiah 57:21.

When the inquirer has been led by the use of any

or all of these passages to realize his need of a

Savior, and really desires to be saved, of course

he comes under the class treated in the preceding

chapter, and should be dealt with accordingly. It

is not intended that the worker shall follow the

precise method laid down here, which is given

rather by way of suggestion, but the general plan

here outlined has been honored of God to the

salvation of very many. But let us be sure,

whether we use this method or some other, to do

thoroughgoing and lasting work.

Of course it is not supposed that the inquirer

will always answer you exactly as stated above. If

he does not, make use of the answers that he does

give, or if necessary ask the same question

another way until he does answer you correctly.

The answers given to the questions are found in

the text, but people have a great habit of not

seeing what is plainly stated in a Scripture text.

Oftentimes {54} when they do not answer right,

it is well to ask them to look at the verse again,

and repeat the question, and keep asking questions

until they do give the right answer. Perhaps the

inquirer will try to switch you off on to some

sidetrack. Do not permit him to do this, but hold

right to the matter in hand.